Ayden's Eyes 33
In the morning we all stood in the back yard to farewell Hayley, Emma, Trip and Nuts. Robert would be following them out of town as he had to get back to Melbourne before the weekend. Susan and Pat stayed behind and they were going to the tea rooms this afternoon to get started on the take over.
I will miss those crazy guys, but I prayed and hoped that they come back with a lady or two on their arms. Is been too long. They are gorgeous guys outside and inside and they deserve a bit of loving - not that I think they have missed out, but they need a permanent sort of arrangement. I tried to tell Evan this morning how I felt, but he just laughed at me - that was after he mentioned a garage and a fabric shop being built next door.
"You know the ones, Den... next door to the convenience store and games parlour.
I thought it was a good idea and I will run it past the guys when they get back. That garage on the main drag is expensive.
They had gone no further than the corner when the guys that were left headed for the beach, Evan being one of them. Bubs was taken to the kitchen to be fed his breakfast, and I sat with Susan just talking.
"You will get to go one day, Sue, during winter, I suppose."
"Yes, Den. I have seen a little bit of Oz, but I'm more than happy to be here permanently. It's so lovely down here. Pat's just over the moon to be able to do this. He's good, Den... in the kitchen I mean. He's talking about more or less mirroring Rita's plan and ditching the name Tea Rooms to a more holiday friendly name. He hasn't worked that out yet, but he will." She smiled that lovely smile. "Well, I'm glad you're here. All my family are around me and I feel quite at home here now."
She left to go down to the beach and I waited for the breakfast basket. My son was looking daggers at me. It was confusing, but you didn't have to be Houdini to work it out. When we got down to the beach, he didn't let up until Evan took him for a ride. He was happy after that, and even happier when Blue took him right out. The waves weren't so big today so his rides were gentle. The boys that were left ate their egg and bacon rolls and I settled in to do some more canvasses. After twenty minutes of playing trucks, bubs went off to sleep.
Susan's bikini ended up being a fifties style with bold red and white stripes. I deliberately had put an oversized hat on her head and a pair of `Jackie O' sunglasses on her eyes. Her right foot was covered in sand and left resting on her right knee. I then drew my little people in the hat - they were erecting a ladder so they could climb up to the flat top. Around the brim and top I put a fence. It all looked swanky. When you looked at it from a bit far away all you could see was a few roses with green leaves on the hat. The fence and little people disappeared. I did notice I had drawn crowns on what looked like the king and queen. It was hard work but it looked amazing.
Again I will sell this one for a good price I suspect. Even I thought it was awesome! I put it aside. There was nothing I can do down here because sand will get into the paint and ruin it. I will do it tomorrow. I then took up another blank canvas and began doing another road trip with the girls hanging out the windows of Evan's van. It was good too, and I will sell it. I have almost finished the commission ones and now I have to do shop ones. I think my style is improving because the last five I have done were sort of different and more intricate. Maybe I'm just changing my mind set.
Evan, Susan and Pat came over and we packed up bubs and my canvasses and walked up to the shack. Pat and Susan went to shower before heading into town. I wished them good luck. They were all smiles and excited to get there.
Bubs was firing on all cylinders: he didn't know what he wanted to do, so he sang a lovely baby song as I carried him off the beach. His bawling got to me, so I gave him a good talking to, then handed him to Evan. He in turn walked into the shower with him and they both rinsed the salt water from their bodies. I watched from the back porch as Evan wrapped him in a big boy's towel and carried him up the stairs. Ayden gave me a pout when they passed. I thought I will get him later - it's veggies for lunch today for him. Evan dressed him in his uniform - nappy and red shorts -- and, as I sat at the table, he fell towards me. I grabbed him as he started saying sorry. I wasn't interested because I was too busy blowing bubbles on his tummy.
"Den, do you want to do something with that vacant block. Like maybe build a proper house on it?"
"No, Bubs, not unless you want to live in it. I'm quite happy here. We can do something with it when we decide what we can use it for, but if you want a house, I'll go along with you."
"No, was just thinking that you do get a lot of interruptions here and maybe you needed your own space for work."
