Odalisque
Thirty-one
SEMEN IS AN EFFECTIVE ADHESIVE. We became painfully aware of that when we woke in the morning and started to pull ourselves away from each other. Our grunts woke our bedmates with expressions of concern until they found out what it was all about. I stumbled into the bathroom to shower and was joined moments later by Kate.
“So, aside from the glue aspect, how was your night?” she asked as I began shampooing her hair. She was returning the action at the same time and it made it difficult to concentrate.
“Okay,” I said noncommittally. “Is Wendy becoming our lover?”
“I don’t know,” Kate responded. “There’s never been anything between us but fingers and kissing. She doesn’t seem anxious to push that boundary—even having free access to you overnight.”
“Yes. Is it something you want?”
“I’m not pushing for it.”
“We need to get her some clothes before classes start on Tuesday. And some more furniture for her room. I was thinking of going to Value Center where I got my studio chair and the smocks you two seem to enjoy wearing,” I laughed. We rinsed and paused before we turned off the shower for a long and lovely kiss.
“That’s okay,” Kate said. “It’s consistent with her style. Make sure she gets work clothes for Carmine’s, too. And, if you can afford it, stop someplace and get her at least one thing that is new and cool.”
“Shoes,” I said automatically. That earned me another long kiss.
“Better go get your coffee. I hear the boys in the kitchen. They’ll want a story pretty soon.”
I got coffee and fed the boys. Kate took cups to our lovers. Just when I’d settled down into the big chair for stories, Wendy padded out in her new bathrobe and cuddled up next to us. Grandma Deb had given the boys the first Harry Potter book for Christmas and they were anxious to start reading. We laughed and giggled all the way through the first chapter.
I told Wendy that I needed her help today if she could spare the time. She was a little unsure about going out, but I explained that we’d be stopping by Carmine’s and she really needed to touch base with her boss. She was worried, but both Kate and I were meeting with Clarice, so she agreed to go.
As soon as we walked in the door, Carma came rushing out from the kitchen and wrapped Wendy in her arms. They went back to Carma’s office as Kate and I picked up our drinks and breakfast sandwiches from the counter and joined Clarice.
“I was too busy handling phones and press to tell you how devastated I was when I heard about the fire and then found out Wendy and you were hurt,” Clarice said. “You look fine. How is she doing?”
“A little shocked yet, but the burns are healing nicely. She has a doctor appointment this afternoon to check on everything. At least she’s not in pain, physically. I understand that her father has been charged with three counts of murder and ninety-seven counts of attempted murder,” I said. “The guy’s wacko by everyone’s account, but Wendy still feels guilty because he was attacking her.”
“You’ve been out of town for a week and there’s been the holiday, but the newspaper has been full of reports. Your cell phone continues to ring several times a day with requests for interviews. I’ve put them off for now, but eventually we’ll have to allow some access. Wendy’s stepmother came forward with papers and notes that he kept. She was charged as an accessory, by the way, but her attorney is painting a picture of her as another of his victims, cowed into helping him and practically kept a prisoner in their home,” Clarice said. “It’s going to get nastier before it gets better, but the short of it is that he’d been ranting about people not knowing their place for years and had picked the homeless as his particular targets several months ago. Wendy wasn’t specifically the target.”
“That’s a relief,” Kate said, “but she’ll still have to deal with a father who is a murderer. We’re all going to need some counseling.”
“You’re right about that.”
“So, tell us what we’ve gotten ourselves into,” I said. “I was hoping the whole thing would be buried by the time we got back into town, but it’s still front page in the newspaper.”
“Well, be glad no one has figured out you are back in town. We don’t want reporters camped out on your doorstep. You need to be humble, but don’t go denying that you did anything. Stick with the facts,” Clarice said. “People get very emotional about heroes and could become angry with you if you deny helping people. Don’t brag about it. That would make you a target. Try to keep the conversation focused on the victims and on helping to get them safe and permanent housing.”
I sighed. This is not going to be a fun winter.
“Now, about the project,” Clarice continued. “We need an estimate regarding the actual costs of painting a mural that is forty feet high and eighty feet wide.” The very mention of the dimensions made both Kate and me cringe.
“I have no idea how to estimate that,” I said. “This is so much bigger than anything I’ve ever worked on.”
“Fortunately, you have resources,” Clarice said smiling as she looked toward the door. Kate and I followed her gaze as Doc Henredon came in, looked quickly around and then came to join us.
