I don't know what love is but I Love You

Chapter 2

Ali sat on her bed while her friend made a soft nest of blankets and pillows on the floor.

"The money from the auction helps sick children, so I really tried to paint something. I decided to reproduce Monet's Water Lilies, but when I picked up the brush, there it was again. It was like I was paralyzed or suddenly forgot how to paint. Even a relaxing bath didn't help," Ali lamented.

Vicki was writing text messages one after another, smiling at the screen of her smartphone.

"Are you even listening to me?" asked Ali. "Who're you texting when I'm here?"

"A friend," Vicki replied in an indifferent voice.

"Does he go to our school? I want to know all about him," Ali said excitedly.

"Hmmm..." He's a little older. He lives near Chicago. We met online".

Vicki didn't tell her friend that her new object of desire was married, had two young children, and could almost be her father. After all, she didn't want to tell Ali about something she, definitely, wouldn't understand.

Vicki put the phone down.

"Let's talk more about why you brought me here."

"Well, the auction is in a few days and I've no idea where I'm going to get a painting if I can't paint it," Ali complained. "Why did I agree to this?"

"You didn't agree to it, the "night guard" did. He decided for you," Vicki replied.

Ali looked at her friend and sighed heavily. She knew Vicki was right, but that wasn't the topic of today's conversation.

"I can't help it, I just don't like him. Besides, you told his sister it's not a sure thing right? Why don't you call her and tell her you tried to paint something, but nothing came of it," Vicki tried to convince her friend.

"I probably will, but, maybe you've another idea?" asked Ali.

Vicki's smartphone displayed a new message. Vicki glanced at her friend. She saw the angry look in Ali's eyes, that told her not to engage in the text message conversation again.

"I'll only see who it's," Vicki said. "Listen, I've two of your pictures and some sketches. Maybe one of them will fit?"

"They're not reproductions. Most of my paintings are local landscapes or something I did in a painting class. The only reproductions I've painted are in my father's office. We're not going to break in there to get one of the paintings off the wall," Ali said, resigned.

Suddenly, something occurred to Ali. She ran to the closet and opened it. She pushed aside the clothes hanging on the hangers and took out a painting wrapped in paper. Vicki helped her unwrap it and they looked at it in silence for a while. Ali was the first to speak up.

"I painted it some time ago. Moonlight Serenade by Ron di Scenza– one of my father's favorite paintings. It was supposed to be a birthday gift for him. I'm surprised I didn't destroy it when we found out he had a mistress."

"It's beautiful,"  Vicki said and began to wonder if Jimmy could play the piano.