Reclaiming Charity

by Ueckermann, Marion

  The day was warm and Brody soon cranked up the air-conditioning. The weather promised to peak at 93 degrees Fahrenheit in the late afternoon. Thankfully they’d only be going out to the rocks closer to 7 p.m., enough time to set up and start their artworks before the sun began to set nearly two hours later. If they didn’t quite finish tonight, Brody would photograph the skies once it was dark so they didn’t have to add the final touches to their canvases from memory.

  The cool air blowing onto her face and feet, Madison smiled at Brody. “Thank you, honey. That feels way better.”

  “You’re welcome. It was starting to get too hot in here.” He shot her a flirtatious grin. “You have something to do with that?”

  Madison’s laughter filled the car. “Maybe.” She held Brody’s gaze for a moment before reminding him that he needed to keep his eyes on the road if he was to get them to Gove County in one piece.

  One hand on the steering wheel, the other entwined in Madison’s hand, Brody stared at the open road ahead, his shoulder-length hair dancing in the blast of air coming from the vents he’d turned to face him. “I forgot to tell you… Remember Marc Talbot, the artist from Burlington whose work we exhibited a few months ago?”

  “I do. Extremely talented, but rather reclusive. Asked us to sell three stunning pieces, which were snapped up fast, earning us a quick and tidy commission.” Madison shifted on her seat to face Brody. She reached out and tucked his hair behind his ear. “So what about him?”

  “He stopped by the gallery yesterday morning. Said he was passing through Emporia and wanted to say hi. Anyway, it seems as if he’s finding the confidence to put his art out there. Told me he’d entered the Art USA contest. He was hoping to hear by the close of business as it was the last day for winners to be notified. He showed me a photograph of the landscape he’d entered—a tornado ripping through the Kansas prairies. Stunning piece. I offered to exhibit it for him if he somehow didn’t get into the finals.”

  Should she tell Brody about her entry now, seeing as he’d brought up the subject?

  And spoil their night away?

  No. Tomorrow was another day. No rush just yet.

  “That’s nice. Tell him I say hi the next time he’s in the gallery.” She rested a hand on his leg, giving it a light squeeze. “Do you mind if I catch a short nap? I didn’t sleep very well last night, and as we’ll have a late night tonight, I’d like to catch up on a little slumber.”

  “Knock yourself out, honey.” Brody snorted. “Excuse the pun.”

  Brody’s heart thrummed in his chest as he drove up the narrow, dirt track toward the large, corrugated iron barn with its barrel roof, grain silo, and hopper bin standing tall beside it. This place was certainly off the beaten track—nothing around for miles except wide open plains. Perfect for a romantic working weekend with his beautiful wife.

  And bonus…the unique chalk formations with their many fossils that they’d come to immortalize on canvas, were merely a ten-minute drive away. He couldn’t have chosen a better place.

  Brody had first stopped at the owner’s farm house, some three miles down the road to collect the keys to their accommodation. A lovely, middle-aged couple who told Brody and Madison that if they needed anything, they need only call.

  Brody parked the SUV in the shade of a tall cottonwood tree close to the metal barn, and they clambered out of the vehicle.

  As they rounded the car, concern creased Madison’s features. Hand to her brow, she shielded her eyes from the glare of the midday sun and scoured the surrounds. “Um, so where exactly are we staying? We’re in the middle of nowhere with nothing around except that old barn.”

  Brody chuckled and pointed to the barn. “There, babe. That’s where we’re staying.”

  Raising his arms, he stretched and arched his back, inhaling deeply of the fresh country air, the faint sweet, powdery smell of dried grains wafting on the breeze. He popped the hatch and released a satisfied sigh.

  Madison burst out laughing. “Okay honey, joke’s over. You’re pulling my leg, aren’t you?”

  “Nope.” Brody flashed her a grin then pulled the overnight bag out from beneath the easels and canvases. He set it down on the ground. “Nothing but peace and quiet here. Woo-hoo! What do you say we get this weekend started?”

