September Canvas (12 page)

She’s working? She didn’t go to college?

Curiosity overshadowed her anger, and she tried to figure out why a young woman from wealthy and politically ambitious parents worked at an animal shelter. Savannah’s parents certainly had the funds and the connections to send her to any of the Ivy League universities. Deanna thought about their encounter the day before and what it had ultimately led to when Faythe came over. She tucked the business card away since she wasn’t ready to decide what to do and walked over to the couch to fold the blanket she and Faythe had huddled under. Faythe’s scent lingered on the fabric, its clean freshness reminding her of oranges and ginger. She inhaled deeply, then caught herself and placed the blanket on the armrest. She had a lot to do today, and she couldn’t waste time standing around feeling sentimental.

In the part of her cabin used as her studio, Deanna turned on the overhead light. She had many times dreamed of a loft condo or apartment with huge windows that let in the north light. Instead she’d settled for several blue-colored bulbs that mimicked north light passably. She placed a new sheet of paper on her workspace and made sure she’d sharpened her pencils. Sitting on her stool, she felt almost physically comforted by the feel of the pencil between her fingers. When she began to draw, she knew this would be a productive day. Bunny Buttercup and his friends seemed to appear out of nowhere and take up residence on her paper, and she felt genuinely happy as she added the details.

She couldn’t wait to start blocking in the colors. It was like being a child with a coloring book again, and she loved that part as much as the drawing itself. The entire process was meditative, and this project had kept her going these last two years. The image of Gloria Mueller spewing her acidic words, her voice well articulated and refined, surfaced. Gloria supposedly came from humble beginnings, but marrying a much older man who became a successful politician paved the way for her own career as the First Lady of Grantville.

“To think I admired that woman,” Deanna said. “And even tried to impress her once. Damn, I can be such a fool.” She worked more focused with the pencil, forcing her frustration out of her body and mind. Working creatively like this could exorcise even the darkest feelings.

When her thoughts migrated to the topic of Faythe instead, Deanna’s hands created the lovely forest around Bunny Buttercup, with intricate flowers and trees. She could still feel Faythe’s soft, tender kiss on her cheek. It was meant as a kiss of support and friendship, but for the first time in years, Deanna experienced a clear element of desire. Faythe’s external beauty was obvious, and to feel attracted to her was a healthy sexual reaction, but Deanna felt much more. Deanna was wary of several things about Faythe—her profession, coupled with her celebrity status, and her declaration that she wasn’t relationship material. Deanna stopped drawing, her hand hovering a fraction of an inch above the paper. Why did Faythe prey on her mind so much? They weren’t lovers, or even considering becoming such. Were they?
Am I?

Deanna quickly drew a row of small mushroom streetlights that lined the forest path where it disappeared among the trees. No matter what, she needed to decide soon whether to call Savannah. Faythe would keep asking her about it, she was certain, and it really bugged Deanna that Faythe might think she was a coward. “Head-on,” she whispered as she added fireflies to help light the mushrooms. “There isn’t a helmet strong enough for that.”

* * *

“Suzy!” Faythe stared in surprise at her agent, who stood on her doorstep, chic and well coiffed as usual. Suzy Connelly was in her early fifties, but with the help of surgical augmentation and restoration, she looked like she was in her early thirties. Her hair short and chalk-white blond, Suzy always dressed in black, no matter the occasion, which suited her, even though her husband often complained about it, which Suzy ignored.

“I thought I’d stop by.” Suzy beamed, hoisting her briefcase, which held all of Suzy’s important documents in digital form, and some even in hard copy. Once Suzy had dropped her briefcase on Faythe’s couch and the contents had spilled out. The most unexpected object, considering Suzy’s laconic remarks about her husband and his traditional point of view, was an eleven-by-eight picture of him in a silver mesh frame.

“Stop by? Where are you going? You live in Manhattan, for heaven’s sake.”

Suzy grinned unabashedly. “Well, I have two reasons for being in the neighborhood. One is a great offer you simply can’t refuse, and the other one is…Cornelia called me.”

“My mother called?” Faythe realized she was starting to sound like a parrot. “Whatever for?”

“If you ask me inside, I might just tell you.” Suzy looked pointedly behind Faythe. “It looks like a nice house.”

