Page 47 of Embracing Trust

I shake my head.

She is beautiful. Her lips are a glossy pink and her face glows with the sun’s reflection off the water. Although she has her hair pulled back, the wind still catches the strands, and she wipes them from her face.

We finally arrive at the light pole and stairs and once we reach the top, I’m surprised by the quaint village before me.

“Wow,” I say as I grab her hand. “I wasn’t expecting all of this.”

The streets are lined with small specialty shops, bars, and restaurants. The quaint cobblestone walkways are filled with visitors as they appreciate the perfect Texas day. Couples chat at outdoor tables and laugh over lunch and drinks. Families explore the shops while pushing strollers and carting toddlers.

We meander through the area as we hold hands and enjoy one another’s company. Julia lingers over some handmade jewelry and artwork in a small store. We enjoy samples of local cheeses and even a sample of wine from a nearby vineyard.

As we continue our trek, Julia brushes a stray hair from her face. “I have one more place to show you.” She’s practically giddy as she bounces on her toes. “It’s my favorite.”

She leads me down the street a few more blocks and we stop in front of a glass door with the business name reading The Artisan. I open the door and the bells that hang overhead ring. The chimes alert the woman behind the counter of our entry.

The middle-aged woman behind the counter has long hair pulled back into a tight bun. Her dark reading frames rest on the tip of her nose. She removes her glasses and steps out from behind the counter as Julia approaches.

“Hi, Lucy,” Julia says with a smile.

The Artisan’s Gallery is filled with everything from photos to furniture for sale.

Lucy offers her hand to me, and I nod as we greet one another in a handshake.

“Hello. I’m Lucy Davis.”

I smile. “Hi. Nice to meet you. I’m Ryan McCormick. I’m a good friend of Julia’s.”

“I just wanted to show Ryan some of your items for sale.”

“Well, I certainly hope you’ll take him to the back wall and show him your wonderful work.” Lucy returns to her place behind the counter and pushes her glasses up on her nose. “Julia is so talented, and we’ve enjoyed showcasing her work here in the shop. I’m always excited when she brings a new batch of photos for us to display.”

“Yes, she’s very talented.”

My girl has always been talented when it comes to the arts. She was the friend who always looking through the camera lens.

A young woman approaches Lucy and asks for help. Lucy excuses herself to help the customer.

Julia leads me to a wall a few aisles over covered with framed photos.

“This is my section.”

The display is large and holds at least 25 framed photos ranging in size from small to large.

My mouth drops open. “Julia, these are amazing.”

I’m in awe of her skills and study each photo carefully before my gaze moves onto the next.

I point at a photo. “I love this one.”

Julia’s face lights up. “Yeah, that’s a special one. That’s Sophia. She was born with Down Syndrome. I did their family photos and her mom told me they hadn’t had much luck with photographing her, because she can’t sit still and doesn’t want her picture taken. I was able to put the family in some fun poses, but this one was a miracle to get.”

The photo shows a sunset on the beach with the little girl standing on the sand, facing the ocean with her small body shown as a silhouette. She’s wearing a flowing dress that catches in the breeze along with her long hair.

“Amazing,” I declare as I continue to take in Julia’s work.

“This one is interesting. How did you get this?” I laugh. “Whatisit exactly?”

“Right? That’s the corner of one of my Adirondack chairs. That’s the beach in the background and then I edited it on my computer using some soft filters,” Julia explains.

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