Elanie's Desire

Chapter 2: Talk To Me

Elanie walked back into her house now seriously excited. He smiled at her! He was even more handsome when he smiled. It gave her that 'butterflies in belly' kind of feeling. Was she falling in love at first sight?

Elanie was too excited this time to go back to the balcony. She would give her excitement away too easily. She decided to have her breakfast in her dining room and continue her watch from behind the glass where he wouldn't see her. When she couldn't hold the excitement in, she decided to call Samantha.

Samantha felt a low vibration in her bag and knew her phone was ringing. She had put it on vibration mode because she was in church.

"Hi Sam!" she quipped excitedly "guess what!"

"What dear? You know I'm not good at guessing. Besides, I'm in church" Samantha whispered.

"Oops! Sorry" Elanie's voice had come down to almost a whisper too, "I think I like someone, Sam!"

"Awww, really girl? Who is he. Spill already!". An elderly black woman sitting beside Samantha gave her a very disapproving look.

"It's my new neighbor!" Elanie continued "He's so handsome, Sam....and he just smiled at me."

"OK girlfriend. You know what, you'll tell me all about it when I'm back from church, okay. I'll call you"

"Ok Sam, hallelujah!"

"Get off my phone, you need Jesus girl" Samantha cut the call with a smile. By now another elderly woman had joined the first to stare at her in obvious disapproval, and she was almost sure that if she continued with the call one of them might snatch the phone from her the next minute, despite the fact that the din of instruments and singing from the choir was drowning her voice. She made a mental note to call Elanie back later.

Meanwhile, Elanie finished her food and poured a glass of fruit juice for dessert. The sun was beginning to get hotter and when she looked out through the glass again, she saw that her neighbor was done painting for the day as he had started packing up his paraphernalia. The painting itself seemed to be unfinished. He doesn't roll it up but carries it pinned to the drawing board like that into the house.

When he entered his house after having brought in all his painting equipment, the artist sat down in his living room to rest for a while. Who was that gorgeous beauty nextdoor? He was sure he had seen that face somewhere before! He racked his brain for a while trying to remember where he had met her. Perhaps she was a client he had sold one of his artworks to before. No, he would like to think that he would definitely remember if she was a client. Many of his clients dealt directly with him and, as such, there was usually adequate contact during the transactions to make a memorable impression. This lady wasn't a client of his.

Walking to his bar and pouring himself a shot of vodka, he stares at her house through the glass wall of his own living room. Their houses were replicas of each other, five bedroom duplexes each, with the gardens adjoining and separated by a wooden fence. Hence, their living rooms, dinnings, and rooms face each other. He imagined that she was probably there watching through the glass as he was.

He imagined, for a brief instant, that she was lying on a settee, or sitting by the bed, posing nude for a portrait, just like the woman in the Titanic movie.

Then he remembered! He had not exactly met her before, but yes, he knew her. This was Elanie Hudson, the model. He had seen her face and figure grace the covers of many magazines. She was known to be successful in her field, just like he was in his. If he remembered correctly, her parents were the billionaire couple whose car plunged into a lake last year. Poor girl. He remembered that for the next few months, paparazzi wouldn't let her even mourn as they swarmed on her everywhere she appeared. She must have taken a vacation here to hide away.

He poured another shot of vodka. He was in Cosmopolis for a similar reason as Elanie Hudson, though he wasn't bereaved. The man heaved an almost frustrated sigh. He didn't want to go down that lane right now. And more importantly, he couldn't allow himself to nurse any feelings for this beautiful model, no matter how attractive she was. Especially since he knew he wasn't ready to risk another heartbreak and that uncomfortably awkward moment must come when he would need to speak to her.

Elanie waited for Samantha to call but when it was night and she hadn't called, Elanie decided to just let her be. Perhaps she was busy. Sam was a busy woman and Elanie appreciated that she always made time to talk to her anytime, even outside their regular schedule as her therapist. She would call Samantha maybe tomorrow.

The next day, when he went out to continue with the painting, he noticed Elanie on her balcony watching him again. It was no doubt Elanie Hudson. She was putting on faded blue jeans and a crop top.

