Bridge over troubled waters

36| New Beginnings

Corey

I've never really understood art. My idea of art is stick figures or coloring pages and even then I can't color inside the lines. But Bailey was my favorite form of art. She had it all so I never really had to wonder what it's like to have all that talent, I got to see it almost every day. She had enough artistic capabilities for the both of us so I let her take care of that stuff. But I still love seeing what she does and telling her good job. I admire what she does and the talent that she has.

So I come visit her art studio to see what she's working on. She's been here for seven months now and there's not a lot of time left before she had a decision to make. There was a lot of people here wanting to work with her whether it be photography or art or just to have her around in general. I know the Blackhawks enjoy having her here to do some paintings to put up or take pictures for them. But when it comes down to it I might be the reason she wants to stay but I'm also the reason she feels like she can't stay.

I go to knock on the door of her studio but it flies open before I can get my hand on it. I see Bailey standing there with her hair pulled back and her painting smock covered in paint. I smile at the mess she made because she can be a bit of a clean freak at times and this... this is the farthest thing from clean.

"I know I look like a mess... wipe that smile of your face" she threatens.

"Alright alright" I laugh. "What do you have for me today" I wonder.

"You know how I've been working on this one piece but I was stuck and couldn't seem to finish it" she asks.

"Yup" I nod.

"Well I think I finished it but I need your opinion" she claims.

"Alright, show me what you got" I smile.

She pulls me into her studio and we end up in a corner. There was stuff everywhere but it's obvious this is where she spent most of her time.

I find a painting sitting there and I stop. There was a huge beautiful bridge separating two sides of the canvas. One side was busy and big and pretty obviously Chicago. There was tall buildings and incredible art and the pier all on one half of the canvas. On the other side of the bridge was a calm peaceful Canadian neighborhood I can only assume is our home. There was the park we played in and the ice rink her dad worked at and our favorite hang out spots.

Then there was water between the two that looked harsh. There was waves crashing into the opposing cities letting it be known that there was something in the water causing it to be troubled. The only way between the two opposing cities is the beautiful bridge that was built between them.

"Woah, Bails this... this is incredible" I gasp as I look at it. Everything was so detailed and the contrast was immaculate. I can tell she took a lot of time on this.

"Thank you. I've never worked so long on a project before" she admits.

"What makes this one so special" I wonder as she turns to me. "I mean... I know all of these are special to you. What does this one mean" I ask.

"I call this one Bridge Over Troubled Water" she says.

I turn back to the painting and really take it in. I smile as I look at everything that was in there. "What made you paint this" I question. Something like this take a lot of time and thought so it obviously meant something.

"This is my life. One one side it's where I'm from. It's peaceful and Canadian and cold. Always so cold. But it's home, it's where I grew and where I learned. Its molded me into the girl I am today and I wouldn't be here without it. It's where I've met some of my favorite people in my whole life and where I go home to.

Then on the other side is the real me. Not the me I used to be but the person I'm going to be. The city life is hectic and busy and a little messy but it's still beautiful. It's so fucking beautiful.

Then there's the bridge. The bridge stands for the strength that it took to go from being who I used to be and who I want to be. The bridge that got me over every inch of pain that was flooding under me. I was drowning for a while, stuck under the bridge stuck between who I used to be and who I wanted to be. But now I can walk across it knowing I am every bit of who I once was and I can be anything I want to be" she explains.

I wrap my arms around her chest as we both look at the painting. I'm sure I got some paint on me but I don't mind much. "I think that is the most amazing thing you've ever done" I say softly in her ear.

"It was the hardest thing I've ever done" she claims.

"Why" I ask.

"Because I got stuck on the home side. On the side I was so familiar with. That's why I never go home, I know I'll never come back. Too comfortable with with I know, too afraid to get taken in the water. I wasn't ready to start on the other side, I wasn't ready to admit that a part of my life had past. That life I had back home with Mark living without a care in the world. Happy with just passing by with no real sense of purpose. I didn't have that bridge because I didn't want to leave.

But I had to build it because if i didn't I couldn't see all the dreams I had. I couldn't accomplish them and make new ones. It wasn't until I crossed the bridge and got out of the trouble waters did I finally see" she claims.

"See what" I wonder.

"See that everything I was afraid of, it's everything I needed" she explains.

"Well I'm happy you found your bridge" I say.

"It's you..." she trails off.

She turns around in my arms and I just stare at her. She looks all over my face trying to see what I thought and I wasn't quite sure what to think. "I make your life a mess" I insist.

"You make my life easier" she promises.

"I highly doubt it" I argue.

"Look at it this way. You're the best parts of my past, present and future. You're the bridge between it all and without you I would be too afraid to try new things, go new places. Without you I drown in the water and I hope you know that" she sighs.

"I do. I just don't know if you know what that means" I claim.

"It means everything to me" she whispers.