  Madison twisted around to examine the barn again. “In that case, if this really is where we’re staying, I’d love to paint these buildings and fields. But later, when it’s not quite so hot.”

  “Definitely. We could each tackle it from a different angle. And we have the whole of tomorrow to finish them off.” Brody hadn’t planned on getting two great locations to paint, but Madison was right. This place did deserve to find its way onto a canvas.

  “Honey, bring the overnight bag. I’ll carry the cooler and box of groceries inside.”

  Madison walked beside him as they headed toward the large, windowed, roll-up door that formed the front wall of the barn. “Let’s just remember to make sure that the canvas sizes we choose can all fit in the SUV without touching one another. No stacking on top of each other going back home as we’ve done coming here.”

  “Thanks for the reminder. Wouldn’t do to paint four large canvases—two of them would definitely need to be smaller in order to fit in the car without stacking.”

  “Absolutely.”

  Brody shot Madison a smile. “Seeing as you paint way faster than I do, you should tackle the two thirty-six by twenty-eight inch canvases, and I’ll work on the twenty-two by sixteen inch ones. Sound okay?”

  Madison nodded. “Sounds great.”

  Outside the silver-colored barn, two high-backed, slatted wooden chairs sporting bright red, yellow, and coral striped cushions stood beside the firepit which had been stacked with wood, ready to be lit. Brody’s mouth salivated at the thought of those juicy rib-eyes sizzling over the hot coals. But he’d have to be patient—those were for dinner. Madison had packed wieners and buns for lunch. Hot dogs were the quick and easy choice after hours on the road.

  Placing the cooler and grocery box down beside the roll-up door, Brody fished in his pants pocket for the key the owner had given him. He unlocked the door then rolled it up, out of the way.

  Luxurious finishes greeted them as they stepped through the wide opening. Wood-paneled walls—for insulation Brody assumed; a king-size four-poster bed with intricate carvings that matched the wooden bench at the end of the bed; and a thick, braided rug in the colors of a Kansas sunset, which extended out on all sides of the bed. Perched on a wooden cabinet close to the bed was a porcelain jug and basin. Brody suspected that was for winter visitors because the shower and two-person tub at this glamping spot was outdoors around the back, affording visitors the opportunity to bathe under the stars. Very romantic and definitely one of the selling points for him.

  Madison dropped the overnight bag beside the table for two near the door. “Wow, this place is amazing—kind of where ‘roughing it’ meets ‘going all out in style’.”

  “Exactly.” Brody set the cooler down on the floor in the small kitchenette area, then slid the box onto the counter. “It’s called glamping…glamorous camping. Get it?”

  Madison laughed. “I get it. And I love it. Now this is my kind of camping, for sure.” She flopped onto the bed and stared up at the silver curved roof. “Ooh, this is sooo comfortable.”

  She turned to look at Brody and patted the mattress beside her. “Come, try it.”

  Brody didn’t have to wait for a second invitation from his wife to join her on a bed.

  Lying down beside her, he leaned over. His hair fell across his face as he drew her into a kiss. Slowly and gently, his fingers fumbled with the buttons of her soft, silky blouse.

  Madison’s hand fastened around his to stop him. “The open door… Anyone can see inside.”

  A chuckle rumbled in Brody’s chest. “Babe, they could see inside even if that door were closed. There are no blinds or curtains on that opening. I wouldn’t worry though—t
here’s nobody around for miles. Plus, I gave strict instructions to the owners when I made reservations that we were not to be disturbed under any circumstances. That’s why they insisted we should call if we needed anything.”

  “W-e-l-l then, I guess as we’ll have a very late night tonight, it would be a pity to waste the romance of this place.”

  Brody kissed her ear and whispered, “I do like the way you think.”

  Reluctantly, Madison eased out of Brody’s arms. She threw back the white, Egyptian cotton sheet and rose, quickly finding her clothes.

  “The bed to your satisfaction, my lady?” Brody propped himself up on his elbow, gazing at Madison as she buttoned her shirt. A lazy smile spread across his face.

