What a Work of Art is Man
RATING: PG-13
PAIRINGS: HMM....HOW ABOUT YOU DECIDE?(Actually, none)
This idea came to me from watching 'The Wedding Planner' and
I just HAD to do a fic on it. All credit goes to them. Of course
I don't own any of the characters and I'm poor, so don't sue me :)
Also, a big TYK to Janice, who beta'd for me. It *really* sucked
before her help! PLUS she did the title and the wonderful cover art for this fic. It'll
be up on my webpage soon, so check it out! http://fanfic.5u.com
Inspector Margaret Thatcher nervously shuffled through papers on her desk. Finding what she was looking for, she let out a relieved breath. It was only five o'clock. She still had two hours to get ready for the opening. Really though, she thought, how had she allowed herself to get trapped in a position like this to begin with?
It had started out simply enough. A pamphlet on Turnbull's desk about evening classes at the University of Chicago had caught her attention. Her evenings were, quite frankly, boring; at least of late. It was late in the fiscal year and the normal rounds of diplomatic functions had tapered off dramatically. She found herself with a lot of free time that she didn't know what to do with. The sudden idea of taking an art class, a subject she'd truly enjoyed in college, was quite appealing.
She had assumed it was a simple University event. How was she to know that it was such a widely advertised and rather popularly attended public function? She had not known that her sculpture was to be on exhibit for all of Chicago to see!
Taking a shaky sip of her coffee, Meg knew she'd never live this down if certain 'people' saw her work of art. To learn from the best though, you have to copy the best. She'd chosen to do a version of Michealangelo's David, but the face.....
Trying not to think of it, she punched the intercom on her desk and called for Constable Fraser.
One minute and forty-six seconds later when he knocked on her door, Meg was safely ensconced behind her desk, feigning intense concentration on last week's inventory report. "Enter!" she snapped, careful to keep her attention focused on the monitor as he entered.
"You wanted to see me, ma'am?"
Meg looked up to find him standing at picture perfect attention, his own gaze carefully focused somewhere about the window, above and behind her. She studied him for a moment. After all, it was this particular ability of his to make her think of him as a statue at times, that had inspired her art project. She could tell he was getting nervous when his adams apple started to bob. Hiding a smile, she leaned back in her chair.
"I was wondering, Constable, do you have any plans for this evening?"
His eyes flicked to her face momentarily. "Plans, ma'am?"
"Yes. Are you and Detective Vecchio going to go traipsing about chasing bad guys? What are your plans?"
Constable Fraser cleared his throat and his weight shifted slightly before he found his rigid stance again. "Detective Vecchio is accompanying his mother to a social function. I was planning to help Mrs. Wanebaum fix her refrigerator. Apparently, it's been--"
"--Good." she cut him off. He wouldn't be anywhere near the exhibit this evening.
"Ma'am?"
She knew he was utterly confused now, but figured that was normal for him. She waved the question off. "That's all, Fraser, you can go."
She turned her attention back to the monitor and ignored him. Unfortunately, he did not leave as instructed. She could feel his bewildered gaze upon her and knew she was in trouble.
"If you don't mind my asking, did you need me for anything this evening?"
Meg's heart jumped as she looked at him. "No...no. As a matter of fact, I was going to be spending a quiet evening at home," she lied, pasting a carefully correct smile in place. She suspected the man was all too capable of seeing through the subterfuge and quickly added, "Dismissed," lest he question her further.
He stood there for a moment longer before turning and leaving in total confusion as to why she'd actually summoned him in the first place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Come, we don't want to be late." Ma Vecchio hurried her children and grandchildren along as she glanced in the entrance hall mirror to straighten her shawl. This was her evening to shine and she was looking forward to it.
"Don't worry, Ma, we still have an hour before it opens." Ray came bounding down the steps and stopped short when he saw her. "Ma, you look beautiful." She blushed as he went to her and kissed her cheek. He hadn't seen her so dressed up since before Pop died. She was really excited about tonight. Piling into two cars, it didn't take the Vecchios long to be on their way.
"There it is," Ma announced as she pointed from the front seat of the Riv. "Oh, I'm so nervous."