"I'm fine here. I just get a little lazy sometimes and I really don't want to have hundreds of paintings for sale. It's hard to balance them." I was thinking about the saturation, but Lindsay said grab it while you can. I don't want my works hanging in the opportunity shops in years to come. I want them to be loved.
I set up my easel and gathered my paints. Susan's beach scene will be the first one I will work on. Evan was filling up his shelves - Mike was helping. Bubs was again asleep in his sling that was hanging over my shoulder.
I worked away listening to my son's light baby snore and was fully aware when Evan sat to have a cup of coffee with me. He pushed the mug over to me and said, "Den, take a break. You have been at it for two hours."
No wonder my neck ached.
"Bub, can you help me take Ayden off my neck. It's killing me."
He untied the carrier from around my neck and gently placed Ayden into his bean bag. He will wake up soon - he's sleeping his day away. Evan started massaging my neck.
"Did you get it all done, Bubs?"
"Yes, Den. I have sold more than I thought I would. Surf's Ups going to be a winner, I think.
Spud and Mike came and sat with us and had their milkshakes. I hadn't looked at the painting, but Spud moved over and had a gander (look). He looked over the painting and almost pissed himself. He sat in the chair beside me hard, and let out a long slow breath.
"Jesus Christ, Den! Where did that come from?"
"What, Spud? Where did what come from?"
"I don't know whether your style is changing or it was something that had to get out of your brain, but this painting is fucking awesome!"
"Spud!" Rita pulled him up.
"Sorry, Rita but it is! It's so different from your normal style! It's bloody beautiful!" He almost had tears in his eyes.
I looked at it again and, well, it has a hell of a lot of detail in it - more than I usually put in. I thought it impossible to do much more than my normal intricate stuff.
I had a bite of the sandwich Rita had popped in front of me, then opened the water. I drank it all because my throat was so dry. Ayden started waking. His legs were kicking, he wanted up, so I bent down to grab him. Evan finished his coffee and stood to look at the painting. He also gave me another shoulder rub, which was wonderful.
"Harder, Bubs."
"What?"
"Rub harder, will ya?"
He complied.
I spent the next hour discussing the work with Spud, he had never seen anything like it. And he also said I should put a very hefty price on it and not to discount it to Cynthia. That was painting number four - Mikes, Susan's, the girls and the Asian bike rider all had the same treatment when I finished them. Even I was impressed with the recent works. I had another look then covered it up I will do more later.
It was Australia day today and Horse helped Evan set up the barbeque out the front. Rita's flags were flapping in the gentle breeze and I could smell cooking coming from the foreshore. I heard bats meeting cricket balls from the beach and kids laughing everywhere. Rita wanted to do hamburgers and pies today. Alex will cook the hamburgers under a large umbrella outside, a very Aussie thing to do. She charged a fair price for her food today - it was her thank you gift to the public, she had made a wad of cash and didn't need anymore.
Nothing much more was said about the paintings, except I knew they were good this time. I never believed I was as good as people were saying, but after these emerged, I knew in my heart I had got there.
The kids lined up for the free icy poles, and Alex and Blue were rushed off their feet making burgers, mainly for the teenagers and parents that hadn't taken into account today was a public holiday and hadn't shopped for it. The cafe was busy and our end was nearly empty, just Horse, Tony, Tiny and Donk. Evan was still serving customers and I was drawing onto my pad. I suddenly had a thought and started flipping through my old drawings. I found a packet of post it notes in Evan's drawer and marked the pages of my book. I found four more works I wanted to do. I will make up a series of six all in the same vein as the girls and Susan's. I was so excited - I couldn't wait to start on them because I would be painting my son and his fairy mates into each scene.
"You look excited about something, Den. What's going on?"
"I found my calling at last, Bubs. I am no longer painting works to try and please everybody. I am painting them to please me." I grinned at him.
"How?"
"Well, I'm glad you asked: I have many favourite muses in my life and they all combined - don't come within an inch of the main two. You and Ayden. So instead of nutting out some beach scene that I think will appeal to the masses, I am going to paint my favourite subjects from now on, and I don't care if they don't sell. My first set of works will be a series of six paintings featuring Ayden, the fairy people, and whoever I feel like putting in or not putting in at the time." I smiled.
