Life, Etc. -- Thirty-two

                          

Isabelle hardly slept that night.  In a strange way, she felt two very opposing emotions.  Elation for an opportunity to make some exciting choices possible; and deep sadness that her mother could not be there to witness her joy.

 

Isabelle wasn’t ready to make a decision about the money.  At the back of her mind, she also thought of Roland.  If he found out about the insurance money, could he take it from her?  She decided that at least for awhile, she’d do nothing.  She knew her information was safe with Megan and Diane.

Isabelle got out her baking goods for the big order from the new account in Eugene.  Her little business kept growing!

After Emily left for school Megan’s cell phone rang.  “What a great surprise for Isabelle.” Diane said cheerfully. “I’m so happy for her!”

“Me, too,” Megan kept seeing Isabelle’s face the night before at dinner.  “I’ll be excited to hear how she intends to use it.”

“So, what are you up to today, Diane?”

“Well, I am trying to get all my information together for income tax, and I just hate that job!  I always left it for Karl and I’m not sure at this time of year if I’m angry because he died or because he left me with this crap to take care of.  Then I end that scenario with guilt for even suggesting it.”

 

“Why not just throw it all in a box and have your accountant rummage through it?”

“I know you’re kidding, but that’s pretty much what I do!”  They both laughed.  “I really need to get going.  We haven’t talked in awhile and I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“Any time, my Friend, any time.”  Megan hung up and reminded herself how lucky she was to have Diane as a close friend.

The shop remained quiet until late morning when Chloe called to invite Megan for dinner that weekend.  “And of course Emily is invited!” Chloe insisted.

 

“That is really sweet of you.  We’ve talked about Emily taking art classes when you begin.”  Emily showed a leaning toward right brain activities—art, music, even some writing at her young age, and Megan was thrilled.

 

“Tell you what,” Chloe said, “I’ll have some art supplies out for her to work with after dinner.”

“Emily will love that!  I can’t wait to tell her.”  Megan found more reason all the time to love this woman.  “And, by the way, I’ve had several people admiring your art work here in the shop.  In fact, I think one is sold.  I don’t have the money, but a woman from Bend took measurements the other day and said she’d return.  She likes the one of the child standing by the field of sunflowers.”

Chloe’s voice became melancholy as she said, “You know I almost didn’t give that one up.  I actually painted it in Italy as I recalled my childhood days playing in a field near our home.”  The women chatted for a few minutes and then hung up.

Saturday evening at 6:00, Megan and Emily drove into Chloe’s driveway.  She told Emily about Chloe’s plan to allow her to paint so she couldn’t wait to get there.

After dinner, Emily settled in the studio with paints and brushes, and Megan and Chloe took their wine into a softly lit living room.  “I feel warm and content in your home,” Megan said as she sat down and curled up her feet at one end of the couch.  “Your colors are softer than I’ve used in our home, but your paintings add such vibrancy.  I get the sense of being in Tuscany just sitting here.”  Megan smiled and relaxed in the calming atmosphere she felt in Chloe’s home.

“I’m taking everything you’re saying as a compliment,” Chloe began.  “Every time I’ve moved, I think I’ll try for a different décor and always go back to something resembling Italy.”

“Then you’ve found your authentic self in your surroundings, I’d say.  I’ll go home and dream of Italy tonight and it will magically become lifelike because of being here,” Megan said with a smile.

“O, I almost forgot,” Megan went on, “just before I closed the shop today, the woman I told you about from Bend returned and bought the picture—the little girl and the sunflowers.  I reluctantly wrapped it—since it hung just across the room from my desk.  I often looked at it and dreamed of my trip to Italy.”

“So you have a trip planned?”

“It’s still in the dream stage, but yes, I do plan to make a trip.  I want Emily to have the experience.  Just don’t know when it will be.”

“Working, even at a career you love, can limit the rest of your life.  It took me quite awhile to make the changes in my life.  I knew what I wanted to do—art full time as well as teaching children.  I pondered leaving fulltime teaching with trepidation for several years—until I truly believed it could happen.  And that’s when it did!  And, I not only took the plunge, but found a house, and thanks to you, an outlet for my work right away.”  Chloe smiled dreamily still not fully believing that everything had worked out so well.  “The key is to believe that it will happen.”

“Hmmm, I guess we need to talk more about this.”  Megan spoke with a sense of wonder.  “There was something—an internal guidance system, intuition—that made me believe that Maple Village was the right place for Em and me.”

“Megan,” Chloe said cautiously, “I have some watercolors in another room.  Would you like to see them?”

To be continued...