Page 119 of Sherry and Sunflowers
Charles raised his eyebrows, and she got to her feet.
"There's something I'd like to show you, Charles. Something I'd like to give you." She offered her hand, and he stood to join her.
"Oh. Well." He looked a little flustered. "I wasn't expecting this. What are we—where are we…?" From the way he glanced at Reaves and Faye, he seemed more concerned than pleasantly surprised.
"There's something in your study I'd like to show you."
"Let's go, Grandpa Grape." Zia took his hand. "You're going to love it. I know you are."
Charles chuckled. "Well, then, I'm sure I will. Lead on." He said it to Alara, then added, "And after whatever surprise you have in store for me, I'd like for us all to come back out here. I have something I'd like to share with you as well."
When they reached his study, she nodded at Reaves to keep Charles outside while she went in to make sure everything was perfect. Of course it was—she'd already set it up earlier. But she wanted one last look.
When she saw the two paintings arranged side by side, she nodded to herself and went back to the door. "You can come in now."
Zia led Charles in by the hand, and Reaves and Faye crowded after them.
"Look!" Zia announced.
Alara watched Charles's face, and had to swallow when his eyes filled with tears. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before finally managing, "Alara."
She went and put her hand on his arm. "It was after I started painting the view of the house from here. And then Reaves took me down to show me around it. When I looked back up here at the castle, I knew I had to paint it for you. I felt as though I was seeing your dream made real." She glanced at the second canvas. "And then I could almost see the land as you must have seen it, when you lived down there. Reaves helped—he told me what he could remember of how it looked. Of how this place looked, before it became what it is today."
Charles nodded and turned away to dab at his eyes before turning back. "It's like looking back through time. This is exactly how I saw it." He shook his head. "Alara. You have no idea of the gift you've given me."
"I think I have some idea, Charles."
"May I?" he asked.
"Of course." She leaned in for a hug and clung to him tightly for a few moments before he stepped back.
"Thank you, my dear."
Reaves nodded at her, and Faye gave her an approving look before clearing her throat.
"You can hang them on the wall next to my sparkly butterfly, Grandpa Grape," Zia said.
He barked out a laugh. "You know, little sunflower—I think I'll do just that. Thank you." He inhaled deeply and nodded. "If you don't mind, I'll take a moment before I rejoin you all on the terrace."
"Of course." Alara gave his arm a squeeze before reaching for Zia's hand. "Come on, Z."
Faye walked back outside with them, while Reaves lingered a moment with his dad.
Once they were back on the terrace, Faye came to hug her. "He'll cherish that for the rest of his days, you know."
Alara nodded, not quite trusting her voice. "That was my hope."
The three of them started to clear the tables, but Faye shooed Alara and Zia away when they tried to help. "I think, for tonight, things can wait. Come on—let's get back out there."
Alara just stared at her. Faye was a stickler for clearing up right away after meals.
The older woman smiled. "Didn't you hear Charles? There's something he wants to give you as well."
Once they were seated back on the terrace, Reaves and Charles appeared around the side of the house. Charles looked as though he'd recovered.
In fact, there was a decided twinkle in his eye when he took the seat opposite Alara.
"I want to say thank you—but those two words aren't big enough to express how I feel about those paintings."