  “Very much.” She turned and padded across the laminate wood floor to where Brody had left the cooler. “You hungry?”

  “Starving. But only one dog or I’ll spoil my appetite for that rib-eye. Only a few hours until dinner.”

  Multitasking in the small kitchenette, Madison packed the few items from the cooler into the small refrigerator. She set the coffee and tea containers on the counter, leaving the rest of the snacks in the box which she moved to the floor, out of the way against the wall. While the wieners heated, she cut and buttered the buns.

  When the dogs where ready, Madison plated them then grabbed two pops from the refrigerator. Brody had just risen and dressed.

  “You coming?” She headed outside, carrying the tray of food and drinks. She set it down on the firepit grid. “Now that makes a handy table.”

  “It sure does.” Brody cracked open a can, grabbed a hot dog, and then sank onto the cushioned chair. “We’ll have to bring the table outside later on though, because there’ll be no using your makeshift table once the fire’s roaring.”

  Madison grabbed her food and drink and relaxed into the chair as well. She closed her eyes for a moment and released a sigh before surveying the open plains. The sun warmed her face and she contemplated running inside to get her sunscreen and hat. “It’s so beautiful and peaceful, I could stay here forever.”

  “Well, we do have the place until four tomorrow afternoon. I arranged a late checkout.”

  At least that would give her more time to find the right moment to tell Brody about Art USA.

  After Madison had finished eating, she rose. “I’m going to take a quick shower before I make a start on painting this quaint landscape. Maybe tomorrow sometime you can relax in that chair for an hour so that I can paint you into the picture. I think it would be a great addition.”

  “For you, anything.” Brody began to rise too.

  “And where do you think you’re going?” Madison asked.

  Half out of his seat, Brody froze, holding her gaze. “You did say something about a shower…” Grinning, he waggled his brows.

  She laughed. “Which I’m taking on my own. I do want to get some painting done this afternoon, and that might not happen if you join me.”

  Brody slumped back into his seat, dejected.

  Madison pranced away, looking forward to a little alone time to gather her thoughts and start plucking up her courage.

  By the time Brody had lit the fire and brought out the steaks later that afternoon, both he and Madison had made great progress with their barn and prairie paintings. He had fixed dinner because Madison had a much larger canvas to fill. Having the entire morning at their disposal tomorrow, they could easily finish their paintings. But just in case, Brody had made sure to photograph each of their views, as he always did. However, Madison’s preference was to paint from real-time images.

  From beside the firepit, Brody called to Madison. “I’m putting the steaks on the grill. Dinner will be ready in minutes. You might want to finish up for now and bring that canvas inside.”

  Madison nodded. She added the last brushstrokes of viridian green then carried the large canvas inside. She set it down beside Brody’s smaller one, leaning it against the wood-paneled wall. Even though they’d chosen the same subject to paint, their artworks couldn’t look more different, and not only because of the angles they’d chosen. Both Madison and Brody had opted to use the impasto technique, but whereas she had gone for applying the paint in a thick, bold fashion—loving the Van Gogh look with its brushwork so clearly visible—her husband’s piece had more subtle textures, the strokes far more delicate.

  Well, her canvas was way bigger. A whole lot more to do. But maybe subconsciously, she’d chosen the bolder approach, hoping it would psych up her courage. It hadn’t worked. She was still just as nervous to tell Brody about Art USA. And she definitely did not want to tell him while they were out painting under the stars tonight.

  Maybe later when they were in bed. Failing that, just before they left tomorrow.

  Yes, that was probably the best possible time. At least that way if he did throw a hissy fit, she would only have to deal with his silence en route home. She was enjoying it out here far too much to risk spoiling their time together.

  Dear Jesus,

  I can’t sleep. I can’t stop thinking about Mom and Dad tonight. Has Mom managed to tell Dad about her win for Kansas? I’m so proud of her, and at the same time, so humbled that my painting won out of all the pieces that must have been entered from across our sunflower state. We have so many talented artists in our corner of the world, and so many awesome sights for those artists to depict in their work.

