LIFE GOES ON CHAPTER 1 IT'S GETTING BETTER

The twins were now 18 months old. They still slept in Jude and Lucy's room but it wouldn't be long before they would need their own bedroom. It would mean having to move to a bigger apartment, a subject which Lucy brought up at breakfast one February morning. She had just fed the twins and Julie was eating her porridge.

"It sure is crowded with us all here," she remarked to Jude who was finishing his coffee. "I think we'll have to see about moving soon."

"Are we gonna move, Mommy?" asked Julie.

"Well, with Sean and Loretta getting bigger we're going to need more room. I'm sure you won't want to share your room with both of them."

"There's no rush, love," said Jude. "The kids won't need their own rooms for a while yet."

"Still, I think we should start looking soon," said Lucy. "There's always so many people looking for apartments."

"Yeah, we will, don't worry," said Jude calmly. He drank the last of his coffee then smiled to himself. He had his own plans around that – he hoped.

Fifteen minutes later he put on his coat and went out. "I'll be back by lunchtime, love," he called to Lucy who was tidying up the small kitchen.

"OK," called Lucy. "I'm calling round to the magazine this afternoon so you can keep an eye on the kids." Then she turned to Julie. "Hurry up and put your coat on, honey. You'll be late for kindergarten."

Jude kissed his kids and Lucy goodbye before going down to the street. It was a chilly day as he made his way to his appointment – with an art promoter. He had submitted some paintings and was hopeful of them being accepted for an exhibition. He also did graphic art and was the resident designer for Strawberry Jams record company. But his real dream was to have a major art exhibition. If this worked out he could fulfill another dream he and Lucy shared – which would make their hunt for a new apartment unnecessary. And as he approached the offices after getting off the subway at Midtown he had a good feeling.

He shook hands with the casually dressed art promoter. Jude had put on a smart suit and he felt quite overdressed. The art promoter, who introduced himself as Miles Hamilton, had a refined English accent.

"Ah, Mr Feeny. It's splendid to meet you."

"Likewise," replied Jude.

"Ah, an Englishman like myself. And that accent – unmistakably Liverpudlian. They have a rather good art college. Did you go there?"

"No. I'm more or less self-taught. Although I have done some night time art courses since coming to New York."

"Well, sometimes the natural artist is the best. That's certainly true in your case."

"Does that mean you like my work?" Jude felt hope rising within him.

"Like it, old chap? I positively adore it. Such a variety. Like the series A Day In The Life which captures New Yorkers going about their everyday work – in occupations as diverse as dockworkers and construction workers right up to Wall Street bankers. Then there was the picture of the Yellow Submarine. Prosaic enough but making it yellow really made it stand out. And those abstract pictures – amazing. But the ones I liked most were those of the blonde woman – they capture a wonderful combination of beauty and vulnerability and strength. Like the one called In The Sky with Diamonds. It transforms one on a fantasy journey."

"That's my wife," said Jude proudly.

"Ah – and the children in the picture entitled Lady Madonna, Baby at your Breast. Are they yours too?" Jude nodded.

"I particularly liked that one," continued Miles. "Tastefully erotic. You have a real eye for the erotic, Mr Feeny – but it never becomes vulgar. I'm very impressed with your work and I'm confident that we can sell most if not all of it."

"That's fantastic!" exclaimed Jude. "Mr Hamilton."

"I really think that the time for formalities is over," said Miles. "Please call me Miles – and may I call you Jude?"

"You can call me whatever you like," grinned Jude. "This is the biggest exhibition I've ever had."

"And I have a feeling that there'll be many more," smiled Miles. "You have a real talent. There's a fantasy element in your work which makes it stand out. Congratulations, Jude."

Miles shook Jude's hand and his gaze turned to the Lady Madonna painting. "You're very lucky to have such a wife. She's turned out to be a lucky muse and I've a feeling that she's even more beautiful than her portraits although you capture her well. Is she an artist too?"

"No, she's a writer. Lucy Carrigan Feeny. She writes features for several publications."

"Ah, a pair of Bohemians shunning the conventional."

"Well, we do have to work to pay the bills like everyone else."

Out on the street Jude looked for a call box to phone Lucy but he couldn't see one nearby. He began to walk along Broadway, he was bound to find one soon.

He was walking past a real estate agents – and his eye caught a house he remembered seeing many months ago on that fateful day when Lucy went to labour. The house, that although somewhat run down, had such potential. He saw the notice. Family house for sale on outskirts of city. In need of some renovation."

The last fact meant that the house might be affordable – and especially with the good news that he had heard. He went into the office.

life. going about their everyday life. idtown he had a good feeling.

one Febr