Making Sense of Love

Friday was here before I knew it and I could hardly contain my excitement. I expended my nervous energy by painting, with Beethoven playing in the background. I got so caught up in the music that I painted what I felt like the music would look like. I barely even heard the soft knock on my door until Daisy made sure it got my attention. She nudged my hand, licking my hand gently. I walked to my front door, nervous, heart racing a bit. I fidgeted with my ponytail, a nervous habit that has stuck with me since I was very young. I take a deep sigh and muster up some courage.

“Who is it?” I say one hand on the doorknob.

“Umm it’s me, Todd.” His deep baritone seeped through the door. “I am here for the project.”

I ignored the butterflies that had just taken flight and open the door.

“Come in, sorry if the place is a mess. It doesn't really matter to me.” I cursed my odd humor for showing itself.

I could tell he didn't know how to feel about it. He was probably wondering if he should laugh to humor me, or if he should stay silent not to feel as if he was making fun of me. I shut the door and my rested my head against it for a moment. Idiot, I thought, such an idiot. I lifted my head and turned to face him, I could feel that he moved deeper into the house, so I followed after. I figured that he had made his way to my canvas and I was right. I heard him make a small noise of approval.

“You work never ceases to amaze me Karen. Sheer brilliance, I wish that I had half of your talent.” He was at my side in instant. He placed his hand in mine and led me back to my stool. “Please paint for me. I want to watch you.”

At first I felt shy, but I once again got lost in the music. It carried me away to place where only color existed, in beautiful swirls. Like lovers paired off at a ball, I let them dance across the canvas. I almost forget Todd was there until he leaned over my shoulder, like he always does, and caressed my fingers on the paint brush.

“Teach me Karen. Teach me to paint like you do.” I felt him pull slightly back from me, taking his warmth with him.

I put down my paint brush and nervously turned around, sensing his face would be very close to mine. I lifted my hand and felt my way up his jaw before covering his eyes. My heart was pounding at the intimacy of the moment. I felt a blush heat up my body.

“If you want to paint like me, you can’t see. You must only feel.” I slowly removed my hand trusting him to keep his lids closed.

“Karen,” his voice was but a mere breath released into the air. “You are the most beautiful person I have ever met.” The blush reached my face as his fingers ran across my cheeks. “I desperately want to know the world as you do. So that perhaps I may radiate happiness whenever I enter a room.”

The way he spoke was so poetic, so beautiful. You could clearly tell that he didn’t view language as a lost art, so he refused to tarnish it with slang, or foul words. My heart race picked up, the feelings that had been mounting for the past three months overwhelming me all at once.

“Why me?” I could barely push the words off the tip of my tongue due to the weight of this moment.

He laughed, a sound so melodic you could confuse it for a symphony.

“I wish I could explain it adequately but let’s leave it at a simple; I am drawn to you Karen. Please allow me the simple pleasure of getting to know you better.”

My heart had crawled it way into my throat, making it very hard for me to think.

“Of course,” I felt his eyes searching my face.

“Let’s start with proper introductions. I am Todd, Todd Ian McCann and who might you be?”

“I am Karen, Karen Stevens.” But who knows I might be McCann one day, then I laughed at my own thought.