Page 59 of My Heart Will Find You

Turning, Max glared at her.

“This is Nellie,” Etta said. “Remember her? Pat’s daughter? She and Alice like each other a lot.”

Max was still glaring at Etta. He seemed to be trying to figure out what to do.

“How’s your painting coming?” Etta asked the child.

“It’s not easy.” She held out the tablet to show her. It was a simple landscape of the river and trees.

Max, still frowning, took the pad from her. “You need some variety.” Nellie was holding the wooden box open. There was a little cup full of water. He picked up the smallest brush and whirled it around on the damp square of green paint. With a dozen little flicks, he inserted dark green marks on the trees, taking them from a monocolor to looking like they had actual leaves. He went over the brown square to add lines to the bark.

Etta and Nellie were watching him in awe. Seeming to be unaware of them, Max rinsed his brush and in a few strokes, he put two people in the picture. One was a slim woman while the man...well, he looked like a hairless ape leaning over her in a predatory way.

Through this, Max never lost his frown. It was as though he had no idea what he was doing. He thrust the pad back to Etta. It was only then that he saw the way they were looking at him. “What is it?” he snapped.

Etta held the pad up in front of her face. “Where did you learn how to do this?”

He came out of his trance and looked at the painting. “I never did.” He seemed to be as astonished as they were.

“Will you teach me how to do that?” Nellie asked. “Please?”

For a moment Max looked back and forth from Etta to the couple under the trees.

“It’s late,” Etta said. “I think we should all go home. Go tell your dad.” Nellie ran off. Etta looked at Max. “I’m sorry. I’ve never meant to disrupt anything. I just want people to be happy.”

Max didn’t say anything, just went to his horse, got on it, and looked around. “What did you call this place? My man cave? Might as well be Kansas City now.” He reined his horse away and left.

What was that saying about winning the battle but losing the war?Etta thought.

When they got home, Max wasn’t there. Etta felt some happiness that Alice, Pat, and Nellie seemed to have bonded, but she thought,What about me?Even if all this was a dream, she still wanted...

I want what?she wondered. That home and family that Henry had asked her about? For years, that’s what she’d had. She’d been happy with all of it: her job, her home, the people she lived with.

She’d felt needed and wanted.

But then Alicia and Phillip left, taking Nola with them, and her father had buried himself in his books and studies.

Was I lonely and didn’t know it?she wondered.

That time, and whatever her life was then, seemed less real with every passing moment. Right now she wanted something for herself.

Max, she thought. That’s what she wanted. She really, really liked him. Liked his home, his family, even his workmen.

“Please don’t let him send me back to wherever I came from in this life,” she whispered.

She went upstairs, hoping Max was there. He wasn’t in his bedroom or the storage room. She took a breath before opening the door to his mother’s bedroom. It was empty and clean. The cobwebs and dust were gone; the sheets were fresh.

On the dresser was a note. “Thank you” it said, and appeared to have been laboriously written. She knew the men had done it.At least someone appreciates me, she thought.

As she looked in the mirror, she thought she’d do her best to make it up to Max. But how?

Besides what she’d done to Alice, Etta had taken away his man cave. Invaded his private space. Unforgivable sins!

She stripped down to her underwear, unlaced the hated corset, and took some deep breaths. She’d love to take a hot shower and wash her hair, but she couldn’t. The best she could do was try to clean up and put on a pretty dress.

She smiled. Maybe she’d coax Max into having that wedding night. “If I’m not too old and plain,” she said with a grimace.

She opened the wardrobe door. What could she wear to entice him?

---