"Go for it, Den. Sounds awesome! We all need more paintings of bubs and that one of Susan is awesome."
"Well, I have Susan's to finish and I have the girls on the road one. Are you getting the picture, Bubs? They are the same basic subjects with a cameo of Susan and her girls. The next one will have you in it. And, always, they will all have Ayden and his fairy folk in them."
"I hope you put some clothes on me," he sort of smirked.
"No, you can't hobble me with conditions. I may or may not put clothes on you. I won't know until I have started it."
"Den, do you want to paint Horse instead?" With the mention of his name Horse woke up from his afternoon nap and rubbed his face.
"Someone talking about me?"
"No, Horse. Go back to sleep," I laughed.
I would love to do a nude of Horse he would be fucking awesome, but Evan is better.
I kept looking at the pages I had marked, and every time I looked, I added something to them. It was as though I was being pushed to do it. I had money - plenty of it. I didn't need anymore, but I did need to paint, and I wanted to paint good works - works that would someday hang in an art museum where everybody could see them. Butterflies? There were butterflies and a flash image. I laughed and found a blank page and started drawing. I giggled my way through it and was so frigging excited I couldn't contain myself.
I jumped up and screamed "Happy Australia Day Everybody!" followed by a happy dance. The image stayed with me until I started adapting it to canvas the following day. We had a great day and many of the foreshore campers came over and thanked Rita and us for being open. They said it was boring for the kids because there was nothing but the beach for them. Sadly, a lot of them won't be down here until next Christmas.
The most important campers would be down at Easter. For sure, Mike has a job to do. I had a good talk to Anne and Jack. They said even if they didn't come down then, they would deliver Mike - he insists on it. I reserved a room for him just in case - we can always cancel it if they come.
My adrenalin was up and Evan got plenty of loving when we went to bed after a long tiring day. I also thanked my son for having so many wonderful friends around him. The fairy folk thanked me by giving me more butterflies. When I crawled into bed, I could hear the sounds of parties and kids coming from the beach and I felt great. Evan felt amazing when I asked him to spread `em.
A good nights sleep always slows the momentum down and I was expecting my little burst of energy to have disappeared by morning. But when I saw Evan off after a great morning workout, I couldn't wait to get started. After bathing my son and dressing him in his summer gear, I found him a bottle of morning milk and grabbed a blank canvas. It had to be the same size as Susan and the Asian one - three by four. These will be big ones and I needed that size to put everything I wanted into it.
My beach scene started with a canopy of beach umbrellas and sun lounges - no ordinary ones either - Retro was the theme. I placed Ayden on the biggest one in just his red shorts: he was holding a fruit cocktail - his sunglasses hid his beautiful eyes - and his hat shaded his face. On each of the other lounges, I put fairy folk, heaps of them. They were doing all the normal things people do at the beach and Ayden was overseeing them. I could almost hear the giggles omitting from the canvas. I worked hard to get the tiny ones into his cocktail glass: they made up the fruit that spilled onto his leg and eventually the bright green towel he was laying on.
The fairy folk were surfing, skimming and building sand castles. I had so much in this painting, but it all fit. The proportions were spot on. Rita tapped me on the shoulder and she passed me a basket of food for the men. I had to have a break and Ayden was waiting until I finished because he had to have his daily surf. I covered my work and grabbed him, putting him on my hip, and walked out the back door. When I got there, I took his nappy off and just left his shorts on for modesty reasons.
Blue came running up and rummaged through a duffle bag he had left in our spot. He put on a harness - it had Velcro straps and after putting his arms through it, Blue strapped it around his back. Ayden was placed facing out and straps were tied around him. Another went through his legs - he was well and truly fastened in to the contraption and couldn't fall out. Next he put some floaties on his arms then blew them up.
"Don't get scared, Den. He's perfectly safe with me." His white teeth shone in the sunshine.
"Be careful - he's the only one I have." I passed a very animated kid over to him. He squealed because he knew what was coming.
