Strawberry Wine (9 page)

Jason gave her a hug. “I’m glad I get to be your escort.”

She returned the hug, enjoying this quiet moment with her grown son. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get you another ticket. My goodness, you’d think it was some hoity-toity event, instead of our silly little Garden Club show.”

Jason was disappointed that he wasn’t able to get a hold of another ticket too. He had wanted to invite Alli to the show. She had been so enthusiastic yesterday afternoon when they dropped off his mother’s paintings. He really thought she would have enjoyed the show.

Mary watched him closely in the mirror. “Who was it that you wanted to bring? Anyone I know” She was excited to have her son home again, especially after thinking him lost to her forever when he had taken that teaching job in the city fresh out of school. If he had any romantic prospects here in town, it was yet another reason for him to stay, in addition to the new teaching job he had just landed.

Jason smiled at his mother’s reflection in the mirror. He could see her curiosity eating away at her under her practiced look of polite interest.

“Actually yes, you do know her. I was hoping to invite the neighbor girl. Alli.”

Mary’s brow knit slightly in thought. “You mean Evelyn’s granddaughter? Isn’t she a bit young to be associating with? I thought she was still in high school.”

Jason shook his head reassuringly. “No, you’re thinking of her sister, Margot. Alli’s nineteen.”

Mary’s expression relaxed in relief. “Oh, that’s right. Those girls look so much alike I always get them confused.” Mary grabbed her clutch off a side table, then paused. “She is quite a lovely creature, isn’t she.”

Jason knew where this conversation was leading. “Yes, mom, she’s a ‘lovely creature’. She also happens to have a real appreciation for your work, so I thought it would have been a nice gesture to invite her to the show. That’s
all
.”

Mary had a twinkle in her eye. “I see. And when was it that she saw my paintings?”

“She came with me to drop them off at the venue-” Mary flashed a triumphant look. Jason realized his slip immediately.

“Well, how nice of her to help you out. I know those canvasses can be quite heavy to lift. You’re lucky we live next door to such a strong, muscular, art enthusiast.”

Jason inclined his head in defeat. His mother was on to him. Now that Alli was on her radar, she would pester him relentlessly until he agreed to bring her around to be gawked at and made to feel uncomfortable. He stared pointedly at his mom. “Please don’t make a big deal out of this. I barely know her.”

Mary raised her brows, feigning innocence. “What did I say?”

“I’m not kidding, mom. She’s just a friendly neighbor that happens to have an interest in the arts. Don’t make any more of it than it is.”

Mary pursed her lips. “Who’s making anything out of anything? If you’re as disinterested as you say, you wont mind my inviting Evelyn and her family over for dinner...”

“Mom. We’re going to be late.”

Mary chuckled at her son’s chagrin and followed him out to the car.

Alli double checked the address above the door, but she was confident she had the right place. This was clearly an art gallery.

A quiet tone hummed as she opened the heavy glass door. A cute, pixie-like young woman around Alli’s age looked up from a glossy magazine. She was sitting behind a counter with a corrugated metal façade. “Hello,” She chimed in greeting. “Welcome to Black Goat Gallery. I’m Emiline. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.”

Alli took in a large canvass and a free standing sculpture as she approached Emiline. “Yes, hello. I was wondering if Mr. Ogden was available?”

As Alli reached the counter, Emiline’s eyes lit up with sudden recognition. “Oh! Of course! He’s in his studio. I’ll go get him! Please make yourself comfortable.” Emiline scurried around the counter toward a back hallway, then halted and turned back to Alli. “Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee?”

Alli smiled at the girl’s enthusiasm. “No, thank you. I’m fine.”

Emiline nodded and continued down the hallway. Alli watched her leave, then turned her attention to a group of black and white photographs arranged on a near wall. She quickly disregarded them and moved on to a painting. It was a nude of a woman. The perspective was unusual. The painter had set the scene so you as the viewer were peering over the woman’s shoulder. She had a delicate neck, and a gentle roundness to her shoulder as if she were slouching the slightest bit. Her dark hair was swept over her other shoulder, but small tendrils curled down in places at the nape of her neck.

Alli’s heart started to beat a little bit faster. The artist’s style - there was no denying the familiarity. She tried to calm herself with a deep breath. She could be wrong. It was very likely that she was wrong. Her fingers shook as she ran them along the slope of the painted woman’s shoulder, careful not to touch the canvass. “No.” She whispered to herself. “I’m not wrong. I’ve found you.”

* * * * *

“Jason!” Emiline knocked unnecessarily on Jason’s open studio door. “There’s a woman here to see you.” She was out of breath from having sprinted up the two flights of stairs.

Jason eyed Emiline speculatively. He was confused by her giddy delivery of such mundane news. “Oh? Did she give her name?” He asked.

Emiline looked nonplused. “I didn’t think to ask, sir, but she obviously knows you.” She gestured vaguely toward Jason’s canvass rack.

“Hmm. It must be Laurel. She said she might stop by today. You can show her up, please, Emiline.” Emiline nodded rapidly. “Yes sir. Right away.” She paused for a beat, then, “Is she here to sit for you sir? Should I get her a robe?”

Jason was thrown by the odd question. “Uh, no. That wont be necessary. Just show her up. Thank you, Emiline.”

Emiline disappeared as rapidly as she had come.

