Unfinished Masterpiece

Echoes in

in her coat pocket. She wasn't sure of the minutes she took standing there before turning away. S

ite floors. Claire had been here hundreds of times as a teenager-sketching in corners, helping her grandmother hang paintings. N

m." It depicted two hands nearly touching, separated b

phie asked, appe

. "I wanted a

etly. "You know who pa

itated. "I

said gently. "We have a submissions box.

sidered it

ned to the studio and w

inished. But maybe

y and delivered it to

waited inside the stud

time. I've never stop

-

ning

she would get back to the studio where she continued restoring the space. The sunlight poured in brighter now that the wind

cinnamon-and the two would chat about Evermere's daily bustle. Mabel had become mo

Greaves, a childhood neighbor now grown

ever?" he asked as the

now yet,"

you. And not just because your g

for the first

-

etween

ice. Each note from Eli was short, poetic, careful. Claire found

tched the storm from the

f the harbor. It's fr

d the night I left. It's s

d just as

en it rains. But I stayed t

e still carved in

became a gentle ache. A longing tha

-

ions and

in the gallery garden. Claire hesitated but agreed. It felt right

't know who he is now. And I'

here's a painter's gathering

e flyer. Her h

-

tudio

per waiting at her studio door. Inside was a sketchbook fill

ge, in bold gr

the door, I'l

book, heart b

l. She sat down at the ea

n the ocean. Then a silhoue

al

r al

-