"It's a baby carrier, Den, for kids that like surfing. Blue invented it." Evan laughed at me. I saw Rita making it the other day she had her sewing machine out and Blue was giving her instructions until she told him to bugger off. The boys positioned themselves from out beyond the surf to the shore that would give Blue an indication which path to take. The surf wasn't big but he had to land near the shore so bubs wouldn't go under when he stepped off. I stood on the shore - my butterflies were going absolutely nuts.
Blue paddled out beyond the surf Ayden screamed into the wind, his hair was flying behind his head and his little arms were reaching out to catch the water. He turned and had a good talk to his nephew; I suppose about safety things. Then he started his journey in. He paddled like crazy and when it was safe he suddenly stood up. Not missing a beat, he swerved to the right and started manipulating the board. He was good and he yelled and screamed along with a chubby bubby.
He passed Horse, then Tiny, then Alex, to Evan who steadied Blue as he stepped off. That kid's face was priceless and I moved in to get a photo. He was overexcited and his legs were going a hundred miles an hour.
"Gen." He screamed trying to look up at Blue.
"More?" Blue asked. "More!" bubs cackled.
Out they went again. I don't know who was more excited - the guys or my baby. I got a flash of Ayden surfing on his own with his mates on his shoulders and arms falling, jumping, screaming, laughing folk, even some hanging off his hair. That one I will definitely paint. He did it three times. By then, he was completely water logged and was disappointed they had to stop, but got happy again when Evan said, "Again tomorrow, bubs."
He was exhausted and I lay him down on the big towel then started drawing the scene. So much to do so little time. I heard him laugh in his sleep and his little legs were moving back and forth - he was dreaming of his ride. The guys had forgotten their breakfast, so it turned into morning tea. It was still warm - the weather saw to that.
"He loved it Blue, what a great idea."
"I saw someone do it at Bells, but I thought it was too dangerous there. However, today the timing was perfect. I think he's going to be a wave chaser, Den." He gave me his million-dollar smile.
"Not until he gets a trade mate," I mused.
"Of course," Poor Blue agreed.
"Yeah, of course," Alex slowly said smirking.
I know he won't get a trade. That was deleted when we moved here. I don't care if he wants to be a scientist or a beach bum when he grows up - he can decide. And if he wants to bum on the beach, he has my full blessing to do it. Not many people get the chance of living how they please, but our kid's going to make his own decisions and he's going to be unspoilt and pretty bloody awesome - I just know it. Evan's hand moved over to take mine. He lifted it, then softly kissed it.
"You should copyright that sling, Blue. It will make you heaps of money," Tiny said.
"No, the greenies will put the kybosh on it. It's not kosher, safety wise. They would crucify me for taking a baby out surfing if they knew," he giggled. I had a deep think about his rides and did feel a sense of dread for a second, but he can't expect to do it every day. I will have to gently ask that it doesn't happen every time we are down here. A set of baby swings will fill in that gap. I will look next time I'm in town.
Of course he was all talk when he got in. Mike listened while Rita asked him questions.
"How did it really go, Den?"
"It was awesome, Rita." I showed them the photos. "It's okay - he won't be doing it in the rough only the small surf."
She relaxed - she probably had the same thought as me - bubs in the big surf. I had to draw - my pencils were calling me. I made coffee and Mike sat with me while I drew my latest image onto a canvas. He stared for a while then got up the courage to talk.
"Den, I want to say again how sorry I am for destroying your paintings. I was mad and off kilter at the time, but I have grown to love you very much over these weeks and I am sorry."
"Mike, it has taught me a good lesson: never judge people because you don't know what's going on inside. I shouldn't have done that dreadful poster of you, and I should have talked to you quietly in the first place. The boys did a shitty thing to you and you are not the only one feeling bad about the whole episode."
"Well I am sorry." He passed over an envelope full of money.
"This won't pay for them all, but it will go a long way towards it. I have been saving all my money to give to you."
