much like your camera lens, catches lovely things. You bonded with me because you wanted comfort and to change your ways. You did not seek out a relationship with me for aesthetic purposes. You wanted deeper meaning in your life. And what am I supposed to do when another Monica catches your eye again? Wait for you to need meaning in your life again?”
“How can I look away from you ever again, Lucy?” Antonio said sincerely. “You’re beautiful.”
Lucy broke away from him. “Just leave me alone.”
Antonio was reliving a moment. It was the moment when Alejandro had to step up and be the man of the family because their father had abandoned them. When his father left, he robbed Alejandro of his childhood and robbed Antonio of having a big brother instead of the stoic warden Alejandro turned into. He resented not having that kind of love anymore. It wasn’t the same kind of love he felt for Lucy but broke his little heart when life shifted and changed. He vowed he’d never let life get the upper hand on him and he would never let anyone be in control of his destiny. But here he was dangling off a precipice hoping he wouldn’t have to feel that kind of rejection again. He had no choice but to let go and hope Lucy caught him.
“I have never felt this way about anyone in my whole life. And I never want to feel this way about anyone again. I am giving you my heart. Do with it what you will, Lucy,” he whispered.
Tears fell from Lucy’s eyes. “If you ever leave me again…”
“It will be the day they bury me, Lucia.”
She fell into his arms like the day he caught her when she fell off the ladder. He had a feeling he’d be doing that often, watching her dangle off ladders and shimmying up some crazy pole trying to make her picturesque visions come to life. He kissed her sweetly trying to imprint the feel of those soft lips onto his brain.
“You promise?” she said as she broke away.
He grinned at her and said, “Promise.”
Epilogue
The title of Antonio’s pictorial for the community theater was “How to Grow an Artistic Garden.” He used an old picture he’d found of Lucy’s mother, father, and her, after a performance, as the cover photo. Lucy was about eight years old and standing in the middle of her parents, her tiny hands in theirs, all of them with bright smiles. Antonio used the story of Lucy’s life and how it was entwined with the community theater to reinforce the importance of it being there. She was a legacy baby because of her parents but it was also the same place that gave her refuge when her parents died suddenly in the car crash. It was the beauty and imagery of that theater that helped keep the spirit of her parents alive.
Everyone was so moved by it that even Ivan, the old set designer, said he was calling a truce because he now understood how important it was that she realize her artistic visions there as her parents did. Felix was so moved, he cried and cited that playing matchmaker for the two of them was his best creative collaboration yet.
It all seemed like a whirlwind to her although they’d lived together for over a year. She had been working on an armoire—her latest hobby was woodworking—and Antonio had been tending to the grill. As luck would have it they were able to buy the loft right across from Felix. She had been sanding a door when she’d looked up and smiled at him, and he’d smiled back as he usually did.
“What time will dinner be ready? I’m starving.”
“Dinner will be ready a half hour after you agree to marry me.” He smiled nervously.
“So I have to marry you in order to get fed?” she said jokingly with a raised eyebrow.
“No, being fed would just be a bonus.”
“I guess my overalls have grown on you the past year.”
He came over and slid his hands around her waist. “I’ve always had a secret thing for rodeo clowns.”
“Weirdo.” She laughed. “Yes. I’ll marry you, crazy man.”
* *
“How can I look away from you ever again, Lucy?” Antonio said sincerely. “You’re beautiful.”
Lucy broke away from him. “Just leave me alone.”
Antonio was reliving a moment. It was the moment when Alejandro had to step up and be the man of the family because their father had abandoned them. When his father left, he robbed Alejandro of his childhood and robbed Antonio of having a big brother instead of the stoic warden Alejandro turned into. He resented not having that kind of love anymore. It wasn’t the same kind of love he felt for Lucy but broke his little heart when life shifted and changed. He vowed he’d never let life get the upper hand on him and he would never let anyone be in control of his destiny. But here he was dangling off a precipice hoping he wouldn’t have to feel that kind of rejection again. He had no choice but to let go and hope Lucy caught him.
“I have never felt this way about anyone in my whole life. And I never want to feel this way about anyone again. I am giving you my heart. Do with it what you will, Lucy,” he whispered.
Tears fell from Lucy’s eyes. “If you ever leave me again…”
“It will be the day they bury me, Lucia.”
She fell into his arms like the day he caught her when she fell off the ladder. He had a feeling he’d be doing that often, watching her dangle off ladders and shimmying up some crazy pole trying to make her picturesque visions come to life. He kissed her sweetly trying to imprint the feel of those soft lips onto his brain.
“You promise?” she said as she broke away.
He grinned at her and said, “Promise.”
Epilogue
The title of Antonio’s pictorial for the community theater was “How to Grow an Artistic Garden.” He used an old picture he’d found of Lucy’s mother, father, and her, after a performance, as the cover photo. Lucy was about eight years old and standing in the middle of her parents, her tiny hands in theirs, all of them with bright smiles. Antonio used the story of Lucy’s life and how it was entwined with the community theater to reinforce the importance of it being there. She was a legacy baby because of her parents but it was also the same place that gave her refuge when her parents died suddenly in the car crash. It was the beauty and imagery of that theater that helped keep the spirit of her parents alive.
Everyone was so moved by it that even Ivan, the old set designer, said he was calling a truce because he now understood how important it was that she realize her artistic visions there as her parents did. Felix was so moved, he cried and cited that playing matchmaker for the two of them was his best creative collaboration yet.
It all seemed like a whirlwind to her although they’d lived together for over a year. She had been working on an armoire—her latest hobby was woodworking—and Antonio had been tending to the grill. As luck would have it they were able to buy the loft right across from Felix. She had been sanding a door when she’d looked up and smiled at him, and he’d smiled back as he usually did.
“What time will dinner be ready? I’m starving.”
“Dinner will be ready a half hour after you agree to marry me.” He smiled nervously.
“So I have to marry you in order to get fed?” she said jokingly with a raised eyebrow.
“No, being fed would just be a bonus.”
“I guess my overalls have grown on you the past year.”
He came over and slid his hands around her waist. “I’ve always had a secret thing for rodeo clowns.”
“Weirdo.” She laughed. “Yes. I’ll marry you, crazy man.”
* *
Similar Books
