as advertised. But for the first time in her life, she didn’t care. She felt good enough. She knew she was loved just the way she was.
“Good message, huh?” the woman whispered.
Sam nodded. “It’s just what I needed to hear.”
She felt stronger and more confident than ever. There was still hope that she could turn things around. She could hope because God hadn’t given up on her yet.
- - -
Lucas stopped in front of the large window and took a deep breath. He hoped he didn’t look as tired as he felt, but his reflection showed otherwise. Weeks of sleepless nights had taken their toll, leaving dark circles under his eyes.
A month had passed since his and Sam’s blow-up at church. She wouldn’t answer his phone calls, and the one time he had shown up at the studio, the pink-haired assistant whom she had rehired told him she was unavailable. To top it off, Sam had given his mother-in-law a ten-thousand-dollar cashier’s check two weeks ago to pass along to him, a sign that their partnership was over. And so was any semblance of a relationship or even friendship.
Lucy still attended painting classes once a week, and he relied on her updates to know how Sam was doing. But a four-year-old’s reports only told him so much. He could care less that Miss Sam had dyed her hair lavender or that she was back to wearing heels again. The latter was good news, of course, but it didn’t give him a clue as to where he stood with her.
To make matters worse, his mother-in-law kept dropping hints about Sam going out with the neighbor’s son, Greg. Or was it George? Whatever his name was, he was far too boring for Sam. Surely, she realized that.
His only consolation was two postcards he received in the mail last week. One found its home on the refrigerator door; the other motivated him to get a haircut yesterday. The latter one read You are invited to Junior Picasso’s Art Show and gave him the opportunity he had been looking for . He would finally get to see Sam today.
He had gone on his daily run, showered and dressed, and stopped for coffee on his way to the studio. Right now, his eyes focused beyond his reflection in the window to the room inside. He immediately spotted a pretty woman wearing a long green dress, with her lavender streaked hair held back by a headband.
“Come on, Daddy.” Lucy tugged on his hand. “There’s Miss Sam.”
“You look fine, son.” Mrs. Benson gave Lucas a wink before bending down to adjust the red beret on Lucy’s head. “You, my dear, look like a true artist. Are you ready for your first art show?”
“I was born ready!” Lucy beamed. “Let’s go!”
“Where did you learn that?” Lucas wondered. “Let me guess …”
The answer to his question opened the studio door and popped her head out. “Hey guys! You’re early. I thought for sure most people would be on Chinese time. Come on in.”
Lucas held the door open and followed Lucy and his mother-in-law inside. He almost lost his words when he passed Sam. Up close she was even more beautiful. The delicate lace pattern of her dress played up her elegance, but it also hinted at her daring personality with a sheer floor length skirt that revealed her legs. And her smile. He missed the way she looked at him with that spark in her eyes. What a sight for his tired eyes. “Thanks for inviting us. I got you some coffee for your big day.”
Sam smiled and took the cup he offered. “Thanks. George brought me a cup already, but I’ll never complain about too much caffeine.”
“George?” Lucas felt his jaw muscle twitch. “As in the law professor?”
“Yes, that George. His girlfriend owns an art store downtown. I bought some canvases from her when they had a friends and family sale. They dropped them off earlier.”
“You’re kidding.”
Sam placed one hand on her hip and smirked. “I can’t believe it either. I actually wait for things to go on sale before buying them. Except for shoes. Nothing can keep a girl
“Good message, huh?” the woman whispered.
Sam nodded. “It’s just what I needed to hear.”
She felt stronger and more confident than ever. There was still hope that she could turn things around. She could hope because God hadn’t given up on her yet.
- - -
Lucas stopped in front of the large window and took a deep breath. He hoped he didn’t look as tired as he felt, but his reflection showed otherwise. Weeks of sleepless nights had taken their toll, leaving dark circles under his eyes.
A month had passed since his and Sam’s blow-up at church. She wouldn’t answer his phone calls, and the one time he had shown up at the studio, the pink-haired assistant whom she had rehired told him she was unavailable. To top it off, Sam had given his mother-in-law a ten-thousand-dollar cashier’s check two weeks ago to pass along to him, a sign that their partnership was over. And so was any semblance of a relationship or even friendship.
Lucy still attended painting classes once a week, and he relied on her updates to know how Sam was doing. But a four-year-old’s reports only told him so much. He could care less that Miss Sam had dyed her hair lavender or that she was back to wearing heels again. The latter was good news, of course, but it didn’t give him a clue as to where he stood with her.
To make matters worse, his mother-in-law kept dropping hints about Sam going out with the neighbor’s son, Greg. Or was it George? Whatever his name was, he was far too boring for Sam. Surely, she realized that.
His only consolation was two postcards he received in the mail last week. One found its home on the refrigerator door; the other motivated him to get a haircut yesterday. The latter one read You are invited to Junior Picasso’s Art Show and gave him the opportunity he had been looking for . He would finally get to see Sam today.
He had gone on his daily run, showered and dressed, and stopped for coffee on his way to the studio. Right now, his eyes focused beyond his reflection in the window to the room inside. He immediately spotted a pretty woman wearing a long green dress, with her lavender streaked hair held back by a headband.
“Come on, Daddy.” Lucy tugged on his hand. “There’s Miss Sam.”
“You look fine, son.” Mrs. Benson gave Lucas a wink before bending down to adjust the red beret on Lucy’s head. “You, my dear, look like a true artist. Are you ready for your first art show?”
“I was born ready!” Lucy beamed. “Let’s go!”
“Where did you learn that?” Lucas wondered. “Let me guess …”
The answer to his question opened the studio door and popped her head out. “Hey guys! You’re early. I thought for sure most people would be on Chinese time. Come on in.”
Lucas held the door open and followed Lucy and his mother-in-law inside. He almost lost his words when he passed Sam. Up close she was even more beautiful. The delicate lace pattern of her dress played up her elegance, but it also hinted at her daring personality with a sheer floor length skirt that revealed her legs. And her smile. He missed the way she looked at him with that spark in her eyes. What a sight for his tired eyes. “Thanks for inviting us. I got you some coffee for your big day.”
Sam smiled and took the cup he offered. “Thanks. George brought me a cup already, but I’ll never complain about too much caffeine.”
“George?” Lucas felt his jaw muscle twitch. “As in the law professor?”
“Yes, that George. His girlfriend owns an art store downtown. I bought some canvases from her when they had a friends and family sale. They dropped them off earlier.”
“You’re kidding.”
Sam placed one hand on her hip and smirked. “I can’t believe it either. I actually wait for things to go on sale before buying them. Except for shoes. Nothing can keep a girl
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