Still mindful of the time, I instantly ripped off the wrapping and muffled a gasp at what I found.
Black Velvet Paint by Number Kit, read the package. A subheading proclaimed:
Develop Your Own Masterpiece! Comprises Everything You Need to Paint Just Like a Real Artist! The "masterpiece" I could formulate portrayed a wasteland landscape with a huge cactus to one side and a howling coyote on the other. An eagle sailed in the sky, and a mysterious, disembodied Native American head hovered nearby. Terribly stereotyped and cheesy.
A small piece of paper had been fastened to it. Begin small, the note said. Love, Shaman. The composition was so excellent to be unreal.
I was still giggling when I got to work. In my office, I crouched in front of the computer and found out a second morning surprise: another e-mail from Gabriel. It had been sent at five in the morning.
