TWO WEEKS LATER

Alice still felt the pains in her stomach, but they were fading. The surgery had gone well with few complications, but her recovery was aided by the full time nursing care she received at the hands of Elisabeth.

The day she came home from the hospital, Elisabeth and Andrew had moved into Rita's house. Danny had drawn them each a map with the bathrooms carefully marked in red, his own little joke.

Rita had been overwhelmed by the arrival of Andrew and his mother but she knew the value of good medical care and she welcomed them. She had watched the boys carefully and decided they were about the most loving pair of children that she had ever seen.

And that Andrew, what an amazing talent. The boy had done a sketch of her sitting in the greenhouse with her favorite orchids, she had it propped up in her bedroom on the mantle and would get it framed very soon.

Of course she understood that the boys were gay, she wasn't senile quite yet. It was strange and something she had never encountered before. But one look at them and you could tell they were in love, and didn't all of God's creatures deserve their own place and time to love?

Andrew's uncle had found them a little bungalow on the outskirts of town but Elisabeth had declined. She would find her own place a little better situated and that's when Rita asked her to stay for good. The house had grown too large for one old lady, she said, it would be nice to have the company. Elisabeth couldn't refuse. The boys were ecstatic.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

ONE YEAR LATER

Danny and Andrew left their desks in the study and said good bye to the tutor on his way out the door. They had lasted all of four months in that private school. It came so highly recommended, but turned out to be less than adequate for their needs.

Rita had gone on one last cruise and passed away in luxury at a fine Dutch hotel. The news had hit Alice like a ton of bricks and she cried for days. The lawyer arrived the day after the funeral and sat them all down in the entertainment room. The man smiled and placed a DVD in the player. This was Rita's last will and testament.

Danny and Andrew had both cried at the news, they had come to love the woman for her kindness and care. But they were afraid everything would now change.

"Good evening, dear ones," Rita began. She had been taped sitting in her beloved greenhouse amidst her magnificent collection of orchids. "Please don't cry for an old lady who had so much in life. I had a wonderful marriage and unfortunately wasn't blessed with children from my dear husband. It wasn't his fault but mine ... just wanted to make that clear.

"But in the past year I have been blessed by the sounds of childish laughter in my home from two of the finest young men I have ever met. Danny ... Andrew ... thank you for bringing me so much joy in my final days."

She smiled and stooped to fondle a flower. "The beauty of my life surrounds me here and I owe my happiness to one person ... Alice, this is meant for you. Alice Briggs has always been like a daughter to me, and now it is time for me to repay that kindness. To Alice, and therefore to Danny, I leave everything I own, lock, stock and barrel.

"Whatever the legal terms are I certainly don't care to know. And Milton, I know you are there watching this so if anything goes amiss just know that I will come back to haunt you to the very end, got that clear?

"For all the love I see in the Briggs and Mallory families, I very much want them to stay together. Maybe by providing for their futures I can assure the boys will become great men, I'm very sure they will. Their potential is boundless, they have great promise together.

"So that's about it ... except for one thing. I have this little sketch on my mantelpiece; it's the most wonderful thing I have ever seen. Andrew is such a fine artist. I would like for that sketch to be immortalized. I would ask that you have it engraved on my tombstone if at all possible. I would like to look down from heaven and see me in his eyes, those talented eyes.

"Now you dear people go out and have a huge dinner on me, pull out all the stops and find the most expensive restaurant you can. And somewhere in your dreams I will be smiling back at you from the other side. Let's just hope they haven't been lying to us about that too.

"Farewell my dears ... have a great life just as I did. Goodbye."

There wasn't a dry eye in the room at the end of that presentation. Rita had always been a kind and compassionate woman, now she had outdone herself.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

FIVE YEARS LATER

The people seemed drawn to the room on the left the owner noticed, that was where the new works hung. He had invested a good bit of time putting this show together; there were dozens of pieces lining the walls. But everyone seemed to focus on this new artist ... the boy.

Arthur had seen the products of so many artists in his life but he had to agree, this one was special and at such a young age. How many eighteen year olds could take the time and patience to accomplish such monumental works?

He had been stunned when the artist had produced his portfolio. The nude woman on the red chair, fantastic ... and even more so when he had been told the artist had created that at such a tender age. Twelve, who could believe it?

And the nude boy. Arthur had spent half the afternoon alone with that painting. It was sensual, arousing but not at all sexual. The detail, the brush strokes ... magnificent. It was as if the artist had memorized each detail of that face, producing the finest painting possible.

But of them all, he was drawn back to the old woman and her flowers. That smile she had on her face seemed to reach into his very heart. There was so much love in that painting it made him want to cry ... and he had when no one was there to see.

The boy was a genius and Arthur couldn't wait for the show to open, and now it had. The artist himself was due at any moment and they would toast the opening with the finest champagne.

Of course the boy was gay; Arthur knew what gay looked like every time he saw himself in a mirror. But to be so young, gay and talented ... ahh if only he were twenty years younger ... well maybe thirty.

And through the crowd he saw the boy's face appear, that beautiful face. Andrew was without a doubt the most exceptional creature; he would be easy to market in the art world. Arthur strode forward to greet the boy and stopped dead in his tracks.

The boy ... no the young man beside Andrew. My God, it's that face ... the nude.

"Andrew ... welcome," Arthur said. "Your paintings are a sensation."

"Arthur Morris ... this is Danny Briggs ... my partner."

And Arthur could see it in the boy's eyes, the way they looked at one another ... the way their bodies inclined towards each other. They were familiar, old friends ... old lovers. Yes, he had it; the nude had been their beginning together ... it touched his heart.

"I wanted to ask you, Andrew ... would you consider a larger show? You do have more work in your studio perhaps?"

"Yes, I have dozens you could choose from," Andrew said.

"I want them all dear boy ... all. Now you must go mingle with your public, they all want to meet you. And Mr. Briggs, I hope you don't get embarrassed easily, you will be recognized I'm sure."

Danny smiled, placing his hand on Andrew's waist. "Nothing this artist has ever done embarrasses me. For if I had to choose one place to be ... it would be in the reflection of his love."

They shared a smile at those words and Arthur felt like he was in the way of something beyond his control so he excused himself. Andrew and Danny walked towards the display room.

"I think Arthur fancies you," Andrew said.

"I don't care what he thinks; I just want you to fancy me," Danny said.

"That's keen; I believe I do ... shall we?" And they walked into the gallery.


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"Artificial Sky" Copyright © 30 Nov 2008 by Chris James. All rights reserved.
    This work may not be duplicated in any form (physical, electronic, audio, or otherwise) without the author's written permission. All applicable copyright laws apply. All individuals depicted are fictional with any resemblance to real persons being purely coincidental.

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