Chapter 3
The next day I had just finished lunch and heard my door bell. Upon answering the door, I didn't see anyone, but for some reason I looked down and saw a single long stem rose and a card laying on it. The front of the envelope said, "Alice Juliet." I didn't see anyone around so I bent and picked them both up. I smelled the rose and it smelled wonderful and then I opened the card. On the cover it was a moon over the sky. He had made this card himself and when I opened the card it said.
Alice
I dreamt of your beautiful smile last night. Have a wonderful day. I know I'll.
Jasper
I painted for the next couple days and walked on the beach not seeing Jasper or hearing from Jasper over those few days. One afternoon, I had received a call to go paint a mural in New England, but I declined saying that I just wasn't ready after my grandmother's death. Please give me three months and then ask again. I thought they understood, but my phone rang again five minutes later.
"Hello," I said with a little bit of sadness in my voice.
"Alice, are you okay, you sound upset?"
"Sorry, Jasper. I'm okay, I guess. I just turned down a job and I thought they were calling back to convince me to do it anyway. What can I do for you Jasper?"
"Well, I'm afraid to ask now?"
"What?"
"I was wondering if you would come up here with your paints and do some touch ups to your murals up here."
"How about tomorrow, I can get there around 1 pm?"
"Perfect. Do you want me to walk down and we can walk back up together?"
"No, that's okay Jasper. I'll see you around 1 tomorrow."
"Thank you, Alice."
I finished painting the picture I had been working on; it was another beach scene but there was a girl and a boy lying in the sand together on a blanket watching the sunset. I put the painting away to dry and to think about it over night. I slept and enjoyed my old room and bed at my grandmother's house. I loved this room and the view and the memories from my childhood here. How much longer was I going to be able to stay inside the house? I had already been here longer than I had stayed in a house anywhere since my parents had died. My boat was anchored out there in the sea; I may have to start living on it again. I felt so much closer to my grandmother being in the house though. The next day I had lunch around 11:45 and was ringing Jasper's doorbell at about 12:50. I had sat my bag down. The door opened and Jasper smiled and I said, "Hello," while he leaned against the door frame.
"Hello Alice, you look beautiful today."
"Thank you, but these are my painting clothes. Jasper, have you been cleaning up around here?"
"Yes, every part of my body is sore from all the labor I have been doing; but here, let me help you with your paints and I'll show you which mural needs some of your tender loving care."
"Okay," he picked up my bag and said, "Follow me. By the way, you look beautiful in your painting clothes."
We went into a bedroom that was all cleaned up and being used. "Jasper, is this the room you're sleeping in?"
"Yes. Is that okay?"
"What happened to the master bedroom?"
"Nothing."
"Then why aren't you living in there?"
"Because I wouldn't get to go to sleep and wake up looking at this beautiful mural."
"Thank you," I said. "Thank you for already having a tarp laid out for me. Give me about three hours and I'll have it as good as new." I pulled my hair up into a ponytail put on my painting smock and got to work. Jasper would bring me water while I continued my work. Jasper continued working around the house, as well. At 4:30, I followed the noise and found Jasper finishing up cleaning a fireplace mantle. I asked, "Would you like to have a look at the mural and see what you think now?"
"Sure," and when we made it back into the room, "Give me a minute to clean up my hands."
Jasper came back into the room, sat on his bed and examined the mural.
"Well?" He waved me over to the bed and gestured for me to sit on the edge of his bed. So I did.
He finally finished studying it and walked closer to it. Then turned around and smiled brilliantly at me and said, "Perfect. The detail of the mural is perfect whether in bed or all around the room. Better yet, I got to see what you would look like in my bed."
"Jasper," and I jumped up and blushed.
He smiled at me and said, "I just wanted to see how you would react. Your work is perfect and incredible. Thank you for touching it up." He gently leaned down and kissed my lips.
"You're welcome."
"How about I make us some shrimp scampi for dinner as a form of payment for fixing the mural?"
"Okay, as long as I can help."
"Alright."
"Let me clean up my brushes and supplies and I'll join you in the kitchen."
I met him in the kitchen twenty minutes later and was handed a glass of white wine.
"What can I do to help?"
He handed me some plates, placemats and silverware. "There is a tablecloth by the fireplace will you set everything up there. My table has not been delivered yet. I hope you don't mind."
"No, that's fine. A fine china picnic, never been on a picnic like that." When I returned to the kitchen, I was picked up and sat on the counter again next to stove while Jasper kept cooking. Twenty minutes later he put food on two more plates and I picked up the wine glasses. We sat down and enjoyed dinner and one another's company.
"So, what have you been doing around here for the last two and a half days?"
"The beach has been cleaned up; I have had a plumber, electrician and a roofer in to help. I have scrubbed every square inch on both floors of this house. Now I can have the rest of my things delivered in the next couple days."
"Well, it looks amazing in here. You have put a lot of effort into making this house livable in the last two and a half days.
"I know, I get up at 6 and pass out around midnight. Relaxing by the fireplace with a beautiful painter is a great reward for the last two and a half days of hard work."
"Really."
"Actually, relaxing by the fireplace with my beautiful painter neighbor is amazing."
"Jasper, stop. This is all so confusing and it doesn't help that we have had a whole bottle of wine." I finally laid my hands down on the floor and then laid my head on top of them.
Jasper did the same thing and we just kept talking about our childhoods. Jasper would talk about college but I didn't because it was still difficult to talk about that part of my life. I used my painting as a way to hide and heal.
About 9:00, I got up and headed for the front door where I collected my painting supplies and slipped on my shoes. I turned and looked at Jasper standing in the door frame. "Thank you for allowing me to touch up my work and thank you for dinner."
"No, thank you. I could have hired someone else. But since I knew the artist, I enjoyed having her in my house and providing her dinner for her services. Particularly since, I got her to sit on my bed."
I punched him and said, "You're welcome."
He took my bag and said, "Let's go. I want to walk with you back to your house since I kept you out so late; and you drank so much wine."
"Okay, but you don't really have to."
"But I want to," and he took my hand with his free hand and down to the beach we went heading back to my grandmother's place. Fifteen minutes later, we were back at my house. Jasper stepped into the front entryway and set my paint supplies down.
"Good night, Alice" and he leaned in and gave me a hug.
"Good night, Jasper" as I pulled back from the hug. Jasper left and waved goodbye. Alice waved from her porch.
A/N Pleas review and let me know what you think.
