HIS QUIET DESIRE

Classical music filled the atmosphere. The studio smelled of oil paint and turpentine, a scent she had come to love. Sunlight spilled across canvases, highlighting every careful stroke she had layered over. Here, the world could not rush her, judge her. She was basically herself in her own world. Her phone rang. It was a video call from aunt suzy. She sits down, places her phone on the table, picks up her pen and notebook and answers the call “ Eliana darling, how are you?” She smiles “Darling, an amazing deal came for you today.” She writes on her notebook: “Tell me about it” “A young man came in today and saw your paintings. He said they felt alive and he would like to have more of them placed in this new luxury hotel he’s commissioning soon. “ A Hotelier?” “ Yes. A Handsome one.” She rolls her eye and scribbles in her notebook again: “When can I meet him? “Now. He’s actually waiting for you in my office. So how long till you get here? “20 minutes” “Great. We will be waiting and please darling dress nice” “Why?” “ Just dress nice. First impression matters” “I will wear whatever I want. Bye” She gets up, cleans her brushes and heads out. IN AUNT SUZY’S GALLERY She knocks at the door of the office and smiles. Aunt Suzy gets up to hug her. They exchange pleasantries ignoring the male figure in the room “Darling, have you been eating at all” Eliana nods and smiles “Don't look at it and what are you wearing? You look like you stepped out of a child’s painting. You… “Are you the artist behind these?” Eliana looks over aunt's suzy shoulder and sees him for the first time tall, impeccably dressed, confident, and yet… something softer lingered in his gaze. It made her chest tighten. She didn’t answer aloud. Standing up, he stretches his hands for a handshake, “ My name is Ramses, Ramses Valen She takes his hand then writes in her notebook,” Eliana Jones.” “Nice to meet you Eliana.” Aunty Suzzy leads Eliana to a seat” He’s the hotelier I talked about” He nodded, as if reading her mind. “I’m opening a new hotel,” he said. “I need original artwork—pieces that speak. I saw a few pieces of your work and I think they might be perfect.” Her fingers moved over the notebook again: “Do you want to buy them” “As much as I would have loved to, I won't. I want new ones. Something people haven’t seen yet”. “What do you want? He leans forward, eyes softening, scanning the colors on her face. “Something that is intentional and feels alive. Bold, emotional, timeless. Something guests will notice, something they’ll remember.” She studies him. He seems like one who could make one's breath stop for a moment. Her curiosity kicks in and also something she hadn’t felt in months made her pulse quicken— Her Desire. “I can do that.” “Okay. I want you to see the hotel probably for inspiration and also I would love to see more of your work” “ You would have to come to my studio then” “Sure thing”. The words were simple, but the air between them charged. For the first time in a long while, the world outside her studio felt like it might hold something unexpected.