“Oh, sorry. You surprised me.” Faythe glanced at her watch. She had slept late, tired after her evening with Deanna. Something in her midsection suddenly glowed at the thought of how she and Deanna had sat so close on the couch. “Come in, Suzy.” Inside, she gave Suzy a tour of the house, knowing she would appreciate it, and finally they ended up in the kitchen where Faythe brewed fresh coffee. “Why don’t you get to the point?” She wasn’t being impolite. She and Suzy had always been candid with each other.

Too many secrets in Faythe’s family as she was growing up had made her demand it. Was that why she’d persuaded Deanna to tell her the truth? Or part of the truth. She still didn’t have one major piece of the puzzle that was her neighbor.

“Faythe?” Suzy’s voice broke through Faythe’s musings. “You went vacant on me.”

“Sorry,” Faythe said again. “What were you saying?”

“God Almighty, you must be breathing too much fresh air out here,” Suzy flicked her wrist, “in the sticks.”

“Grantville, Vermont, is hardly the outback.” Faythe snorted.
Trust
a super-urban personality like Suzy to consider this beautiful place the
sticks
.

“Whatever
.
I have the best news for you.”

“You do.”

“Yes. Yes.” As if a genie had breathed new life into Suzy, her cheeks suddenly glowed and Faythe could have sworn that even her hair glistened more. “CNN wants you!”

“What?”

“You heard me.” Suzy pulled out her BlackBerry. “Wait. Let me show you the e-mail. Hang on.” She pressed several buttons, scrolled the wheel on the side of the phone, and mumbled impatiently as her eyes darted back and forth across the little screen. “Here.” Suzy handed the phone to Faythe. CNN had approached Suzy when they heard she was on leave, asking if she was available or already contracted with a network.

“I can’t believe it.” Faythe scrolled quickly through the e-mail.

“They want me to anchor a science program. Science? I’m not even comfortable with the subject as a layman.”

“Bah! They’ve seen you conduct interviews on a
multitude
of subjects and are impressed with how well you do your research and work with your subject no matter what it is.”

“I’ve done my share of crazy interviews.” Faythe leaned back and stared at the ceiling, wishing the white boards could provide an answer.

“Wow. How long do I have?”

“Two weeks.”

“Two weeks. I suppose that’s fair.”

“They’ll offer a terrific salary with tons of benefits and bonuses.”

“How can you know this? The e-mail didn’t mention anything about money.” Faythe eyed Suzy suspiciously at Suzy. “Ah, I see. You were on the phone with someone you know at CNN within minutes.”

“I’d be a poor agent if I wasn’t.” Suzy looked flattered. “So, my dear, you now have two options, and I bet we haven’t seen the last of the offers. I know most of the headhunters personally, and they’re all scurrying around like rabbits on speed, trying to scare up fresh faces for their slots.”

Faythe was still trying to wrap her brain around this unexpected news. “I’m not sure about this.” She tapped the BlackBerry’s screen with her fingernail. “I’ve looked forward to shorter workdays with free time. I can’t see that happening with a high-profile job in CNN’s science section.”

“Oh, you can do it.” Suzy grabbed Faythe by both shoulders like she intended to shake some sense into her. “You’re not happy if you’re not working, Faythe. Remember you used to tell me how you dreaded going home to your empty condo after a day at work.”

“Right. I
used
to think that. I used to feel nothing else mattered. I was wrong. That’s why I’m here. You know that.” Faythe recoiled, suddenly upset. Suzy obviously sensed she was pushing too hard and laughed animatedly.

“You’ll just have to find a good balance. Now, on to the more delicate matter.”

“My mother.” Faythe was all for changing the subject, but perhaps not to the topic of her mother.

“Yes. She called me.”

“Why would she do that? It’s not like you’re on each other’s Christmas-card lists.”

“I asked myself that very question. She was very sweet, asking me about my family, my parents. You know.”

“Yes. She was brought up right, my mother.” It was really funny to think that Cornelia, so busy living her own life and fulfilling her dream of the perfect partner, would take time away from “landing” Chester to approach Suzy. “So?”

“She’s worried about you.”

“Is she now?”

“Yes.” Suzy squirmed in her seat, lacing and unclasping her fingers several times. As much as Faythe liked and trusted Suzy, she also knew she didn’t have much patience and considered anything touchy-feely insufferable mush. “She wants me to talk some sense into you. Her words. She’s afraid you’ll give up fame and fortune.” Suzy paused and took Faythe’s hand. “Frankly, so am I. This thought of a vacation came on awfully quick. You’re more than just a client to me, after all these years, Faythe. You can confide in me.”

