ANGELS AMONG US
by Elaine Troisi
Emmy squeezed her eyes closed, causing little diamond fires behind her eyelids. “Can’t I open them yet? I’m starting to feel a little dizzy.”
“It’s only a few steps more, Emma-mine,” Carter said. “Patience, my love.”
Emmy smiled at the endearment. Carter hadn’t called her that in many months. She felt oddly nervous as he gripped her hand. “Whoa, easy there. I don’t want you turning your ankle.”
“Well, then, can I open my eyes before I kill myself?” Carter opened the door and gently pushed her inside. “Where are we?”
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| Emmy’s angel watercolor by Elaine |
“Okay, you can open your eyes now.”
It took a minute for Emmy’s eyes to adjust, but she saw they were in a cavernous room with a thirty-foot vaulted ceiling. Three walls were glass from floor to ceiling, with four enormous pyramidal skylights.
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| View of the sun-filled oak tree watercolor by Elaine |
The low sun filtered through thick leafy branches of gigantic oak trees outside and filled the room with a soft golden glow. The walls were painted in vivid earthy Tuscan colors - red, burnt orange, sunflower yellow. In the center of the room was a large glass and brass coffee table flanked by four over-sized green leather chairs.
He sat her down and turned her to face him. “Emma-mine, I have something important to tell you.” His soft brown eyes drew her in, working their magic as they always did. But could she trust him? He’d grown so distant in the past six months.
True, she was busy working day and night, it seemed, on the Drixol Building lobby murals. Clark was spending more and more time with her studio partner, Lisa, than with her. In fact, Emmy had the discomforting notion that something was happening between them, something out of her control.
She wanted to confront him but was afraid. Perhaps he’d brought her to this place to ask for a divorce. Just the thought made tears flood her eyes.
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| Emmy in despair watercolor by Elaine |
“Why, you’re crying? I haven’t even told you the news yet.” He dabbed at the cascade with a handkerchief.
“What … news?” Emma stammered.
Lisa came bounding through the door just then, all smiles. “You bet, we’ve got news to share with you.” In her hand was a bottle of champagne. Emmy was aghast.
Were they honestly going to spring their affair on her by uncorking a bottle of champagne, like this was some kind of celebration!
Lisa collapsed on the chair with Carter, wrapping an arm around his shoulder suggestively, with a triumphant smile on her face.
“I guess the cat’s out of the bag!” she said, casting a knowing wink to Carter.
How dare they flaunt their relationship! In a matter of fifteen minutes, Emmy’s suspicions had become all too real.
Carter leaned toward Emmy, “Turn around and look at the wall, Emma-mine. There’s something you need to see.”
He pulled her to her feet, instructing Lisa to fill the champagne glasses. “We have to make a special toast. .. to our future!”
Slowly, Emmy turned toward the wall. There, in the very center, was the angel series she’d spent months on last year.
Lisa had taken them, promising to find a buyer. There they were, magnificently framed, lit by the setting sun streaming in, making them look more ethereal than she remembered.
“Ohhhh,” she gasped. “Lisa, you sold them!”
There was that glance again … between them. “Mmm, “ they chimed in together.
“Mmmm – what kind of answer is that? Who bought them? What is this place. Please, please, tell me what is going on.”
Clark came and took her in his arms. “You seem upset. This is supposed to be a celebration … of your new studio and gallery. Have some champagne, Emmy-mine.”
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| champagne for three watercolor by Elaine |
He raised his glass. “To you … to your gallery … to a new beginning.”
“I, I don’t understand.” She looked around. Her husband was beaming. Her best friend was glowing. They looked delighted with themselves.
“You mean you two … did this for ME?”
Lisa spoke up then. “It’s taken us months and months to work out the details. The hardest part was keeping it from you, but you were so busy, and that turned out to be a blessing.
Otherwise, we could never have pulled off such a monumental surprise.”
“You know how you always wanted to have a studio for yourself and other artisans and a gallery? Well, this is it, Emma-mine. This is your dream come true. This is my dream, too. Do you like it?”
“And there’s room for Conrad’s potter’s wheel, Laurine’s silver smithing, my sculptor’s corner, Janelle’s loom, and your studio, too. Can’t you just envision it, Emma?” Lisa was excited. “All of our friends can work here and sell their art. People will come from all over, just to see this magical place. I just know it!”
“Ohh, my!” Emma sat down heavily. Her head was whirling, trying to keep up. “This is for me, for us?”
The three sat there until the moon rose, talking and planning. Lisa left, and they were alone.
“I love you, Emma-mine. Don’t ever doubt me,” Clark whispered, taking her into his arms.
Later, as they left, Clark said, “Look up.” There above the door was the sign, Angel-Works Artisan’s Studio and Gallery. He pressed something into her hand. “The key to your kingdom, Emma-mine.”
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| the key to Emmy’s studio watercolor by Elaine |
She closed the door softly and placed the key in the lock. A wave of sheer joy made her shiver in the warm night air.
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