A Wild Daisy - 7. Chapter 7: Quarry

stories/7180/images/daisy.flower.six.jpg

Chapter Seven: Quarry

"Morning Willie, you still want me?"

"Of course, can you be here around ten, that way I can get in a couple of hours of work before lunch. Believe me, after two hours of standing in pose, you will be ready to quit. You can stay and have lunch, cook always has something prepared or I can request something special if I give the kitchen notice."

"Okay, I will be there, but I want something in return if I do this favor for you."

"Blue, I am not going to drop trousers for you today."

"We'll see. I want to go swimming."

"No problem. Bring your swim gear and we can sit by the pool for awhile, I can have lunch served out there too."

"I don't want to swim in your pool, I want to go out to the quarry."

"Blue, the quarry is a notorious makeout place for kids. No one goes out there to swim. They go out there to lose their virginity."

"So, have you been yet?"

"Of course I've been. Grandmother owns the place after all. It's nothing but a public nuisance though. The liability insurance on that property is ridiculous. There are signs everywhere: No Trespass, but they don't stop anyone. Besides, the place has bad vibs for my family."

"What are you talking about? The place is beautiful. Your Grandmother should donate it to the county for a public park. She's donated stuff before."

"Are you joking Blue? Grandmother would never want that place made into a park. What would they call it? Alice Park.

"Willie what got your tail in a tangle?"

"Oh, come on. You have heard the story."

"What story?"

"What story? Everyone knows what story, it's famous."

"I don't know the story."

"Blue, how can you not know. The Day Quarry is where grandmother Alice killed her husband."

"Can we talk about this when I get there? But remember no quarry, no posey, comprende?"

*************************************************************

Blue arrived at ten, he was punctual when he wanted. Pinkie greeted him at the door. "Blue what a surprise. What brings you out our way. Ross isn't here yet, if you were looking for him. He told me you were in town for the summer." Blue and Pinkie had dated in high school, well more than date. They were each other's first in a number of categories.

"Hi Pink. I've got plans with Willie."

"With Willie, really? Well let me show you the way." Blue didn't mention he knew the way. "I'm sure Willie is hiding in his studio. He fancies himself an artist.

"Willie, you have company are you here? Willie?"

"I'm here Pinkie, Blue you made it. I'm sorry I wasn't at the door. I thought I had a few more minutes before you got here."

"So what plans do you two have for today? Maybe Ross and I can join you." Willie was shaking his head behind Pinkie.

"We are just going to hang out, maybe swim a little: have lunch. You know catch up on stuff."

"Yes, well I'll leave you two to your plans then. Bye Blue."

"So you don't want Pinkie to know about our summer project? That will cost you one kiss."

Willie kissed the back of his hand. "One kiss as requested, sorry you didn't specify a delivery point."

Blue grabbed Willie by the arms and delivered his own special express kiss. "I always deliver personally."

"I'll remember that next time I actually want tongue." Willie turned out of Blue's embrace. Damn, Willie wanted that kiss for so long, years and years. But Blue had walked out of his life so easily before, would he do it again.

"Pinkie would just laugh if she knew about the project. She thinks my paintings are... unusual. If not lacking in merit."

"I just took it for granted that you are good at this. Maybe I should see some of your work before we proceed, after all I only pose for the best."

"Look over there in the rack and let me know what you think. I will finish setting my things up for the session."

Blue pulled a small canvas from the narrow slot. It was a painting of Pink when she was a little girl, maybe six, she looked like she was on the edge of an all out tantrum. There was a ribbon in her hand and at the end of it was the remains of a broken balloon. Her cheeks were puffed, her eyes were wide and her mouth was twisted in a snarl. She was being a first rate stinker for sure. Subject matter aside the painting was still arresting. This close Blue could see countless brush strokes all bending together to bring the picture to life. Was it a good picture? Was it art? Wasn't everything abstact now. Blue didn't know. "Willie, did you paint this from an old photograph?"

"Which one you looking at?" Blue turned and held out the picture. "Oh. No, I painted that from memory."

"Willie, you would have been what four or five. And you remembered this moment well enough to paint it."

"Well, I have kind of a photographic memory for images that have strong emotional context for me."

"That is kind of weird, no wonder people talk so much about you guys."

"And that brings us back to our earlier conversation. How can you not know about grandmother Alice?"

"Willie, I stopped listening to people talk about your family years ago. I was never that interested. I mean it was always the same weird stuff. You were all crazy and... well you know. Besides I knew you, I didn't like what they said. I knew there were stories about the Day's dying mysteriously, and the house was haunted, and the family was cursed and you had more money than was Christian.You know you all sold your souls to the devil at puberty during a sex rite. Stuff like that, but I didn't know anything about your granny Alice until you told me yesterday."

"You know I have to do a case study project for my law review. You did imply she went to trial. It would be different. Tell me more."