Petrichor ~ Lewis Hamilton

3

January 5, 2021, Monaco

I met Lewis the next afternoon at the door of the little gallery where the painting was. I saw him get out of a luxurious Mercedes, balancing two cups of coffee in one of his hands.

"Coffee? I hope your taste hasn't change in a day"

He offered me the paper cup with the same logo as yesterday's coffee shop. I was surprised since it's not like the place was on the way to the cafeteria, he would have had to willingly detour just for the coffees.

"Latte with almond milk?"

He nodded with a half smile and I took the cup.

"And two of sugar, I listen you know?" He added.

I took a sip of the coffee and it was exactly how I liked it, this was definitely not how I imagined the evening to start but I'm pleasently surprised.

"Come on Hamilton, lets see your painting"

It was a simple painting of sea water with calm waves in the four directions of the canvas. Highlights of green and yellow reflected in the blue of the water and in the middle of everything a woman. She was turning her back to us, her chest making her float above the water and her head slightly back so you could see the details of her face.

It was the typical painting that I would like to have in my living room. Great for decorating a large space, with rich colors but simple enough that it doesn't take all the attention of a room.

"I feel that this one has a deeper meaning that what I can interpret." He was doing it again, his head tilted a little to the side and his lips were pressed into a thin line.

"According to the work sheet, it was painted about five years ago. The artist was inspired by the Mediterranean sea"

"That's it?" He turned around and took a peek to the paper.

"That's all it says here, aside from the technicalities, that's the only thing it says here about what this can mean"

"She looks...alone? I don't know, quite a big painting only for her to be alone. It also looks like she's...drowning?"

"She's not drowning she's floating" he looked at me with a frown and I averted his gaze looking again to the painting "I mean, It doesn't seem like she wanted to convey anguish or suffering. Maybe such a big canvas just for her means she's free, not trapped"

"Then she's just letting go?"

It was really a simple painting, I had never seen it as something that did not express tranquility.

"Probably. I mean, you can interpret it as you like, it's the beauty of art. Even if the artist was feeling a certain thing while creating a piece, you can always give it your own meaning "

"I think they should put what they mean. If you were the artist, wouldn't you feel bad if people misinterpret one of your works?"

It was actually one of the things that most attracted me to art, the ability of two people to be able to interpret completely different things from the same piece.

"If I were the artist, it would probably be enough for me if people feel something when they see my works. It doesn't matter if it's not the same as what I felt when painting it, if it makes you feel something I would be satisfied"

"When I look at it I feel anxious. You can't see what's in the water either, what if there's any danger? What if she is very far from the shore? She's beautiful but also...I dont know...Why does she have her eyes closed with that landscape in front of her? Why isnt she enjoying the moment? That's why I thought she was drowning, but not because she didn't know how to swim but because, I don't know, it seems as if she had given up swimming."

I have a feeling all this thinking is coming from somewhere but our limited interactions don't let me know what.

"What?" He asked, getting kind of awkard from my staring.

Maybe I wouldn't mind trying to figure out what's going on in that head of his.

"Well...We don't want you to feel anxious in your own home, right?"

"You are going to accept the proposal then?"

"Only if you keep talking like that every time you see a painting, I don't want any more 'I think it's pretty' bullshit, you'll think about what it makes you feel and we'll choose from there. We'll start with Paris, maybe that's the painting for you"

"That seems fair. How long will it take you to send me your rates?"

I already felt bad for helping him choose one of my paintings. Even if not all of the profit from the sale goes to me, a large part of it does, I wouldn't want him to pay me too.

"I already told you that I was not going to let you pay, it will be...an adventure"

He was still not entirely convinced with all this, he could be seen weighing his options, his left hand playing with the seam of his jersey.

"And what do you gain from all this?"

"Inspiration, maybe. I've been lacking a lot of that lately"

Worst case scenario he ends up being a dick who buys one of my works, nothing much new from my day to day.

"It still doesn't seem fair" he said.

"Why it won't be fair?"

"You're the only one working. Maybe...Were you serious about the adventure?" His smile widened on his face and that made me curious as to what he had come up with.

"It was a figure of speech... but sure, what did you have in mind?"

"Come with me" he took my hand and laced our fingers, pulling me towards the exit. My gaze stayed fixed on our hands until his voice made me look at him. "I told you I was a driver right? I may not know about art, but I know about traveling. I will show you incredible places, I have visited these cities hundreds of times"

I see how we passed the car in which he had come, I had come on foot to my house not being so far away and needing a walk.

"Where are we going now?" He stopped in his tracks and dropped my hand, suddenly remembering he did not tell me what his plan was.

"I want to show you a place here in Monaco, do you have time?"

This can end absolutely disastrous. But a part of me knows that if I don't follow him right now I will regret it.

"Is eleven months enough?" He looked at me puzzled.

"A very specific time frame, don't you think?"

I shrugged my shoulders and I shifted my weight from one leg to the other, somewhat nervous to have his eyes on me constantly.

"I have a job that needs to be finished by november but I dont even know where to start with it. So if you get me inspired enough that I can finish it on time, I'll do this for free"

"No turning back now, I really, really want that painting" He licks his lips and suppresses a smile biting his lower lip."And well, You seem like a wonderful mystery, and I'm a very curious man, Elaine"