“This is Jessica Finlay. I’m an agent?”
“Yes, right.”
“I’ve got your portfolio here and I love it. I’d like to offer you representation.”
“Really? That’s great!”
“I’m sure you have questions.”
“I should but... I’m kinda... yeah. Overwhelmed. My wedding is in two hours.”
“Oh?” She laughed. “Why don’t you call me back in a few weeks then? You have my number?”
“Yes.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you!”
After she hung up I copied her number out of my phone onto the back of the card Colin had sent me that said, “Congratulations for getting married you crazy religious weirdo.”
My parents both waited in the car for me, so I dashed out the door to join them.
We arrived at the temple as Len was getting out of his car and he waved to me as Carrie pulled around into a parking space.
“Eliza, can I have a moment?” my dad asked.
Carrie got out of the car and shut the door.
I turned to him and leaned my chin on the back of the front seat. “Yeah?”
“I’m not gonna make it through this without crying,” he said.
“Don’t you start.”
“Honey, you and I have lost a lot of people in our lives.”
I nodded.
“And I know losing your mother is devastating, but I think it’s even worse to lose a child.”
Again, I nodded.
“You have no idea how many nightmares I’ve had about losing you.”
“Me?”
“Of course, you’re the only daughter I have left.” He reached over the back of the seat and patted my knee. “I’ll try to hold it together, here-”
“Dad, as rough as it is to lose my mother, I can’t imagine losing a child. Or two children.”
“Yeah.” He nodded curtly.
And there was a chance it might happen to me. Even on this, one of the happiest days of my life, the shadow of the family curse cast its usual pall.
He patted my knee again. “I really like the guy you chose. He’s one in a million.”
“I know.”
“Almost good enough for you.” He winked and then turned to get out.
I took my wedding dress down from the hook and slung it over my shoulder as I clambered out my door. Len came to take it from me and kissed my forehead. “You sure about this?” he asked.
“No backing out now,” I warned him.
He grinned. We walked hand in hand to the door of the temple, where Keeley, Hattie, and Louisa (who could not be kept out of anything) all stood waiting. They gathered around with excited shrieks and hugs and Louisa snatched the dress from Len. Keeley flashed me a knowing smile and we both hunched our shoulders with silent laughter.
Len and I exchanged one last grin before stepping into the temple, and the rest of eternity together.
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Paint Me True is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, business establishments or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Books by E.M. Tippetts
Dedication
1 - Big Night Out
2 - The List
3 - Phone Call
4 - Blessing
5 - Nora
6 - A Scared Little Dog
7 - The Date Discrepency
8 - Sketches
9 - The Figure
10 - Colin
11 - More Sketches
12 - At Church
13 - Back at the Hospital
14 - Fatherly Advice
15 - Picnics in the Park
16 - Second Painting
17 - Scans
18 - Legal Details
19 - The Proposal
20 - Old Demons
21 - Another Blessing
22 - Up the River
23 - Family Secrets
24 - Paint Me True
25 - Regrets
26 - Funeral
27 - Last Details and Goodbye
28 - Rule One
29 - Rule Two
30 - Rule Three
31 - What Came After
32 - A New Beginning
Epilogue
Author's Note
Acknowledgements
About the Book Designer
Copyright Notice
Table of Contents
Title Page
Books by E.M. Tippetts
Dedication
1 - Big Night Out
2 - The List
3 - Phone Call
4 - Blessing
5 - Nora
6 - A Scared Little Dog
7 - The Date Discrepency
8 - Sketches
9 - The Figure
10 - Colin
11 - More Sketches
12 - At Church
13 - Back at the Hospital
14 - Fatherly Advice
15 - Picnics in the Park
16 - Second Painting
17 - Scans
18 - Legal Details
19 - The Proposal
20 - Old Demons
21 - Another Blessing
22 - Up the River
23 - Family Secrets
24 - Paint Me True
25 - Regrets
26 - Funeral
27 - Last Details and Goodbye
28 - Rule One
29 - Rule Two
30 - Rule Three
31 - What Came After
32 - A New Beginning
Epilogue
Author's Note
Acknowledgements
About the Book Designer
Copyright Notice
Table of Contents
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