Title: Cabin Fever
Author: MindyH
Chapter: 15 Departure
See part one for disclaimer and spoilers etc
Just as we're leaving, Kate hands me a sketch. She wanders out of the spare room, where, over the last weeks, she has spent hours on end, sitting at the little desk by the window, drawing in her sketchbook and on every scrap of paper she could lay her hands on. Often, I would see her sitting outside too, her sketchbook propped on her knee as she penciled the swing on the porch or the ducks in the lake or the heart in the willow tree.
She hasn't shown me a lot of what she's been working on so diligently all this time, but I understand that like me with my boats, drawing is something Kate does for herself and not necessarily to reach a desired end. Plus, her eye for perfection tends to make her overly-critical of anything she produces. Which is why I'm a little surprised to be handed a small sketch on a small piece of stiff, white paper.
We stand by the door, with the last of our belongings at our feet as I examine what she's given me. It's heavily shaded and richly detailed, exhibiting skillfulness, perception and attention in the artist.
She must have done this when I was working on the row boat out back. I'd taken my time with it, sanding and repainting it over a few days, enjoying the easy labor, the texture and shape of the boat, the warm sun and the quiet surroundings. I had no idea she'd been paying such close attention though.
She has drawn me from behind, so my face is not in view, but even so, she has captured me entirely, right down to the wrinkled shirt, gnarled hands and slightly stooped shoulders. There is a concentration and absorption to the slope of my back and the abrasion of my hand against the vessel which lies upturned in the long grass, silent and solid and receptive to the treatment.
There is something tranquil and touching and very profound about the simplicity and the feeling in the image. I like it -- I like it a lot.
"I thought maybe," says Kate slowly: "we should leave it here, it belongs here."
I look at her and nod, silently. Then, still studying the picture, I step over to the bookcase and position it carefully on the top shelf, right above the only other image I have of myself. I can easily make a simple wooden frame for Kate's artwork, I think, and next time we're up here, I'll hang it in this spot.
I turn back to her with a smile. She tucks her sketchbook under her arm and lifts her bag onto her shoulder. Her brown eyes are shining with emotion, and I know she wishes we could stay longer, just as I do.
I move close and stroke her cheek with my fingers. "Ready?" I ask quietly, not wanting our time to be over.
She smiles bittersweetly and whispers: "Ready."
She heads out the door and I follow her, turning to take one last look around and glance at her sketch on the bookshelf. The last few weeks have been perfect. And even though I'm confident we'll return someday, it'll never be the quite the same. This was our first vacation. It was where Kate and I learnt to trust our love.
It will be good to come back, but it will be different. And while part of me regrets leaving, another part of me is excited about what we and our life will look like when we return. Whatever happens to us now, we'll always be able to come back here and remember this time. I flick out the lights and lock the door securely, stuffing the key in my pocket as I go.