Faythe willed herself not to sigh out loud. “And I have. I’ve told you my motives. I’m not content being the happy-go-lucky morning anchor anymore. If I’m tossed into another interview with a person who’s run with the bulls in Pamplona and now needs someone to pity him while he’s in a freaking body cast, I’ll shoot myself.”

“God Almighty. All right, all right.” Suzy let go of Faythe’s hand. “I hear you. It’s just that this transformation from loving your job to hating it came pretty quickly.”

“For you. For my parents. But I suppose it’s a good sign that they’re actually listening at all.” Still annoyed, Faythe drew a deep breath. “These feelings have been creeping up on me for a long time. Maybe two years.”

“Two years. And you’ve never said anything?”

“The feelings weren’t strong enough until now.” Suzy transformed from the typical eager agent to a pensive human being, intent on trying to understand. “You really are serious, aren’t you?”

“I really am.”

“I thought it was just a phase because you were bored.” Suzy made a helpless gesture, palms up. “Several of my clients constantly need something new, something challenging, but when push comes to shove, they’re back doing their soap, or their talk show, looking quite content.”

“So you thought that was the case with me?”

“Yes.” Suzy smiled gently, which altered her expression completely, and Faythe once again realized why Suzy’s husband worshipped her.

“But your mother is still up in arms, so to speak, and really concerned you might be making bad choices for all the wrong reasons.”

“I’ll explain to Mom. Again.”

“You better, because she won’t settle for hearing it from me.” Suzy reached for Faythe’s hand again. “So, my dear, favorite client. What’s my new mission when it comes to you? I take it CNN is off the table.”

“Yes. It is.” Faythe squeezed Suzy’s hand and knew this woman wasn’t only out to make money. She was also a true friend. “As for my future, I have enough set aside to keep me in oatmeal for quite a while. I’m actually writing right now, trying out different styles and topics, to get my bearings. I haven’t written long pieces in ages, and I need to get my feet wet. It’s fun. It’s difficult. But most of all, it’s what I want…no, it’s what I need to do.”

“I can tell. Well, I’ll be happy to research literary agents et cetera for you, as soon as you have something you want to show anyone. I have connections in that world, remember?”

“Guess it doesn’t hurt to be married to a publisher, huh?” Faythe winked. “Smart move.”

“My love for books brought us together.”

“Your love of tall, dark, and handsome men brought you together.” Faythe corrected her with a grin. “At least that’s how your better half tells the story.”

“Him? He’s a notorious liar.”

“Liar? So when he declared his undying love, he was lying?” Faythe raised an eyebrow, laughing at Suzy’s wry look.

“He better not be.” She glanced at her watch. “Oh, God Almighty, I’ve got to go. Another pit stop before turning the car around toward civilized territory.”

Faythe was about to object, but quieted when she realized that nothing outside Manhattan would ever feel like anything but the boondocks to Suzy. “Drive safely,” she said as they stood. “You never know what creatures you may run into this far from civilization.”

“Funny.” Suzy wrinkled her nose in a less than ladylike manner and snapped her enormous briefcase closed after tucking away her BlackBerry. “Actually, I have a date with my husband at a bed and breakfast in Barre.”

“Oh, cool. Enjoy your stay. It’s quite the cultural center.” She doubted Suzy would see Barre that way, since she was the essence of a spoiled New Yorker, but Faythe had gone over to Barre many times as a child to attend the opera, among other things, with her aunt.

“Thanks. So I’ve heard.”

They parted after a few more minutes of small talk and Faythe remained at the front door, letting the crisp autumn air into the house.

“She must think I’m bonkers to give up such a dream job.” She shook her head.
Maybe I’m acting like a spoiled brat, not wanting to play in
the same playpen forever.
Faythe knew as soon as the thoughts appeared that this wasn’t true. She wanted to write, and she wanted out of the media circus. Strengthened at the core of her being because she was being true to herself for the first time in years, she thought about the next topic close to her heart: Deanna. She hadn’t heard from her since last night, but Deanna was probably in shock because she had lowered her guard. Faythe wondered if she would have to coax Deanna out of her foxhole again.