I was speechless and tears started to fall down my face. He had unbelievably moved me. I pushed the envelope back to him and said, "Mike you had to do what you did. You didn't have a choice because I held the key to your recovery. If you hadn't of done it, we wouldn't have met. And we had to meet. Otherwise you wouldn't have been cured. The best way to make up for it would be for you to become the best person you can. I want you to put this money towards achieving that goal."
"Thank you, Den. Are you sure?"
"We are more than square, Mike. You taught me a very valuable lesson and, for that, I thank you." I put my hands in a prayer position and bowed my head. He grinned.
"I see more fairies, Den. Are you sure there aren't any zombies in there somewhere?" He giggled his head off, he actually looked so alive when he did that. I shuddered at the alternative.
I was watching Rita's cafe thinking could I go another coffee or a water when I heard, "Okay, enough! I have heard that story ten times now. Go see your father." I heard giggling and then he appeared hanging off her door. He stepped onto the porch with the biggest smile his arms reached out and he walked or should I say waddled all the way down to me. Rita was watching with the boys and, as he fell into my lap, they cheered and clapped him. He turned and wobbled then fell flat on his bum. I scooped him up and gave him his lunchtime kisses.
I got Spud's attention and ordered a bottle of water. Ayden was now back to his building blocks. His legs must ache because he sat on my knee. I felt a hand on my shoulder, then he was massaging them. My head went back and I saw the best looking guy behind me.
"He walked the length of the porch, Bubs. You just missed it."
"He did that yesterday, Den."
"Give it up! I don't believe you." He laughed then went to get his own water and ordered lunch. The others weren't far behind him, and I delighted in telling them he had done it. Horse was over the moon. They also ordered pies and one for me. I was in a sort of mood after talking to Mike. I will miss him the most. His cheeky smile really brought a lot to this little family, and he is truly loved.
I cried when the red caravan left the foreshore. A boy was hanging out the back window waving. I had to go splash water on my face, and so did a few others. I found Rita in her lounge weeping into tissues with Spud trying to calm her. Jack had to get back to work and Mike was back at school next week. He was so excited about that and his mates would be waiting for him. He will tell them his story and that will be the end of it.
"Do you want a brandy, love?"
"No, Den. Thanks all the same. It will make me worse."
"He will be back at Easter. If Ann and Jack don't come down, we can go get him. Okay?"
"For sure, Den. I will miss him, though. The poor little fella, he needs his other gran."
"I know he thinks the same about you too, honey."
Wrong thing to say, the bawling started again.
I left her to it because she will start me off, I looked at my son, then the painting I was working on. Susan's had been finished one night when I got the urge to work on it. I did an all nighter because I wanted to place Ayden in it too. Evan was pissed off big time, but he didn't say anything - only cut off my sex life for twenty-four hours.
We are going over to the tea rooms to see them today. It seemed like ages. I bathed my small beauty and powdered him up, blew bubbles on his tummy and dressed him spiffy-like in a denim overall. Then I changed him to hat and shorts -- it's too bloody hot for denim, but he did look cute. The boys want him to come down the beach again. They get a kick out of seeing his face. He's only done it twice so far. As I said, I don't want him to expect it everyday. I have finished four paintings and am currently working on the fifth one. There will be six in this collection. My only concern is how to price it. I won't break it up -- they all go together.
The drive to Longford isn't far - just fifteen minutes or so, as the crow flies. Bubs fell asleep and we talked about Mike's leaving. Evan will miss him too - he likes him a lot. We pulled into the parking bay and started to get the stroller out of the back for bubs. Horse and Tiny pulled in behind us, followed by Rita and Spud. Alex and Blue were manning the cafe for the few hours we would be away. Susan's grin was beautiful and Pat was cooking up a storm behind her. Horse had grabbed Ayden and he wasn't going to let him go. The stroller was forgotten, so we parked it beside a big table just in case he needed more sleeps.
We ordered coffee while Rita and Spud looked around. They had a fair amount of customers and two helpers serving the tables. There was no sign of Mrs. Donk.
A lovely young girl took our orders while we looked over the menu. Pat had added some special meals he wanted to try, and he had a dozen or so special Pizzas. The oven stood proudly at the side of the café. Susan said it will pay for itself in no time. We will have a look at their lodgings later before we go.
