Forever More
Part 1 - Hope
Chapter Two
Rebecca’s life went on pretty much the same after that weekend. She had two small boys home from school for the summer, but was working full time. She valued the time she was able to spend with them when they were not at the sitters.
Nearly a month had passed since the festival in St. Joseph. When the phone rang one night about eight p.m. Ethan ran to pick it up. "Mom, it’s somebody who wants to talk to you."
Rebecca took the phone and the voice on the other end told her his name and asked if she remembered him. It was Scott Taylor. Rebecca felt a little shaky as her mind raced to understand why he would be calling her.
He went on to say that he had been thinking about how she had used her own horses in the paintings and he had been wondering about asking her if she would consider doing one or two for him using his place and his horses as the setting. He would pay her good, whatever she thought was fair, make it worth her time and effort. Rebecca was stunned. Had he really thought that much to even think to ask her?
Rebecca didn’t’ even remember the rest of the conversation. Her mind kept jumping ahead to actually producing something worthwhile and that she would be proud of and he would like.
She managed an agreement with logistics to be worked out later, but for the time being he had contacted her and it was settled. She would come to his place and do two oils for him at her convenience, but he did have to confess that he wasn’t home that much right now and they had to work around his schedule too.
Rebecca reached for an envelope or something to scratch down the address and phone number. When she hung up the she thought, "Scott Taylor just gave you his home phone number. He must trust you."
Then as she thought about the whole offer she was beginning to feel unsure of her abilities. Even though she was quite pleased with her work on occasion who was to say that when she finished these paintings he would even want them? Was she crazy to even accept this commission?
What made her the most nervous, however, was the person himself who had asked her to do this. From about the time that Rebecca’s oldest son, Ethan was born there appeared on the music scene a fast rising group known as Paradox. They acquired much popularity and distinction both nationally and overseas. They were a rock band but had many beautiful ballads as well.
Rebecca loved their music and had more than just a passing knowledge. Most of that came about when she heard a rumor that one of the lead singers and guitarists had purchased a home in the area. A sort of local celebrity, but one who you would never expect to meet. His name was Scott Taylor.
Long blonde haired, blue eyed, dimpled Scott Taylor. He was adorable and cute if you were into that sort of a man. Rebecca never thought so. What she was now was awe struck and for that alone she felt a little childish.
Rebecca was driving slowly north on a straight stretch of Red Bud Trail, so named for the seemingly hundreds of red bud trees that bloomed and gave the whole area a beautiful aroma and appearance in the early spring. This was indeed a lovely area. She had driven these roads before, but now she was fumbling with a small scrap of paper with a number and directions scribbled in pencil down the side next to a grocery list. She pulled the car up and stopped.
The end of the lane was overhanging with large maple trees softly swaying in the warm breeze of July. There was a mail box on the end and she checked her notes to make sure the numbers matched. The driveway was narrow but paved. She put the car back in drive and pulled forward.
To the left were more large trees at the edge of a stand of woods. On her right was a fenced pasture that seemed to stretch for miles. A split rail fence led visitors along the way. As she turned a small bend the entire span of the home and surrounding buildings opened up and she passed through an open gate.
The actual house was to the left. Mostly a single level with a raised section in the middle. The pool area lay out just beyond large glass doors and straight ahead of her. Across the black pavement further to the right sat a fairly large barn. The sun was almost directly above reflecting off all the white stone and water glistening in the pool. She parked near where the driveway divided, one direction to the three car attached garage on the house and the other toward the barn.
Just as she was exiting the car a large rusty-colored dog came bounding up from the barn. Scott came out of a door near the garage entrance, "Don’t worry," he assured her, "That’s Corky, she’s just a big baby."
He stuck out a hand in Rebecca’s direction as he knelt down to rub the dog furiously about the neck. He thanked her again for coming and working around his schedule. Rebecca made mention of the beautiful area and the home and that she had been by there several times but wasn’t aware that all this existed beyond the maple lined lane.
