Drawing Love

1 - Just Sketches

Rose

     Well isn't this just a perfect way to start the day, I thought, rubbing my foot. I'd just, very clumsily, bumped my foot into my desk/work table, of course knocking over half my stuff. I sighed looking at the various paintbrushes now scattered on the carpet. When I looked up I was face to face with my Rosie the Riveter poster, finding it slightly ironic.

     "Knock, knock," my mom popped her head through my door.

     "I'll be out in a minute mom, don't worry," I said as I stooped to gather up my painting tools.

     "I'm not worried about you being ready, I'm worried about if you broke something this time," I could hear rather than see the smile on her face.

     "I'm fine, I just bumped the table," I pouted as I finally returned the brushes to their now righted jar. I kept all my things fairly organized. My pens, pencils, paintbrushes and sculpting tools each had their own mason jar.

     "Did the brushes survive that fall?" she asked. I looked up at her face and took in her expression. Her green eyes were sparkling with humor, standing out from her smooth tan skin. Her perfectly pink and full lips were quirked up at the corners and her perfect skin was interrupted by smile lines that only made her look more beautiful.

     "I don't know. I'm thinking I might need to take them to emergency care," I decided to face the bad start to the morning as my mom had taught me to face everything - with sarcasm, humor, and a smile.

     "Oh no!" my mother followed my lead, "this is serious."

     "I know," I put the back of my hand to my forehead in a dramatic gesture, "how can I go on if they don't make it?"

     "With extensive therapy and a trip to the craft store, I think you'll get through this," she finally broke character and laughed. Her laugh was beautiful and clear like the ringing of bells. I laughed as well, my giggles sounding more like a twittering bird than bells.

     "Come now, daughter of mine, we have work to get to," she said, still smiling wide.

     "Of course, mother of mine," I replied.

     The pair of us exited my room and entered the large, open space that was pretty much the rest of our condo. The layout of the space was fairly simple. The wall which held the door into the place ran the entire length of that side and was entirely brick (my father had spent about four months making that "raw touch"). The floors in the front area of the condo (front being nearest the brick wall) were stained dark wood. The living room area to the right was separated from the rest of the space by three tall wooden beams bracing the slanted ceiling. On the living room's other side was floor to ceiling one way glass windows. The modern kitchen was set apart by the raised bar connected to the kitchen counter tops. Two desks stood across from each other adjacent to the two beams farthest from each other. The rest of the space was covered by a large antique rug on which sat a small dining table decorated with three candles surrounded by festive fake holly branches. Our Christmas decorations were still up all over the condo as we hadn't had any time to take them down since Christmas was only two days ago.

     "Don't forget to bring your laptop today," I told my mom.

     "Me? Forget my laptop? How absurd," she smirked. I rolled my eyes and walked into the kitchen. She had forgotten it twice in the past week and I was afraid she would forever be borrowing mine.

     "Come sit, I'll make you food," I said.

     "That's my job, we aren't at work yet darling," my mother walked after me, trying to boot me out of the way.