Chapter One

She lightly touched the thin bristles to the canvas and watched, in delight, as a bold streak of pink highlighted the sunset sky she was painting. This perfect fall scene would be forever immortalized in living color. The sun looked like a blazing fireball hanging just inches above the horizon, each time she looked up it had sunk lower and before long it would be gone, seemingly engulfed, yet again, by the vast ocean that spread before her.

She inhaled the crisp, refreshing air that was filled with all the wondrous and mysterious odors of the sea and beyond. Licking her lips she could taste the salt that the moist air had deposited on her exposed skin. She gazed out at the endless black waters that contrast so exquisitely with the vibrant sky above. It was so peaceful just sitting there perched on a stool behind her easel. The only sound was that of the huge waves crashing against the cliffs and rocks at either end of the beach.

Her bare feet sunk into the cool, damp sand as she hopped smoothly off her stool. Unfortunately the scene she was painting was quickly fading away and she needed to capture the essence of it all before it was too late. Grabbing her camera she quickly snapped a picture that she could use to finish, if necessary, but it just wouldn't be the same. No picture could capture the sounds, the smells, and the feel of the breeze that made painting an experience rather than just a simple hobby. She worked quickly, expertly filling in each important detail that desperately called out to her.

As the final exposed rays of sunlight fell away she sat down on the stool once again, suddenly tired but superfluously content. Studying the finished product that was displayed before her filled her with an immense pride. It was so fulfilling not only to reflect on a hard day's work but to have something concrete to show for it. The abstract emotions that accompanied the conclusion to this day only made it that much more satisfying.

Slowly gathering up her supplies and lovingly setting them in a large tote bag her mind drifted back to the first time she had held the palette and feverishly worked her magic. It was during a period of her life that she longed to forget. The freedom she felt as the vision in her mind began to appear before her was an overwhelming relief from the hardship of her life. She would quickly get lost in the fantasy and drift into another world, a world where she was always happy. Unfortunately reality would bite her once again and she would fall hard, back into the miserable journey they called life.

When she had finally been set free from that dark time she just could not bring her self to paint anymore. Stroking the canvas was like a refuge for her and as life got better it was no longer necessary. There were still times though, when she would catch herself staring at a fresh snowfall or a gushing river and longing to capture the wondrous vision.

The family and friends that filled her world in it's current state had no idea that she held this talent inside her, it was not something that she had ever shared with anyone, not even her children. Now here she was miles away from everyone she loved, finally indulging in her greatest passion once again. And after all these years it still effected her exactly the same way. It created a portal of escape that she quickly stepped through with the first stroke of the brush.

Throwing the bag over her shoulder she began to make her first trip back to her shiny black Chevy Trailblazer. Why did she suddenly feel the urge to escape once again after all this time? She wasn't completely sure of the answer to that question but she knew by the time she went back home, to Salem, she would know exactly what this journey was all about. A few weeks earlier she had suddenly been gripped with an intense fear that reached all the way to her soul. It seemed like the days were quickly turning to months and the months became years, time was passing before her very eyes, her life was slipping away far too quickly and there was no way to slow it down. She knew that most people came to a similar realization sometime in their midlife. Some would overcome it with ease moving on graciously and other would forever dwell on the past living in regret and denial. It was a vast continuum and she fell somewhere in the middle. It would be hard to overcome but deep inside her heart echoed the encouragement and support that would help her pull through.

Opening the back she placed the tote bag inside and headed back down to the beach to get the painting and easel. The emotional roller coaster she was currently riding was called a mid life crisis by some but she preferred to think of it not as a crisis but as a simple life experience. She had to get away from Salem, far away from everything that was so overwhelmingly familiar. This small east-coast harbor village was a perfect contrast to the bustling mid west town she called home. It was a whole different experience. The pace was soothing and slow. The people were friendly and welcoming but kept their distance, respecting one's need for solitude.

Of all the spectacular places on the planet that she could have visited why was this place her first and really her only choice? She wasn't ready to consciously think about that, but subconsciously she knew exactly why she was here. This was her birth place and the site of her early childhood, the only part of her life that she'd had a mother. It was a time she certainly could not remember, but she hoped she would feel once again the unconditional love only a mother could provide. Being here at this pivotal moment just felt so right. It had taken a very long time to gather the strength to return and it was so ironic that the moment she was finally able to come back was during one of the weakest times in her life.

After putting the rest of her things in the back she closed the heavy door. She rolled down the pant legs that she'd turned up earlier in the day and slid her sandy feet into a comfortable pair of sandals. Climbing in the car she shut the door and paused for a moment to wistfully say goodbye to the perfect snapshot mother nature had provided her with today.

She pulled away and slowly rolled along the narrow roads heading towards the beautiful rustic abode she was renting. So the journey had begun and a spiritual, healing pathway stretched before her. She hadn't the faintest idea where it would take her but Kate Roberts knew she was in for the ride of her life, no pun intended.