Page 14 of Strike a Chord
He shrugged.“I was raised by a single mom.My dad was an abusive asshole and it took her a long time to work up the courage to leave him.She was strong for my sister and I.But I could tell when she was barely hanging on by a thread.When she was close to a breaking point.And maybe I’m wrong, but I see similar signs in you.So, I couldn’t really help my mom back then because I was just a kid.But I can help you now.”He offered her a small, reassuring smile.“Life is all about balance.”Then he left her in the bathroom, and closed the door behind himself.Glancing toward the ceiling, he smiled.“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you when you needed it most, Mom.I hope you’re at peace now.”
Thebathandnapwere exactly what Jennifer needed to recharge her battery.
She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so rested or a peace.
By the time she emerged from Dax’s bedroom, her phone said it was nearly two in the afternoon.Gloria and Phil were in the living room watching a movie while Gloria knitted, but she couldn’t find Levi or Dax anywhere.
“You look better,” Gloria said, smiling at her before refocusing on her knitting.“Boys are out in the barn.”
“Thank you,” Jennifer said.“Hopefully Levi wasn’t too much trouble.”
“That boy’s never trouble,” Phil said.“You know that.You’re raising a good one.”
Jennifer’s cheeks grew hot at his compliment as she went to the front door and put on her boots and coat.
“Tell Levi I’m going to bake some cookies and maybe a pie if he wants to come in and help me,” Gloria said.“I just need to finish this part of the blanket.”
Nodding, Jennifer pulled her hood up over her head and ducked out into the rain and wind.
The weather hadn’t let up at all.
Mother Nature really had a bug up her ass this time.
And rightfully so.The world was full of shitheads who were destroying so much of the earth for their own selfish gains.
She entered the warm, hay-scented barn, keeping her ears peeled for any sounds of her son.
But she heard none.
Levi was not a quiet kid.Where could he be?
Terror filled her instantly.
“Levi?”she hollered, racing down the length of the barn to themehandbrayof goats on either side.“Levi!”
“Mom?”
She glanced up to see his unruly brown mop hanging over the railing.“We’re up here.Dax is showing me his art and he’s teaching me the guitar.”
A second later, Dax appeared.He tilted his head to the side curiously, but then understanding quickly filled his gaze.“Sorry.Didn’t mean to scare you.”
She found the stairs that took her to the loft and by the time she joined them, her heartrate had returned to normal.
“Isn’t this cool?”Levi asked her as she followed him into the brightly lit art studio.Drop cloths were everywhere, along with canvas, both painted on and empty.Paint cans and tubs were stacked up on various shelves and even though the shiplap walls had been white, they were no longer pristine anymore and had paint splatters all over them.“And he doesn’t use brushes.He uses these things.”Levi picked up a narrow putty knife.
She reached what had to be Dax’s current work in progress.It was a tall, narrow piece, probably three feet wide by six feet tall.And it was stunning.
He liked to use a lot of texture, and played around with shadows.His color palate was mostly black, yellow, blue and red, with the odd splash of orange, white or turquoise.But there was no shading.It was monochromatic, with thick, chucky strokes of the putty knife.
It was unique, but also beautiful.
“What is this one going to be?”she asked, pointing to the one on the easel.
“I paint a lot of my life in music.This one is actually a commission.A guitarist down in LA has hired me to paint him on stage holding his guitar.”He traced the outline he’d created, and indicated some of the pencil lines he’d drawn.“But it’s taking me forever.I’m just not feeling it.I dunno why.”
“And when you’re not feeling it, how do you overcome that creative block?”She continued to wander through the space and into the next room which she could tell was soundproof and full of musical instruments.There was even a small recording studio set up.
“I just switch to a different medium.I’ll mess around on the guitar.Write a song.Just go crazy on the drums.Just stretch my brain in a different way.”