Rita came out of the kitchen and gave us the `thumbs up'. She was putting her seal of approval on it, and she looked a lot better than this morning.
"Do you want to eat?" she asked me. "I don't know... I had that big breakfast. I think I will give it a miss, thanks."
Nobody wanted to eat much because Rita had cooked an enormous breakfast for us all as a farewell gesture for Mike's family. Is there nothing this woman can't do?
Susan delivered the coffee and sat with us, all the time eyeing Ayden off. Horse must have felt a pang of guilt and passed him over to both Ayden's and Sue's delight. We told her about his surfing and I showed her the pictures. She told us her girls were having a ball and the boys were looking after them when they weren't surfing. I had a sneaky look at Evan. He didn't seem too concerned. Sue talked about Mrs. Donk - she had taken a few days off to go into town to drop off some clothes and stuff. She said that they have a handle on everything and she will probably move out next week.
There were two caravan parks in town and they are always full at holiday time. Holidaymakers stay there when our foreshore is full, even though there's no beach, but it's not that far away. She said Mrs. Donk had told her that the pizzas will save them in winter. She usually opened at the regular shop times because there was a large population here as well, so she wasn't worried. I spied Pat giving a kid a milkshake and brushing off his offer for money. He will do well with the big heart of his.
He came over and started talking about it all over again with Rita. She didn't have any more suggestions except the wi-fi thing. Pat said they were on to it. He looked like he was in his element and Sue was all smiles. She did ask if we were eating, but we all said `no' as we had a big breakfast.
"I know Mike told me, when he called in, to say goodbye."
"Good. He's a great kid."
"He sure is, Den, and I made sure there was an audience when I kissed him goodbye too." She giggled.
We spent a lovely two hours with them and the customers were constant. Rita was eyeing off the food they were serving, making notes, me thinks.
After we finished we had a good look at their spacious living quarters. After we said our very special farewells, we headed for home. That was the second farewell we had done today. Pat said they were closed every Monday, so they will be down to surf.
"Why don't you close your doors at the same time Rita?" I asked when we got in.
She looked at Horse, Evan, Tiny and me up and down, then said, "And let my boys starve? Are you mad?"
I blushed, but I still think it's a good idea.
I put Ayden in his bean bag and the boys vanished, but not before they lined up to kiss me farewell. They whooped it down to the beach. Evan's hair was flowing over his shoulders and his rump was asking me to dine on it as he ran through the trees. I suppose I had better get to work: those paintings won't paint themselves, even though I sometimes think they do.
I made sure bubs was comfy, then I started again. Each painting I did was better than the last, and by the time I got to the final one, my heart was racing because I put Evan in it. He was all wet and waist deep in the surf. A baby sat on his shoulder. He had the biggest blue eyes you can imagine. There were two dozen or so fairy folk jumping and diving into the water. They were surfing and lolling around on blow up water beds. The party had started and Ayden was looking across at his dad - their heads were touching.
Evan's smile touched my heart, whether it was a fluke or not, I captured it perfectly - it was awesome! Ayden had a pair of colourful baby runners on his feet, one threatening to fall off, and the tongue was being used as a diving board. So much went into this painting - you could even see every strand of Evan's hair that clung to his upper body. I deliberately made it longer. When I looked at it from a little distance, it didn't look crowded at all. I think now I have found my absolute calling. I covered the work and looked at my son - he had nodded off for a minute or two. Rita came and had coffee with me. She asked if I had done another masterpiece and I told her it was something different. I hadn't shown them what I had done. I want to put them on Ayden's bedroom wall before I launch them onto the market.
My next problem was how to price them. I won't have them split up - they go together. I could ring Lindsay and name my price but I have to be loyal to Cynthia and Spencer. I can't put them in the shop - no one has that kind of money down here. Perhaps a special auction through Cynthia's website - I can offer her fifteen per cent on the final total. So much to do, so little time. I will continue along those lines and although my Evan one was nearly completed I wanted to do more and more. It was a compulsion - I had to paint.
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