“Doc!”
“Tony. Kate. I hope you had a good Christmas,” Doc said. He turned to the bar and ordered a cappuccino then sat next to Clarice.
“I took the liberty of calling for reinforcements,” Clarice said.
“Have you even slept in the past two days?” I asked.
“Not much. So, I’ll let Doctor Henredon take over from here.”
“I should start by saying that I have asked Dean Peterson and Cary Randolph and they have granted me permission to take over as your advisor at PCAD, Tony. Cary will still be your dual degree advisor and you will need an academic advisor at SCU. This is all pending your consent. I understand if you want to stay with Professor McIntyre,” Doc said. I was floored. The idea of an advisor at PCAD had been the last thing on my mind this year as I was mostly at SCU. But next year I would be back to full time at PCAD and have only a class at SCU.
“Doc, that would be great,” I said. I turned to Kate. “Maybe you should switch advisors, too if Doc has room. You’ve got Ardmore, don’t you?” Kate grinned.
“Ms. Holsinger became my advisee this fall, Tony,” Doc said. “Doctor Ardmore is on sabbatical. I would have talked to you about this sooner, but there didn’t seem to be any urgent need until now.”
“Okay. Did anyone take a holiday vacation this year?” I asked.
“You did. And I’m assuming that once we get this squared away, no one will interrupt me while I’m skiing at Whistler next week. You have to go back to school next week, but I don’t start until the 16th. And I will still expect you in my class that day.”
“Of course, sir,” I said.
“Now, about your proposed project. You’ll need to do some estimates, including surface prep, paint, man-hours, equipment, and your reasonable work schedule, including weather adjustments,” Doc said.
“That’s just it,” I said. “I have no idea how to do any of that.”
“Which is why we have suggested that you enroll in an additional class credit of two semester hours of guided study,” Doc said. “We’ll work out an acceptable time for periodic meetings, but most of the work will be on you. I understand that your schedule this term at SCU drops the two-hour reading lab, but you’ll still carry thirteen hours and be full-time. The practicum gives you four hours at PCAD.”
“Yeah. I thought I’d be picking up another requirement this term at SCU, but this is fine with me as long as Cary says it works. He understands my program a lot better than I do,” I said.
“None of us understand it all that well,” Doc laughed, “but we’re determined to get you through it one way or another. Now to start things going, I’ve brought you some worksheets and an estimate grid. There’s a thumb drive in the pocket of the folder that has some Excel spreadsheets on it to give you pro forma estimates. It’s exactly the same template that I use when I estimate a project.”
“It will be a week or two before the Board at SCU is ready to meet, and you should have the estimates to present at that time,” Clarice said. “The student activists at SCU are well-organized and are driving the project. They’ve gathered a lot of support from the city. You can expect they’ll start campaigning hard when classes resume Tuesday.”
“Mainly meaning, I’d better get my act together,” I said.
“As soon as I get back next weekend, we should meet to go over your numbers,” Doc said. “We can do refinements at that time.”
“Simply having Doc as your advisor on the project will give the Board a reason to accept the proposal if the students can come up with the money,” Clarice said.
“I’m overwhelmed,” I said slouching. Kate, who had been silent through most of the meeting so far, took my hand and squeezed it.
“We’ll get through it,” she said softly.
“And that is another thing that we need to discuss,” Clarice continued. I thought she was going to talk about Kate’s and my relationship, but she surprised me again. “I’m going to suggest that we postpone your opening exhibition.” I looked at Clarice sharply, but Kate was already nodding her head.
“Why?”
“If this takes off—and I think it will—you will not have time to show paintings or to meet the demand for your paintings that will come after your exhibition. Kate, we can still go with your exhibition if you want, but…”
“No,” Kate broke in. She squeezed my hand harder. “Tony and I are in this together. I’m going to help on his project as much as I can. I’d rather not split my focus.”
“Good,” Clarice said. “There is a second reason for postponing. If the memorial maintains as high a profile as I expect it to, there will be a much higher demand for all your work afterward. Tony, you’ve indicated that you will donate your time for painting and the design for it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t profit from your other work.”
“Is that ethical?” I asked. Both Doc and Clarice nodded.
“No one will object to you profiting from your work when you are making such a big contribution. Can you afford to go without additional income for the next five or six months?”
“I think so,” I said. “Are you okay, Kate?”
“I was never depending on my art sales as income this year like you are,” Kate said. “I’ll be fine.”