They walked in the direction of the barn as he made reference to meeting her models for the project. His voice and his mannerisms put her at ease. If she had felt nervous as he met her at the car she didn’t remember.
The sun was hot as they walked across the pavement. He was wearing cut offs again. His skin was tanned next to the contrast of a white T-shirt. His hair softly bounced and blew in the breeze as they walked. Once at the barn he gave a shove to the heavy door and they proceeded inside. Rebecca remembered thinking that if this is what the barn looked like she wondered what the house was inside. It was so clean. Sunlight blinded her from the open door at the opposite end of the barn. He stopped at one stall and very proudly introduced her to Sugar.
"Brown Sugar, but we just call her Sugar. She’s our little girl, aren’t you?" he was talking more to the horse now as he scratched her nose and held out a piece of hay for her to nibble. Next they moved on farther down to a larger, older male whom he let her know had been with him for many years.
"Yeah, this is Kofax. Guess he just didn’t feel like going out today, did you boy?"
Rebecca smiled to herself as she saw this caring, nurturing side of his personality.
"Everyone else must be out," he motioned as they stepped into the sunlight. "Yep, there’s Cisco," he pointed to the right, "And I can see Haley and Nicky down there. See?" He climbed up on the lower rail of the fence. "Don’t know where Cobalt is though." He started to whistle and Rebecca saw heads cock in the air.
"How many do you have?" she asked as she stepped up on the rail next to him.
"Six. Don’t get as much time with them as I would like but when I’m here I like it cause they sorta make me feel, well, connected I guess." The pair furthest came their way. "You got three? Right?"
Rebecca nodded as the two silky-coated mares nuzzled up to the fence. They were both scratching more noses as the two horses nickered and shook their heads in enjoyment.
"So what ya think? You want to tackle these guys?"
"Sure." Rebecca suddenly felt more confidant.
The two of them talked about settings and important technical aspects like angles and lighting on the way back to Rebecca’s car. She learned that he had definite ideas about what he wanted but for the most part he submitted that "You are the expert. I’ll just keep my mouth shut."
He helped her unload some supplies from the car and the two of them carried them back, this time to the south of the barn where Rebecca had a beautiful view of the pasture and another lane that led down and into a lush wooded area.
He stressed that he didn’t want to get in her way. "Don’t want to break down those creative ideas. I know how that goes. So I’ll just shut up now and I gotta get back inside anyway. If there’s anything that you need don’t be afraid to ask." He turned and headed back toward the gate opening to the pool and disappeared behind one of the glass panels that opened into the house.
Rebecca was alone. She walked around getting a feel for the area and made contact with one of the mares, Haley, she thought, who had come over to see what was going on. Taking her large spiral notebook she made several sketches from various points of view. She thought how lovely and quiet it was back there away from the main road. She imagined how he was probably right when he eluded to the notion of a place to come home to, as she could not even begin to comprehend what type of a hectic life he lived. He did seem connected here.
Rebecca spent what seemed forever going over loose sketches and filling in details. She was becoming more and more overcome with the serenity of the sunny afternoon.
Some time later she heard a door slide open on the house and she turned slightly to distinguish the blond hair coming toward her.
"Don’t want to bother you? How’s it comin’?"
"Good." Rebecca flipped over some pages, "This is what I’ve sketched so far. If you can kinda give me an idea if this is anything close to what you were thinking?"
He took the notebook. He smiled. They stood and talked a bit more. He pointed out areas that he liked and seemed very pleased with what she had done.
"I don’t understand this whole process, so what’s next?"
Rebecca suggested that was about it for that day. She would go home and lay down some sketches on the canvas and then come back to get the coloring right. The actual painting came later. They walked and he carried some of her things back to the car. They agreed on Sunday of the following week for her to come back. He thanked her and she slowly backed around and headed down the drive.
Rebecca thought about him all the way home. He was so charming and funny, and real, not at all like the one dimensional photo on the record album.