Despite his earlier reluctance to allow himself to get attracted to her, the artist found himself being drawn to this woman and he could almost swear the feeling was mutual. She was definitely looking at him as he worked. This gave him a sort of spur as he kept laying one brush stroke after another, putting finishing touches on the painting. By the time he was done, it was almost evening. Elanie was no longer sitting there watching. She must have gotten tired and entered her house after the first few hours, or maybe she had even gone out. How was he going to establish communication with her without appearing desperate to communicate? An idea struck him and he smiled at himself.

It was around 8pm the same night when the bell at Elanie's gate rang, waking her from sleep. Who could it be at this hour? She had watched the hunk for about two hours working tirelessly on the painting until she started feeling tired and sleepy. She decided to take a nap. In her dream, she saw herself posing for...no, not posing. She saw herself lying down on a pallet like a sculpture while a hunk was moulding her. His hands were stained beautifully with the clay of her skin. The look in his eyes seemed to carry a spark of fire that would definitely k****e her own eyes and bring the sculpture to life. It was this reverie that was interrupted by the bell, which now rang a second time. Elanie walked to the CCTV screen and saw a delivery man standing outside her gate. She pressed the intercom and spoke.

"Yes, who's there?"

"A package for Miss Elanie Hudson, please"

She wondered who the package came from and more why it was coming by this time of the night. She, however, knew that the estate was well secured.

"Okay, come in. I'll meet you at the front door" she said into the intercom, pressing the remote control of the gate. She quickly grabbed a robe and wore, then took a pepper spray just in case.

When she got to her front door and opened it, the delivery guy smiled at her.

"Good evening ma'am" he greeted, "...someone called in late this evening and asked for this delivery to be made to your house"

"Hmmm, who, pray tell?" Elanie wondered aloud, but signed the paperwork all the same.

"If I may..." the man offered to bring in the rather bulk wrapped package for her.

"Sure, please set it down over there" she said, pointing to a corner of her living room. The man set the package down carefully and then smiled at Elanie once again before taking his leave. Elanie waited till he was outside of the gate and drove off before she closed her door and went inside to see what the package was.

She was filled with suspense and excitement. As she opened the wrapping, a rose flower fell out. The content looked like the back of a framed picture. She quickly unwrapped it completely and turned it around to see what it was. Her heart skipped a beat!

It was the very same artwork she had been watching her neighbor paint for the past few days. It was now completed and the baked beauty stared Elanie in the face. A note was attached to it. She picked it up to see what was written on it.

'Beautiful just like you', then below it a phone number and the name; Hank Williams.

Elanie was over herself with excitement. Wait a minute, her 'Hunk' was actually named Hank! What a funny and embarrassing coincidence that she had in her imagination named him something that was just one letter different from his real name! Blood rushed to her face, causing her cheeks to blush involuntarily. She smelled the flower and smiled. Then she picked up her cell phone and dialled the number on the note.

It rang for about a minute till it timed out without anyone answering the call. She dialled it again. She needed to say thank you. She wanted to say a lot more! But she also scolded herself as she remembered that she needed to play things cool and not rush anything. She would just say a polite thank you and leave it at that for the moment. The phone rang again till it timed out without anyone picking it up. Elanie looked through her window into Hank's building. The lights were still on though she saw no sign of movement. Why wasn't he picking her calls?

Elanie tried the number one last time. When the same thing happened, she gave up and tossed the phone nonchalantly on the sofa as she sat down. The excitement of a few minutes ago suddenly seemed to have waned. She looked at the painting again and saw in the bottom right corner the artist's signature, Hank Williams, written in italized causative handwriting. Anyway, she thought, maybe he had suddenly slept off and his phone was on silent mode. She decided not to let it bother her as she picked up the phone again, this time to call Samantha.

Samantha's phone rang for a while before she picked up.

"Hi Elaine, I'm so sorry I didn't call you back. Work has really been crazy"

"It's okay, Sam. I understand" Elanie replied.

"Sure?"

"Yeah, sure. I know how work can get sometimes", she reassured her friend.