I nodded my head. I was projecting my best, most confident demeanor with my girlfriend, my agent, and my advisor. Inside, my heart was pounding against my chest and my brain was screaming. You can’t do this! You don’t know how! I might have broken down if it hadn’t been for the screech and rush from Wendy running from the back of the restaurant toward us. Kate and I were out of our seats and moving toward her when she ran into us and hugged us. Her boss was following more slowly.
“Are you okay, Tiger?” I asked. “What happened?”
“Kate, look! They collected tips for me over the holiday! Look!” Wendy was crying, but now I realized it was excitement and joy that were causing the tears. She held up a check made out to her for $1,832.00. “I can buy clothes and books and pay my rent. Look!”
Kate and I were crying, too, as we hugged Wendy. Carma came up beside us. I mouthed a thank you to her. She glanced over toward Clarice who was calmly watching us and smiling.
“We don’t have sick leave policy,” Carma said. “A regular customer of Wendy’s found out and suggested we collect her tips from the people who knew her. I’m pretty sure there will be more.”
“Thank you,” Wendy said again, hugging Carma. “Carma says I can come back to work in a week.”
“Don’t rush it,” Carma said. “Let’s say you start back a week from Monday night for the dinner shift, okay?”
We went to the bank so Wendy could deposit her check and then dropped Kate off at home. With all her family coming in this afternoon, she felt she needed to be at our house cleaning and not leaving things to Melody and Lissa. Wendy and I headed for Value Center. While we were on our way, I explained to Wendy the things I was looking for—a huge vase, chalices of different designs, steins, musical instruments, plastic fruit, baskets and trays, large jewelry—especially wooden or bracelets, but nothing religious—armor and swords, large pieces of fabric that could be draped, faux animal skins, wooden boxes and stools, candlesticks, heavy chains, a large shell.
“Do you think you’re going to find all this at a second-hand store?” Wendy laughed.
“I hope not,” I answered. “The car’s not that big. It’s just the kind of things that I’m looking for that tie the image to classical paintings. The piece I’m planning to do is modern, but I want it to reflect some of the icons of the old masters.”
“When are you doing this one?”
“Next weekend at our posing party.”
“A posing party. Like the one last spring?” Wendy asked. She sounded shocked. “I can’t do it this time.”
“No one is going to make you, Tiger. But why can’t you do it?”
“I’m bald! The side of my face is still red. I look terrible!” she cried.
“Wendy,” I pulled into the parking lot and turned to face her. “You don’t have to pose if you don’t want to. But there is nothing terrible about you. Remember, I’m not taking photographs, I’m painting a picture. You won’t see you as a camera would see you. You’ll see you as I see you. And believe me, I see a brave and beautiful woman.”
She reached across the console to hug me and we didn’t say any more about it.
We found a bunch of stuff.
More importantly, I encouraged Wendy to pick up a few pieces. I started out with an evening gown.
“Why do I need an evening gown?”
“Well, even if you don’t want to pose, you are invited to the party Saturday night. It’s going to be formal. There are only three guys besides me and they can share the guestroom and bath upstairs. Do you mind if the girls share your bath downstairs?”
“My bath?”
“Sure. You didn’t expect to have to run upstairs for a bathroom, did you? We wouldn’t invite anyone to use your bathroom without your permission, though,” I said.
“But it’s your bathroom. You own the house.”
“Give me a dollar, Wendy,” I said. She automatically fished in her pocket for a dollar. I knew she had some small bills because I’d been with her in the bank. She handed me the dollar. “You have now officially rented a room with a shared bath on the lower level of our house,” I said. She started to protest. “I know this isn’t the amount of your rent. This is the security deposit. It means that you are entitled to privacy in your quarters.”
“I’d be happy to share my bathroom with our guests,” she smiled.
“Then let’s find you a formal.”
From the formal, that cost me twenty dollars, it was easy to point out a couple of shirts that I thought would look good on her, two pair of jeans, a nice skirt and one of her favorite style T-shirts. She found a pair of fancy sandals that she could wear with the gown. I paid for everything and we loaded the car. I’d managed to find a nice little vanity as well and Wendy would be surprised to find it as part of the furnishings in her room.
I sat in the doctor’s office with her and she dragged me in to her appointment. She never let go of my hand while she was examined and asked questions. The doctor wanted to see her one more time in a month to make absolutely sure there was no scarring from the few blisters. Otherwise, she had a clean bill of health.
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