Francesca leaned over the seat. "Don't be Ma. Your painting is great. Everyone's gonna love it."
She patted her daughters hand as Ray pulled up in front of the building. "Ramundo, this is a no parking zone."
"Don't worry about it, Ma, I'm a cop."
She gave him a stern look.
"Ok, ok, you go on in and I'll park somewhere else."
"You're a good boy."
Ray watched as his mother and sister disappeared inside the gallery. Grumbling, it took him another 15 minutes circling the block before he found a spot. Tony had lucked out finding a space not too far from the entrance, and smirked at Ray as he circled the block for the second time before he went into the gallery leaving Ray to fend for himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ray quickly jogged up the stairs to the building and stood in the lobby looking around. He didn't see his family anywhere. There was only a half hour before the exhibit opened and Ray knew his mother wanted to show her painting to all of the family before then. There were other people milling about, those who'd also contributed to the exhibit and their guests. In front of him was the reception desk with guest book and information attendant. The wall to his left was lined with staggered shelving holding various pieces of pottery. The wall to his right was lined with water colors. Two more rooms branched off in either direction. Choosing at random, he rounded a blind corner to find himself surrounded by life-sized statues.
Ray slowly started to go around the room, shaking his head at some of the 'works of art'. He was certainly glad his mother had taken up painting and not this. Some weren't too bad as statues go, but then, who was he to judge? The only statues he really ever looked at were nestled between the tables at Marcello's, his favorite Italian restaurant. Ray had to do a double take when one in particular caught his eye.
"No way...." He walked towards the familiar looking statue, walking around it in a full circle and shaking his head. "Someone must have it bad," he muttered. Spying the tag, he just about stopped breathing. "Oh, this is TOO good!" As he decided how to torment his friend with the information he now possessed, a huge smile spread across his face. He ran from the room, straight into his mother.
"There you are! Come, my painting is hanging in this room." She pulled him towards her masterpiece.
"But Ma, I have to do something."
"Nonsense. Come and see."
Ray relented and followed his mother into the room. The walls were filled with more paintings and soon he found himself standing before a potpourri of fruit nestled in a blue bowl. "That's nice Ma....it's really good."
She beamed at his praise and pulled him down to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Ramundo. Now, what is it you must do that is so important?"
He looked around at Frannie, Maria, and Tony all staring at him. "Uh.....well......Benny! I wanted Benny to see you painting."
"I thought you said he had other commitments tonight?" Frannie interjected.
"Yeah, well......this is just too good for him to miss. Besides, it isn't everyday that Ma has a painting on display. I'll be back soon." He practically bolted from the room before anyone else could question him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ray screeched the Riv to a halt in front of the decrepit building and ran up the stairs. He had to stop midway to catch his breath but soon was pounding on Fraser's door. When there was no answer, he remembered Benny was going to help a neighbor with....something. He turned just as a door at the far end of the hall opened.
"Ray?" Fraser called curious. He strode down the hall towards him. "Is something the matter?"
Ray shook his head. Finally catching his breath, he grinned ear to ear. "I came to get ya. Ma wants you to see her painting."
Fraser looked at his watch. "I am finished helping Mrs. Wanebaum. Do we have time to make it?"
"Oh, we'll make it," Ray assured him, taking his friend by the elbow and steering him into his apartment so the Mountie could change.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You know Ray, art is the expression of life," Ben commented as the streets flew by. "It defines who we are. Unfortunately, too many people dismiss its importance."
Ray grinned and nodded his head. "You're right, Benny."
This time Ray did pull into the no parking zone and was at the door before Ben could even think to object. Ray frowned down at the wolf as the two joined him
"You can't taken him in there."
Fraser looked at Dief who whined. "He loves the arts, Ray. It would break his heart if he had to stay in the car."
Sighing, Ray opened the door, knowing Fraser and the wolf would follow. He breathed a sigh of relief that his family wasn't in the lobby and quickly ushered Fraser into the room on the right. Dief wandered around the room immediately, but Fraser had to be pulled into the room by Ray.
What A Work of Art is Man
By: zzzaney