Page 48 of Shattered Hope
“It would be my pleasure,” I assured him, with my best smile.
He caressed my cheek with a slight frown. “What happened here?”
Instinctively, I covered my face, looking for the best words to explain the bruise on my face. “Oh… it’s nothing… I’m a bit clumsy… it probably happened yesterday, when I bumped into a door…” I mumbled the excuse I used a million times while I was living with Daniel, though usually, the bruises were on my arms, legs, back, or belly… anywhere out of people’s sight.
“A door, huh…” he said, clearly not buying my story.
“Yes… I’ll make it disappear with makeup, don’t worry…” I assured him, pretending it was nothing of importance.
“Don’t bother… we’ll start with a photo session and the first sketches… nothing that requires a flawless skin,” he assured me, with a bright smile. “I’ll have my housekeeper bring you some food, but you’re welcome to eat with me whenever you want.”
“Thank you.”
He picked both my hands and kissed the back of them. “No, thank you… this means a lot to me. You have a unique face, and the deepness of your soul has bewitched me. This painting will be my masterpiece if I ever manage to portray ten percent of this onto my canvas,” he assured me as he signaled my whole self.
“You give me too much credit.”
“Mark my words, girl…” he insisted, as he walked to the door. “Why don’t you get some sleep? You look as if you had spent the night on that shitty diner,” he suggested, with a worried look on his face.
I gave him a shy smile but refrained from commenting on his last remark. “I might do that.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow at dawn at my studio. The morning light is always the best,” he informed me as he left.
I managed to hold myself together long enough to reach the bed and cover my head with one of the pillows. The tears I had been welling up ever since I knew Daniel was after me again burst out, and I spent the next few hours crying my heart out. I knew it was a pathetic use of my time, but I wasn’t strong enough to pull myself out of it.
Saying goodbye to Jayden had been so hard, so painful, I wanted to lie down and die. The way he looked at me when Daniel showed up to, once more, ruin my life would be forever engraved in my mind.
I must have fallen asleep at some point because when I woke up, the sun was starting to color the night sky with the most amazing palette of pinks and yellows.
I dragged myself out of bed and took a quick shower, knowing Jonathan would be in his studio, waiting for me in a few minutes.
He hadn't told me what to wear, so I just put on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a warm sweater.
The fridge had been filled with food while I was sleeping, but I wasn’t hungry. My stomach churned at the idea of food, so I just grabbed some orange juice before I went to the studio.
“Ah, my dear Anne… I was about to call you…” Jonathan said when I entered.
“Am I late? You didn’t mention a specific time,” I pointed out, walking towards him.
“No… it’s perfect timing. Take off your sweater and get comfortable on that chair,” he asked me, signaling an extravagant chaise lounge, covered in colorful throw blankets.
“I’ve never done this before, so please, feel free to instruct me,” I warned him, feeling a bit lost as I pulled my sweater over my head and letting myself drop onto the chair.
“I will… don’t worry,” he assured me, as he walked towards me with a typical Hawaiian flower crown. “Have you ever worn one of these?” he asked me.
I smiled as I remembered all the times my father had given me one whenever I had a special event at school. I had been an eager participant in all school dance events, and I had been pretty good at it. I hadn't danced in fifteen years, and nostalgia hit hard.
“Yes… I lived in Hawaii until I was ten years old,” I told Jonathan as he helped me to put on the crown.
“Did you ever learn how to dance?” he asked, excited.
“Yes… but it’s been a long time since I have even heard the music…” I confessed.
My resentment against my father had made me avoid anything to do with Hawaii and its culture.
“Would you like to try?”
“With you watching me?” I asked, arching my eyebrow.