  Please, Lord Jesus, give my mom the same measure of courage to tell Dad as you’ve given her talent. And please give Dad calmness and a sense of reasoning to accept the news Mom has. Let him be excited for her too.

  With love

  Your child

  Charity

  Chapter Nine

  BRODY WOKE early to sunbeams trailing their silvery fingers through the glass roll-up door. He turned on his side to face Madison. She was still deep in dreamland. They had been so exhausted last night from the long session at Monument Rocks, having only returned after midnight, that they’d just washed their hands and feet and fallen into bed.

  Exhaling a soft sigh, he rose, leaving Madison to sleep longer. He’d take a shower then tackle his landscape of the barn once again. He wanted to finish the artwork before they left this afternoon.

  Under a steaming stream in the outdoor shower, Brody pondered their night. It had been amazing working beside Madison under such a breathtaking night sky as they painted those magnificent rocks onto their canvases. The dark surrounds had echoed with the calls of the Eastern screech-owl—more like a horse’s whinny than the usual hooting sound owls made.

  But as much fun as last night had been, Madison had seemed distracted, as if she had something weighing on her mind. Was it because he’d expressed a desire to join her in the shower yesterday afternoon, so soon after they’d made love? Did he come across as too demanding on her at times…in so many ways? It was just that he loved her so much and found her incredibly desirable. Often he feared he’d never get enough of her. But at the same time, he constantly fought his fears of losing her, just like—

  No. He would not sully a beautiful day by allowing his thoughts to go down that rabbit hole again. Not today.

  He shut off the water and smoothed the droplets from his hair and body before drying himself with a towel. Once dressed in shorts, a T-shirt, and his sneakers, Brody tied his hair back to keep it out of his way. Then he headed outside and set up his French easel in the same spot as yesterday. He returned to the barn for his canvas.

  The sun had risen higher in the clear blue sky, and he’d made considerable progress on his painting, when his stomach rumbled. Maybe it was time to head back inside, whip up some breakfast, and wake his sleeping beauty.

  He glanced away from the canvas toward the barn. Madison headed toward him, still dressed in her pajama top and shorts, a mug in each hand. She smiled and shouted, “I thought you might like a cup of coffee.”

  He set his brush down and closed the distance between them.

  Madison placed a cup in his h
and. “Good morning.” She kissed him.

  “Morning. And thanks for this. I was about to come inside to wake you and rustle up something to eat. Although I think it was rustle up breakfast first, then wake you.”

  “What time did you get out of bed?”

  “Around six thirty. I took a shower then came on out here while the air was still cool and fresh.” Brody took a long drink of the hot liquid. He smacked his lips together. “Ah, that’s good.” He hadn’t wanted to turn on the coffee maker earlier for fear of disturbing Madison.

  “Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “You were sleeping like a baby, and you know the old saying…let sleeping babes lie.”

  Madison eyed him over the rim of her mug. “I believe the correct wording is let sleeping dogs lie.”

  Brody shrugged. “Babies…dogs…same principle. When someone, or something, is sleeping, just leave it or them alone to enjoy their rest.”

  “Same principle, totally different meaning between using babies or dogs in that sentence.” A soft laugh floated from her open smile.

  Favoring the more creative arts at school, English grammar had never been Brody’s strong point.

  He grabbed Madison’s free hand. “Do you want to see how I’ve progressed?”

  They walked across to where the easel stood firm in the knee-high grass.

  For a moment Madison quietly examined his work. Eyes twinkling with pride, she said, “I love it. You’ve done an amazing job with your technique. This will fetch a tidy sum once it’s finished.”

  Brody slid his arm around her waist and pulled her into a hug. “Your approval means the world to me, you know that. And you’ve done a pretty nice job of your piece too.”

  Jaw dropping, Madison raised a brow and smacked his chest lightly. “Pretty nice job? I’ve done an amazing job, and you know it.”