“Mummy, can we paint now?”
“Yeah, let’s go. Billy, just open one paint pot at a time. Leah and Mikayla, as long as I can trust you to mix your colors on your palette without turning everything brown, you can go ahead.” She focused her attention on Leah as they both got started, knowing that Mikayla was going to be a disaster no matter how much guidance Juniper gave her. She was pretty much there for the company, wine and snacks and never pretended otherwise.
Leah carefully squirted the different colors on her palette.
“That’s it. We’re going to paint flowers, starting with the leaves. You want to mix your two greens like this, then take your flat brush and press out one half of the leaf. Yep, exactly like that. Now do the other half. Perfect. You’re going to keep doing that, strategically around the plate, then when you think you’ve done enough, we’ll start on the flowers.”
“This is not good.”
Juniper glanced over at Mikayla’s first few leaves. “Maybe just have some wine.” She poured out a glass and slid it across the table. “What about you, Leah? Wine or juice? I might have some soft drink in the other fridge if you’d prefer.”
“Wine would be lovely, thanks.”
Juniper poured the drinks, getting a juice for Billy before turning her attention back to Leah’s plate. She had a sure and steady hand, laying out each leaf with precision.
“You’ve done this before!” Mikayla exclaimed.
Leah straightened, assessing her work. “I used to paint a lot in high school, but honestly, I haven’t picked up a brush in more than ten years.”
“Well, I think you’ve missed your calling. She’s good, isn’t she, Juniper?”
“Yes, she is. Here, try a flower now.”
With no guidance, Leah mixed some blue and red paint to make a lovely, lush purple and laid out the flowers around the leaves.
“Purple’s my favorite color!”
Leah grinned at Billy. “Mine too! Do you want some purple for your turtle?”
“Yes please!”
“So where are you staying while you’re in town, Leah?” Mikayla asked, grabbing a cracker from the platter, and slathering it liberally with hummus.
“I’ve got a house up on Henderson’s Road.”
“Henderson’s Road? There aren’t any holiday homes up that way. The only house up there is Mr. Hend—. Wait, you don’t mean Mr. Henderson’s old shack? Don’t tell me someone’s bought that dump and is renting it out?”
“Someone has bought it, but it’s not being rented out.”
There was a long, confused silence before Mikayla spoke again. “You’ve bought it?”
Leah bent her head over her painting, looking a little self-conscious. “Yes,” she said softly.
“Oh. Oh, ah, I’m so sorry. It’s just that you don’t look the type.”
Leah frowned, perplexed. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I mean this in the best possible way. You are quite fancy, and that shack is a dump. Henderson’s been trying to sell it for the better part of a decade, and it hasn’t had as much as a lick of paint in all that time.”
“Oh, right. Well, thank you, I guess. It’s definitely a renovator’s delight.”
Mikayla snorted. “Renovator’s delight, my ar?—”
“How are you going with those flowers, Leah?” Juniper hastily interrupted, sliding a warning glance towards Billy as she cut off Mikayla’s impendingswear word.
“Okay, I think.” She put her brush down and reached for the wine. “You really think I’m fancy?” She asked, turning to Mikayla.
“Sure, you are. That gorgeous dress you’re wearing probably cost more than every dress I own, combined.”
