14 days to your Birthday (Day 17)
The gallery owner, Sue, emailed me a proof of a flyer she's having made for the fall show. There will be another in late summer. This one has two paintings from each artist. It's beautiful, all covered in turning leaves, reds, oranges, and yellows fading into one another. Sue used my prom piece and the 'first time' painting. I signed off on it (apparently the other two artists did as well), so she's going to send it to the printer. She promised to send me 25 of them. With luck, I'll have them by next week. I've decided to have your party here at my studio. That's the only place I can hold it that won't require me to enlist the aid of more of our friends and family. I don't want you to feel like the only person who was out of the loop. Judging by your reaction the last time you were here, I'm going to need to clean, have the windows replaced, and do a little redecorating. I'll keep my works in progress in the small work area you saw, use the larger storage area for the party itself, and fix up the small bedroom area so that we can stay here overnight. I have a large folding screen to separate it from the rest of the room. The best part is that it's canvas, so I'm going to cover it with golden gardenias in ivory, yellow, and orange, representing their three growth stages. I found the perfect engagement ring today. It's a dark rose gold (it almost looks like pure copper) open Celtic knot ring, with hearts in the knotwork. Beautiful but manly. I'm so excited; I've been smiling like a fool all day. I imagined us making love by candlelight surrounded by the golden gardenia screen, my legs around your waist, your cock buried deep inside me, us touching each other everywhere and kissing passionately. I'm getting so much better at imagining us fucking. It seemed that I could really feel the warmth of your skin against mine and your cock filling me up.
13 days to your Birthday (Day 18)
Daphne and Hunter came over today to help me clean. They were having lots of fun, splashing each other with sudsy water, blowing bunches of bubbles off their hands, and giggling. I wonder what's going on there. I'll have to grill Daph later. Despite all the fooling around, we actually got the studio spic and span. After lunch, when Daphne and Hunter were engrossed in their childish antics, I took a few pictures. I think I'm going to make a few sketches of them later. They looked so cute.
12 days to your Birthday (Day 19)
I had the windows replaced today. The studio looks so different already. I also started painting the screen. The ivory panel took most of the day, but it's finished. Only two more to go. I think I'm going to buy a new bed. Mine's not very comfortable, and it's way too small.
11 days to your Birthday (Day 20)
Hunter came by today with more pictures. He's such a great liar. Apparently, he told you that he was doing a project on interior design and wanted to photograph the loft and parts of Babylon, which, he tells me, is being renovated so that you can reopen it. So he managed to get some pictures of you working at home, in loose-fitting blue jeans, a white wife beater, and bare feet and some of you at Babylon, in a grey Armani suit, speaking with contractors. In one of the loft pictures, you're staring at something framed with a faraway look in your eyes. I asked Hunter to find out what it was you were looking at. I can't even guess what it is, and it's driving me crazy. The framing is amateurish, so it can't be one of my paintings, but it looks too big to be a photograph. I tossed and turned for hours because I couldn't stop thinking about it. I finally gave up on sleep and started the yellow panel. I painted until my hand ached and, eventually, fell asleep on the floor.
10 days to your Birthday (Day 21)
Daphne and I went to a flea market today, one place I am absolutely positive you would never go. We found two burnt orange and two burnt yellow tub chairs, a matching burnt orange sofa (that has a sort of wavy back), and a burnt yellow chaise. All velvet and very reasonably priced. I love the retro look. The main area is a far cry from your minimalist style, but it's warm, bright, and comfortable. I also bought a Japanese platform bed for the bedroom area. I saw it on a local furniture store's Web site and purchased it over the phone. It was expensive, but so worth it. The headboard is covered in white leather, and the platform and nightstands are made out of pine. It's going to look fabulous with the gardenia screen. The store delivery people will bring it to the studio tomorrow.
9 days to your Birthday (Day 22)
I finished the yellow panel today. Only one to go! I decided that I'm going to serve Cajun food at your birthday party. I thought you might find it amusing if I cooked jambalaya again, among other things. Unfortunately, that means I need a real refrigerator and an oven, so Hunter and Daphne went to see a few that had been advertised in the paper. They eventually came back with a matching set, olive green. They're perfect! They also returned with two tall, dark brown freestanding kitchen cabinets. The owner of the oven and refrigerator threw those in for an extra 50 bucks. What a bargain! The bed came today! I'm going to set it up tomorrow. I still need to buy some bedding for it. I think I'm going to stick with white.
8 days to your Birthday (Day 23)
Daphne and I went shopping. I kept looking over my shoulder like the cops were after me. I'd hate to wreck the surprise because I needed to buy bedding. I can't believe how much your beloved Egyptian cotton sheets (1500-thread count) cost. I spent more on them than I did furnishing the living room. Course, I bought the furniture at a flea market, but still. I took a nap in the new bed. I slept better than I have in weeks. It was so easy to imagine that I was in your bed at the loft. To imagine that you were just in the kitchen getting water and would soon return to fuck me into the mattress. Not today, but soon. Just eight more days…
7 days to your Birthday (Day 24)
I painted the orange panel today. My hand was so sore that I had to take a pain killer. But it was worth it. The screen looks beautiful. As I thought, it perfectly complements the new bed. Hunter came by in the evening to tell me that he managed to find the framed picture you were looking at. He photographed it for me. Imagine my shock (and delight) to see your naked figure staring back at me. Apparently, you bought it from the GLC show. I can't believe you never told me you were the one who bought it. Were you afraid that I'd feel less talented if I learned someone I knew had purchased it? Or, more likely, were you unwilling, even as recently as a few weeks ago, to admit how quickly you had fallen in love with me? Daphne came over with a few bottles of wine to celebrate the end of week three. I stretched out on the burnt yellow velvet chaise, she on the burnt orange velvet couch, and we talked for hours. We reminisced about my early stalker days and discussed party plans. I even asked her about Hunter. She said she thinks he's cute and funny. When I asked if she thought he was hot, she lost the ability to speak coherently and desperately tried to change the subject. I think I need to have a chat with Hunter.