"OK thanks a bunch hun. I did have in mind to ask you how it's been going with your new neighbor" Samantha asked, a mischievous tease in her voice.

"Sam!....I think he likes me!...he sent me a portrait, and his number", Elanie almost screamed. She quickly covered her mouth involuntarily with her free hand as if to quieten herself.

"Hmmmm..... lover girl's got herself an admirer!" Samantha replied, genuinely happy for her friend, not necessarily just because she had a prospect of dating again after so long, but more because she had found just about enough distraction to help her heal from the ugly experiences of the past year.

"His name is Hank" Elanie Continued, "Hank Williams.... Sam, you can imagine my embarrassment when I saw his name. I had been calling him Hunk in my fantasies". Samantha burst out laughing. Elanie laughed too.

"Oh you have been fantasizing about Hunk, who later turns out to be Hank, and makes a pass at you?....hmmmm, sounds like the stuff of a good romance novel" Samantha teased.

"But Sam, he wouldn't pick his call when I tried calling to say thank you. Don't you think that's strange?" Elanie asked, her tone a bit worried.

"Oh really?" Samantha replied, "...well maybe he has slept off or something. Don't let that spoil your evening honey. Savour the moment"

"I thought so too", Elanie concurred.

"It's okay dear. Don't want to sound like a killjoy, but I would advise that you also take things slowly. Get to find out more about this guy first. Give it time, okay?" Samantha cautioned.

"You are right. I'll give it time", Elanie agreed.

"Okay. I have to go to bed now. I have an early day tomorrow. You get some sleep too. Doctor's prescription"

"Yes ma'am!" Elanie said amiably, "Goodnight Sam"

"Goodnight girlfriend".

Elanie took Samantha's advice and went to bed also, but not before sniffing at the rose one more time. She put it in a glass flower vase in her bedroom where a mixed bouquet of other flowers were dipped in water. Then she turned off the lights.

In the morning, Elanie woke up very refreshed. She had in fact slept till the sun was up and the birds could be heard chirping and tweeting in the trees. Rays of sunlight filtered right there into her room and seemed to tug at her bedsheets and duvet. She got off the bed and fastened her robe. A smile crept to her lips when she remembered the events of yesterday, especially in the evening. She remembered she had left her cell phone on the sofa downstairs.

Elanie walked barefooted down the stairs to the sofa where she left her phone and retrieved it. There was a text message from Hank!

"Hi, I'm sorry I missed your calls last night. Though, please, I prefer texting to calls. I will reply anytime. Hope you liked the painting, Elanie"

She smiled again. So they were already on a first-name basis? That's interesting! Of course Elanie didn't need to ask how he knew her name. She was aware that even here in Cosmopolis, where she was not as popular a face as she was in Eldorado City, few people could still recognize her.

She texted him back.

"Thanks Hank. Yes, I liked the painting. You're good".

After sending the text, she decided to Google Hank Williams. Google showed her that Hank was a painter known specifically for nude art. He was well to do also, owing to his success and prowess as an artist. It didn't say much else about him. Elanie guessed she would have to find out about him hands on.

Elanie went through the rest of her morning routine with gusto. She had noticed that her groceries needed restocking, so she decided to go to a nearby grocery supermarket. She wore a casual white polo t-shirt with a pair of black joggers that had twin white stripes on its sides, and white canvas. Her hair was packed to the back through the opening behind her fezcap, which was equally white.

She had finished buying the groceries she needed and was on her way to the counter to pay, her eyes distracted from the aisle as she scrolled through her phone, when she almost bumped into a man. She looked up startled. It was Hank and their faces were only whiskers away. For a moment there Elanie could almost swear that he wanted to kiss her. Their eyes met briefly, then Hank smiled and gave her back her phone, which had fallen with the shock of the near impact. Then strangely, he just walked past Elanie and waved with his own phone. He was gone.

Though all of this happened in a short few minutes, Elanie couldn't help a creepy feeling that had started welling up inside. Was Hank really avoiding talking to her? First, he didn't pick her calls but subscribed to texts. And now they meet face to face and he still hasn't uttered a word.

Something was fishy somewhere, Elanie thought, disturbed.

Why won't Hank talk to me?