Page 56 of The Seven Rings
When he set the platter on the table, she smiled at him.
“Thank you. Not just for the meal, but for everything you’ve done for me.”
“You’re welcome, and it’s all been my very great pleasure.”
With the reviving weekend behind her, Sonya faced the workweek with energy. She put that to use first with a workout. Every time the servants’ bell rang, she chanted.
“Strong body, strong mind, strong spirit. I will kick your ass with all three.”
She showered, changed, then flexed her biceps in the mirror.
“We’ve got this.”
Mind, body, spirit united and focused, she walked into the library.
Then stopped at her desk when her heart took a quick leap.
She picked up the sketch, breathing slow as tears gathered.
Yoda looked back at her. If dogs could laugh, he laughed. He stood on his back legs as if ready to dance.
In the bottom left corner of the sketch, the careful printing read:
Jack
She had to swallow before she spoke.
“Well, this is wonderful. You really got him. The happy expression, the brindle coat, the squarish face, the weirdly cute proportions of those stubby legs and hot-dog body. Thank you, Jack. I’m going to frame this. I already treasure it.”
She turned it so the model could see the sketch.
“Look at you! Jack drew you. Aren’t you cute?”
Touched, grateful, she laid the sketch on the desk, and after Yoda wiggled under, sat and booted up her computer.
“Okay, Clover, I’m ready.”
Jimmy Buffett’s “Come Monday” started the day’s playlist.
“And that’s how we roll.”
She got two solid hours in before Cleo shuffled down the hall.
“Hold on a minute. I want to show you something.”
Cleo stopped. “Not a bad something, not before coffee.”
“No, not a bad anything.” Sonya took the sketch with her into the hall. “This was on my desk this morning.”
“Oh, Son! It’s so good, and how sweet is this? You have to frame it.”
“I will. And I thought I’d get him an art kit.”
“I could put something together, but a kit of his own’s even better. I love this, what a good start to the day. Owen said we’d get thunderstorms late afternoon.”
“How does he know?”
“He just knows. So I’m going to start on my summer edition of the tree out front, so I’m close to home. And I can’t believe I’m having a conversation before coffee. Bye.”
