Fourty-One. Sanity

*Lore Sokolov*

We drove for a while to our first fun thing.

She held onto my arm and hummed whatever came on the radio.

She looked stunning in her dress, her eyes doe like and wide today. She was excited.

I think she's feeling better about everything.

I hoped so.

The first place was about an hour and a half away.

We arrived and she smiled, looking at me.

"Painting?"

"We are taking a class so we can paint an accurate portrait of the sunsets here. It's for English tourists." I laughed at how ridiculous it sounded but she looked so excited.

"Like they help us to make it good?"

"Yeah." I nodded, getting out and opening her door.

She stepped out and we walked inside.

"Welcome in. We have a bar, with no alcohol as well. Grab an apron and sit yourselves at a stool with an easel and canvas." She smiled.

"Thank you." I said and she touched my arm, pausing me.

"You're not American." She smiled, almost amazed.

"Russian." I nodded, moving my arm from her touch.

I walked to the aprons and helped her tie one on, she did mine, laughing at how mine had a purple cat painted on it.

We got to stools and she looked at the brushes we had and the water along with the colors.

"I don't like that lady." She mumbled quietly.

I laughed.

She smiled at me.

"What happens when they're wet and painted?" She frowned.

"We take them. Put them flat in the trunk if you want so they have the day to dry." I answered.

She nodded.

I watched as she prematurely got a brush, got it wet with water and spread the water on the canvas.

When we began she would take her time.

She was very precise with the paint mixing and blending.

"What did I have to do after this?" She frowned.

"Mix the blue, a small thing of orange and some white." I told her as the lady kept instructing.

She kept getting lost but she wasn't in a rush so I made sure to keep up to remember the steps.

Mine was honestly terrible, she moved too quick and I sort of tried but I had to remember everything.

"Now what?"

"Semi circle over the water with that color." I pointed and she nodded.

She looked at the lady's canvas and copied it well.

She was good.

"I'm gonna take a picture of you." I said, grabbing my phone and being mindful of the people beside me as I got a photo and sent it to Hale.

He wanted updates, on our ventures, our talks.

It's wild how much she means to us.

Never did I think we'd be at this point.

Absolutely enamored by her.

"Now what?"

"Mix these and make the leaves." I pointed.

She hummed and stuck her tongue out slightly as she focused.

I laughed.

"Shh." She whispered and looked to the lady.

"My sun is fucked." She glared.

I gently took her brush.

I watched worry come over her face.

"I promise I won't ruin it." I got some of the paint color on the thin brush and I evened out her wavy sun into a decent half circle. The edges were nicer.

She smiled at me.

"Thank you." She said and continued.

Even after the hour and a half this occurred the painter lady said we could stay back to finish so I watched as she continued.

She came behind us.

"Oh wow that's beautiful." She said to Nora.

"Thank you." She smiled kindly.

"You're not Russian?"

"Nope. American." She answered, her voice laced with slight sourness.

The lady seemed suddenly uninterested and unimpressed.

"Do you need help with yours sir?" She reached for my canvas and I moved.

"No it's fine. Thanks." I said.

"Let me know if you need anything."

I nodded.

She walked off and Nora shot daggers at her back.

"It's okay, sweetheart." I said and she continued.

It was a beautiful sunset.

"It looks like the one I swam with and watched last night." She said.

"It's really good." I nodded.

She signed the bottom and we left.

I set them in the trunk.

I got her in the car and I got in myself.

I turned to put on my seatbelt, her hand grabbing my face and bringing it to hers as she kissed me better than her own good.

My hand was suddenly on the back of her neck, her tongue grazing over my split one, her teeth gently grazing my left side and chills ran through my body.

She let me go and sat, buckling herself as normal and I couldn't focus.

She looked ahead of us, the lady was looking out the window a bit and I rubbed my face, my dick fucking hard as I backed out and began leaving.

She grabbed my hand and placed it on her thigh.

"Thank you for that." She smiled at me, so softly, so sweetly like she didn't just wreck my sanity.

"Yeah." I nodded.

She chuckled.

"Would you like to get your nails done?" I asked.

"I would." She nodded.

And we stopped at a nail salon.