The Human Body

12

12

"Alexander Christopher Nelson, come see." I called for my son. Alex always waited for his father to come home at the lobby doors at Paisley Park. Alex was only three, but he loved to watch me paint, just like his uncle and his father. He hobbled over and plopped on my lap. There was a room downstairs that was my new studio in Minneapolis and I could sit on the floor and paint. Alex plopped onto my lap and I stroked his curls and kissed his head. "Mama, Daddy's not home." He said disappointed. "He will be. Don't worry." I said soothingly. "You wanna help mama?" I asked him. He stood up in his shirt and shorts and took his shirt off like I always told him to. It saved me on laundry. I was wearing a shirt that was old and already had lots of paint on it.

"Okay, now daddy's nose is my favorite part of his face so you gotta paint carefully, okay?" I asked him. "Yes, mama." He said as I handed him the brush. I gently took his hand as he held the brush and helped him paint. "Good job." I said as he was painting his father. It was for his studio upstairs and he wanted a painting every couple of years. I heard the lobby door open, but Alexander kept his hand still and he didn't flinch. "I hear daddy." He whispered. I smiled and turned my hand to see him standing there and twisting his wedding ring. "How are my two favorite people?" He asked as he sat behind me. I let go of Alex's hand to see how good he'd paint on his own. "We're fine. Finishing up the fine details." I turned my head and gave him a kiss as his elbow rested on his knee. "What do you think?" I asked him.


(Drawing by me, posted on insta @drewswreckastow)

"I love the little hairs on my hand." He said. "Yeah, it's not quite done. Did you bring dinner home?" "Mmhmm." He said nuzzling my ear. I kissed Alex's head. "Honey. Let's take a break, okay?" I told him. Alex turned and gave me the brush so he could get his shirt back on. Of course, I had to help him get his head through. We stood up and Prince picked up Alex. "Hey, buddy. You been with mama?" He asked. Alex giggled as they walked to the kitchen area. For now we were staying here at the park because we were moving houses, but it was the perfect place for Alex to spend his first few years. He was around all types of art. Painters, musicians, writers, and photographers. We sat at the little table and Alex sat in my lap so we could share. "I signed the lease. We can move in next week and get the keys." Prince said.

I was excited. Living in Chanhassen was awfully cold, but it was wonderful. My art was in Minneapolis, New Orleans, Lake Charles, and even Los Angeles. We were surviving, something I didn't think I could do. "Alex had his nap and he was talking with someone upstairs. Who's up there today?" I asked him. "Oh I think it's Chaka." My eyes widened. It was always a surprise living here. "Wow, I feel really bad I didn't say hi while she was here." "She'll be back tomorrow. Plus, I told her you were working on my new studio painting." Alex took his ears and was pulling them. I always kept an eye on my son's body language to check for any distress. Usually this meant he was anxious, but he was also really overwhelmed.

There was music upstairs, Prince and I were talking, the staff walking around. "Do you want your headphones, honey?" I asked him. Alex nodded and Prince happily took him while I walked upstairs to our room. When I opened the door, Johnny was sitting on the bed and I screamed. "Oh my God! Johnny!" I practically tackled him. He gave me the biggest hug and I was crying. "Hey, Felicity. Glad to know I'm welcomed here." "How the hell did you get in?" I asked him. He smirked. "Prince probably told you Chaka Khan was here and she was, but I snuck in behind her. Prince knows I'm here." I realized I got paint from my shirt on Johnny. "Go see Alex. He's downstairs eating dinner. I gotta change." I told him before giving him another big hug.

Johnny left our room and I changed before going downstairs to see Johnny sitting in my spot and Alex in his arms. "Iris is with her mama in the city. They're trying to find some shoes for her." He said. I was excited to finally meet Iris' mom and I was relieved that Johnny and the mother of his child worked stuff out. We finished dinner and we're lounging upstairs in one of the studios. Alex loved his Uncle Johnny even if he barely saw him. I was sitting in Prince's lap watching them play together. "Surprise." Prince said. I shook my head with a smile. "He's been up there this whole time and you never told me." Prince smirked. "I'm the master of keeping secrets." He said.

The phone rang and I picked it up before Prince grabbed it. "Hello?" "Hi, Mrs. Nelson, there's a woman here with a Ch-" "Let them in. That's Johnny's girlfriend and his daughter." I hung up the phone and gave Prince a kiss before standing up. Of course, Alex followed me into the elevator and the ride down was short. I saw little Iris who was so big now and her mother was smiling at me. Thank God, this wouldn't be a bad situation. I snatched up Iris to hug her as she recognized me from our last meeting over a year ago. I put her down and knelt down. "Iris, this is your cousin Alex." I said as I stroked her blond hair. I stood up to greet the woman I had been hearing about so often. "Hi." She said with a thick French accent. "Hi, I'm-" "Don't worry. Johnnys told me everything about you." She said before giving me a hug. Prince and Johnny came down the elevator just seconds after our greeting and Iris ran to her father.

I smiled and Prince introduced himself to Van. I took Alex's hand and took him upstairs for his headphones. I put them on him and he ran to the elevator again and I had to run after him to catch up. When we got downstairs, Prince scooped Alex up as we walked to my studio. There were paintings finished and unfinished all over the walls and Van gasped. "Wow, these are incredible." She said in her thick accent. I smiled. "Thank you. Some of these need to get shipped off, but it's Sunday, so I can't mail them." We sat on the sofa and I had a moment of surrealism.

I was here with Prince, my best friend was in front of me and my son was on the floor playing with Iris. Prince slipped his arm around my shoulder and kissed my cheek. "You know, musicology is almost done." He whispered. I realized he was talking about his album. "How much longer?" "Just the publishing and the CD making. The long part." He said. I gave him a kiss I normally wouldn't give in front of others, but I just wanted to make sure this was real. Prince took my hand and stroked over my scar. "I love you so much. I'm glad God gave me another chance." I whispered to him. I could see Johnny looking at us with a smile on his face in my peripheral. "There's a reason for life on this earth. It could take years to find, but there's always a reason."

I was never religious before meeting Prince, but we were getting into it together. I wouldn't go to church with him, but we always practiced every Sunday. Today was our off day, so we could enjoy each other, our son, and our friends. I watched his eyes as I could see he was smiling beneath them. "I'm so happy." I said. I felt Alex lay his tiny hands on my knees and I looked over to see my son smiling at me. I leaned down and put him on our knees. One leg on mine and the other on Prince's. I picked his headphones off his head. "You're my favorite painting. You were named after the two people that saved me." I knew he wouldn't understand, but he was. "You were named after two musicians, two artists, and two incredibly meaningful men. I know you'll love life just like I am." I kissed his temple and Prince rubbed my back. My world I had always painting and dreamt about was right here in front of me. I'm glad I got a second chance to enjoy the life I have right now. All I needed to do, was wait for the rain to come my way after the storm.