--
Looking at Solanne's smiling face while she called him, Suddenly, his feet started to walk as if it was only natural to walk towards her. And that it was natural to look whenever she was calling him.
He didn't even think twice as he marched to where she was while drying his hair.
"Was the bath good?" She casually asked. Her smile was still there. "I was so amazed by the tub actually. I almost doze off earlier when using it. I feel so relaxed."
"It's normal," Yael muttered not understanding what was so great about a tub. It's just big.
Solanne chuckled. "Right. You're rich. You're used to that kind of thing."
He raised his brow but he did not comment on it.
Vincent was buys on the kitchen.
"Hey, Vincent!" Solanne stood up and headed towards the kitchen. Yael followed her with his eyes. He looks lost.
"Yes?" Vincent answered.
"How long will the food be ready?"
"Let see, there's still about an hour or so."
Solanne nodded. "That's great. Would it be okay for you if we look at your painting collections?"
Vincent smiled. He looked at Solanne with a meaningful look. "You are really curious."
Yael frowned. Is there something wrong about that?
Solanne smiled. "Of course."
Vincent chuckled. "It's on the second floor, second room to the right. You might also see mr. Brown there, sleeping on the living room."
Who's mr. brown? They're talking about colors?
"That's great too!"
As soon as Solanne had her permission, she went straight to Yael. "Wanna come?"
"Where?" He asked. He still looks confused. Solanne grabbed his towel, and helped him dried his hair. Yael let her be as he looks forward. He sighed.
"Upstairs. Vincent had told me about it earlier. I was curious to see what kind of artwork he's doing."
"What did you two talked about?" Yael asked. His eyes landed on Vincent. The rain continued to pour outside
"Nothing much," Solanne answered. She then stopped drying Yael's hair and look for a hanger to hang the towel.
"Would you like to come? You can stay here though. I'm not pushing you—"
"I'll go." Yael suddenly stood up, surprising Solanne. She giggled. "You don't have to be that eager. I know you like paintings too." Solanne shifted her gaze to Vincent who was busy.
"Vincent if you need us, we are upstairs."
"Yep! I'll call you both if the dinner is ready."
As they marched upstairs, Vincent can't help but reveal his teasing smile when he looked at Yael. Their gazes met, and Vincent gave him a meaningful look however, it was a bit sad that he still doesn't understand what he was feeling, what he was doing.
'What a kid,' Vincent teased. He's even more excited now.
Upstairs, Solanne and Yael saw a very cozy living room and two doors leading to the room. A small couch in the middle, there were also some paintings on the wall, through the right, there was a table with many books and papers were sitting there. And on the middle was a big glass window. Through the window, they can see the rain so beautifully.
Yael looked at Solanne. Her eyes glinted with pure admiration.
"You see, sometimes, I love seeing other people's home," Solanne said out of nowhere.
"Because?"
"Their home is the reflection of who they are. Example, those books," Solanne pointed at the table. Yael shifted his gaze there. "What about them?"
"You can tell that Vincent is really passionate about what he's doing. And that you can imagine him sitting there, burying himself with those books. Through his stories, I can feel and tell that he's a passionate man."
"You admire him?" Yael whispered. He can't even imagine what expression he was showing right now. He just doesn't understands.
"Of course I do. I respect him even." Solanne didn't hesitate to utter. She glanced at Yael as walked towards the second room, Yael followed. "Also, I respect you too."
"Me?" Yael suddenly stopped walking. He stared at Solanne's back as she entered through the room.
"Yes. You have done so many sacrifices for your career. You have done so well."
Suddenly, Yael felt hot. He swallowed and shifted his gaze on the rain outside. It's raining. It's a bit cold. Why does he feel so hot all of a sudden. Why was his heart palpitating that much? Was it because of the coffee?
"Wow!" Solanne exclaimed. She was smilling, no, more like like she was she grinning ear to ear as she cannot hide her excitement. Yael soon followed her inside.
There, he saw several paintings on put up on the wall and the others were leaning on the wall. There were smudges of paint on the floor and there were several newspapers all scattered on the place. Just by entering, Yael had already smelled the strong smell of paint.
Looking at this now, Yael was reminded of his friend who pursued painting. He also has several paintings on his home, yet his friends painting was an abstract and full of elements he can't understand. Yet, what In front of him was simple and doesn't need complicate things to understand.
It was bare. As if someone had let their guard down and just left everything be.
As he looked at each one of the paintings, He knew that Vincent deserved to be admired. And even that conclusion doesn't sit right with him. Why was he even thinking something like this? He just doesn't understand.
Such feelings confused him even more.
--
Looking at the paintings in front of her, Solanne had paused for a moment. Looking at these, she felt like she was transported into the filed filled with dandelions and that the wind was strong enough to blow some of them.
She can feel the sun warmly shinning above them yet it wasn't hot. The paintings in front of them were not complicated as any abstracts. It doesn't have any difficult elements that would need someone with insights of the painting filed to understand.
The paintings in front of them were just depictions of daily lives.
There's a painting of someone watching the fireworks. There was also the painting of a grandmother with a kitten on their garden at home. There is even the paintings of several people running towards the horizon.
What Solanne like the most was the biggest painting of a brown tabby cat. She had already assumed that he was Mr. Brown.
Looking at these paintings and reflecting on her life now, she realized what kind of life she wanted to be in.
She wanted this life.
Not the city life.
She wanted to stay here and enjoy the cats, the trees, and even the oceans. She enjoy living in the small space and thinking about what to cook for dinner. She wanted to write. To express everything inside her heart.
It was slow. One with nature.
She wanted that.
However, right… there was still responsibilities she needed to do.
Still, her mind was opened to the different possibilities. Her heart was full of emotions. This was new to her and that she doesn't know. Despite of her laughing and pushing aside her troubles, they were haunting her.
However, right now, she felt like if she doesn't cry, she'll be drown by these emotions.
She looked at Yael, eyes already glistening because of her tears. "Can I cry?"
"I just realize so many things I feel like I'm going to cry."
Yael's confused gaze soften as he smiles. "You can. You don't need permissions."
Solanne chuckled her cheeks were pink. "Thank you. Just so you know, you can cry too." Solanne covered her eyes with both of her hands. Tears started to trickle down.
"Why would I?" Yael asked as if it was absurd.
Solanne chuckled through the tears. "Don't you feel the art?" She muttered.
Yael laughed. He sighs and he raised his hand and pat Solanne's head. "You did a great job too."
"Huh?" Solanne raised her gaze. Yael met hers.
He smiled. "You told me earlier that I have done a great job. That you respect me. You too. I just feel like I should say it."
Solanne smiled wiping her tears. "You're not fair," Solanne chuckled. She bit her lips. "But thank you."
The rain continued to pour outside. The surroundings are already dark and they can smell the food downstairs.
Time ticked. They do not know how long they stayed in that moment.
Soon enough, they heard Vincent voice. "Dinner is ready!"
After wiping her tears, Yael and Solanne went down stairs. She was Mr. Brown on the couch. She wanted to pet it, however, she put that as one of her to do list later.
Right as soon as they went down, Solanne saw that the table was already prepared and that Vincent was waiting there.
She smiled. "Thank you so much."
Vincent frowned. "For the dinner?"
Solanne shook her head. "For your paintings."
Vincent's gaze soften.
--