All the Waters of the Earth

Chapter 36: Silly Huge

"Jacob!" cried a beautiful, raven-haired woman, striking in designer jeans, a peasant blouse, and turquoise jewelry, as she ran out of the silly-huge house to greet us. And now today's adventure would begin.

That morning, Saturday, I had woken up, cuddled in Jake's arms in the hotel room. Rob slept peacefully in the other bed. Turning over, I wriggled into him and looked up, as he opened his eyes. First thing in the morning, sleepy, stubbly, hair wonky, in bed? My Jake was a handsome guy.

"Morning," he said, and kissed me lightly.

"Morning," I returned, happy to have this quiet moment with him, before what was sure to be a day of ... something. Revelations? Connections? Dysfunction? Boredom? Drama?

I think the fact that we had no idea what to expect made the tension thicker.

He rubbed his fingers on my shoulder, and started talking. "I dreamed last night that I had an art gallery, all my own. It was white, airy. It had good lighting, and it was in a nice part of town. I had a room for myself, and all of my pictures were up." He smiled. "There was a whole wall of portraits of you." I rubbed my nose into his chest, snuggling harder. He continued, "That would never happen, though, because they're too intimate. They're just for you and me."

I tilted my head to the side, thoughtful. "Maybe. But I am a professional model. I don't mind. Maybe that intimacy will make them really good."

He shook his head. "No, I'm not sharing those. Anyway, I don't really want to own an art gallery, I don't think," he said quietly. "But it would be nice to have a show and feel like a real artist."

"You are a real artist."

"Well, one who puts work out there."

"When we get back, let's look at that art space collective in Ventura. The one that's housed in an old school."

He looked interested. "I've never been there."

"Let's see if we can get you some show space."

He smiled, leaned over, and kissed me on the nose. "I'd like that." He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "It still stresses me out to not be at work, you know, but I gave away a bunch of cases to other people. I let go of it, you know? I had to."

"Yay," I whispered.

"It's hard to do, though. I keep expecting things to go wrong or to be asked questions about it. It's hard to delegate. I keep thinking of what's going on in the office. And I'm trying not to but it doesn't feel right."

"You'll learn," I said. "We're not talking about making you a slacker. We're just gonna go for balance, and I think when you ease up off of total workaholism, it's going to feel like you're doing nothing. But in reality, you're just getting to be healthier." I leaned over and kissed him, and this time, instead of the chaste morning kiss, he kissed me back for real, a hot kiss, hotter than we should be kissing in the morning, lots of tongue, hands engaged, running down my lower back and holding me to him. Then he looked over at a sleeping Rob and I giggled, and then sighed. "I hate to wake him, but I think we have to, if we're going to get there on time."

I nodded. Torn, as usual, between parental responsibilities and a little somethin' somethin'. That's okay, there was plenty of Jake for me later.

"I just know it's gonna be about money today," he muttered. "That's all she ever thinks about."

I didn't have an answer to that. I didn't know; I was just along for moral support.

We ate breakfast at the hotel, and as we drove in a rental car to his mom's house, he was uncharacteristically quiet. I never had trouble talking with him, and he could be a chatterbox. But right now? Silence.