Jason began rinsing his brushes and didn’t hear Alli come in over the sound of rushing water in the sink.

Alli’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. He had the same broad shoulders and well muscled back that she remembered. Her knees began to quiver uncontrollably and she prayed she’d have the strength to remain upright. She stood in the doorway, waiting for him to turn around, her heartbeat pounding loudly in her ears.

Jason finished rinsing his brushes and deposited them in a ceramic mug. Taking the mug, he turned to place it near his easel when he caught sight of Alli. He stopped mid-turn.

Alli had to remind herself to breathe. She was grabbing tightly to the strap of her purse in an effort to control her shaking. She was startled by the loud shattering sound of the mug Jason had been holding. He didn’t even look down at the ceramic shards and scattered brushes at his feet. His expression had gone blank. She could see his throat working, but otherwise he gave no indication of what he was feeling.

Finally Alli spoke. “‘Ogden’, huh?”

Jason nodded and cleared his throat. “It is-” He cleared his throat again. “It is my mother’s maiden name.”

“Oh.”

“I was starting a business. I couldn’t very well keep the name Taylor. Google is a cruel mistress.”

Tears pooled in Alli’s eyes, but didn’t spill over. “I’m sorry...” Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

They stood a moment, angst filled sculptures of broken people. Neither one sure this was really happening.

“Why are you here, Alli?” Jason’s voice was rough but steady.

“I had to know... I recognized your style in one of your paintings and I had to know if it was you.”

“Well now you know.” His voice wasn’t cold - even worse - it was apathetic.

“Is that it? Do you want me to go?” This was not the reception she had envisioned. Where was the Jason she remembered?
Her
Jason? This man looked the same, right down to his faded flannel paint shirt and perfectly worn jeans, but his eyes were different. Shielded.

He stepped toward her, his boots crunching on the ceramic debris. When he spoke, his voice was low and intense. “I waited for you, Alli. I waited for you, and when you never showed I pined for you.” There was great emotion being held in check, visible as a fire in his eyes. “But longing only takes a man so far, and eventually I began to rage at you.” He was only a step away from her by now. “The mere thought of you ate away at me like an acid.” The tears finally spilled over Alli’s eyes, but she made no move to wipe them away. She was too captivated to move even the slightest bit. Jason sighed and looked away. When he turned back he seemed more composed. “Then I mourned you, Alli. I mourned you, and I let you go.”

Alli nodded her head in what to her felt like large, sweeping movements, but what in fact was a barely noticeable quivering of her jaw. Jason was so close she could feel his hot breath on her face when he spoke. “So you see, Alli, I have nothing left to give you. You are a ghost to me.”

Having Jason so close was causing a stirring in Alli. It was as if she had spent the last six years with a rubber band attached to her heart, being stretched painfully far away. Now that she was here, she could imagine that rubber band easing and relaxing, and she could see the other end had been with him the whole time.

“I looked for you, Jason. I tried to find you.” Her voice was wavering with her tightly bound emotions.

His eyes flashed something she couldn’t read. “I wasn’t hiding.” He shifted his weight, bringing his shoulder a fraction of an inch closer to her. “I stayed, Alli. I stayed in town and bore the looks of disgust - or worse,
pity
. I bore the pain in my parents’ eyes when they were forced to watch their son walk among old friends like a pariah. I
stayed
.” His lips pressed into a hard line. “You never showed.”

“Jason, I couldn’t. Please believe me-” Alli grabbed his arm and he stiffened. He was hard as granite, and equally unwelcoming. He looked down at her left hand clutching tightly at his bicep. Light from the skylight winked against the grey sapphire in her ring, causing a six point star to flare brightly from within the stone. When he looked back at Alli his expression was frightening enough to cause her to release him and jump back.

“I need you to leave now, Alli.” Jason’s voice was soft, in stark contrast to his lethal glare. “You are unwelcome here.”

“You’re upset. That’s understandable.” Alli’s mind was racing, trying to come up with the right words. It was of the utmost importance that she find the right combination of words to make him listen. He
had
to listen to her. It couldn’t end like this. “I’ll go. You need some time to process this. It was unfair of me to show up like this without warning...” She hedged toward the door. “But I’m coming back, Jason. I
will
say my peace.” She fled before he could argue.

Alli was acting distant. Jason didn’t know why, but he knew something was definitely up. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as he drove them to the auction yard. He decided to keep the conversation light, and hope she let down her guard a little.

He had no idea that she was sitting across from him stewing in guilt.

She had spent the night watching one of those catching a predator shows on t.v. where internet perverts got busted for trying to have sex with thirteen year olds.

She had watched intently as grown men cried into the camera as they were sentenced for their crimes. The men would all have to register as sex offenders. Some of them lost their jobs. Most of them oozed skeevyness, and Alli thought they belonged in jail.

Watching a twenty one year old man who had been busted for meeting what he thought to be a fifteen year old girl, made Alli particularly uncomfortable.

Six years difference. That’s the same age gap between you and Jason.

Alli hated it when her conscience seemed so smug.

It’s different with me and Jason.
She argued.
For one thing, he doesn’t KNOW I’m underage. Besides, who’s going to find out? I’m certainly not going to tell anybody.

Her conscience wouldn’t give up that easily.
Doesn’t he deserve the right to make an informed decision?