The finished portrait glowed back at Tanya as if the child were alive, his eyes holding secrets even she couldn't foretell. She smiled, pleased. The beautiful black boy's face expressed the feeling of surprise, mixed with a touch of magic, just as she had planned and then a little more. She signed her entry, packaged it with care, and gave it to Charles for shipping to the competition. She felt a pang, like a mother sending her child off to school for the first time, then laughed; this child was a winner.
On the terrace, the glycine caught her eye. It seemed to shine with an inner light, the colors more brilliant than anything she could paint. Her fingers caressed the blossoms, cupping them in her hand like a bunch of ripe grapes. All the world seemed colored bright, with soft scents. She touched a single bloom, pale lilac, almost white, shading to dark lilac near the stem.
I hope one day I'll meet the Artist who designed this, and the One who gave us eyes to see its beauty, she thought. She brushed the velvet blossom against her cheek, and released it. Feeling wrapped in light and color, she skipped down the stairs and walked toward the front of the house.
"Good morning, Edda. Quite a project you have going there," she said. Edda sat beside one of two strips, each a foot wide, dug alongside the last curve of the driveway. She brushed a dirty hand across her forehead, leaving a smear of soil behind, and groaned.
"I've been here since early this morning, and I've accomplished nothing." She gestured at the meager row of marigolds planted a few feet from the entry. "I found these plants on sale." She glanced down at a dozen large flats and groaned again. "Really, I had no idea it would be so much work."
"Take a break. Let me help," Tanya said, taking the trowel from Edda. "I've done this kind of work many times over." She planted each small bloom one after the other, non-stop, humming happily.
"Tanya, there's something I'd like to discuss with you," Edda said, her voice tight with concern.
"Yes?" Tanya said, still digging, a smile touching her mouth.
"Charles isn't happy about the situation…"
Tanya sat back on her heels. "What situation?" Her smile faded.
Edda looked down and touched the petals of a marigold. "He's just concerned about your safety, Tanya. He feels there could be a security leak." She looked up into Tanya's eyes. "We know nothing about this Mr. Matwin, nothing."