Perfectly Hopeless (5 page)

He was sitting at the yogurt hut. Not working, just eating. Replaying the words of Dr. Wilder in his head—that things hadn’t changed. Nothing ever changed for him. But today he was saddened by this, more than usual. Today it didn’t matter how blue the sky above him was. He was miserable.

Maven watched him from afar. Standing with her father as he shipped some packages at the post office, she held one hand against the counter, the other twirling a strand of blonde hair. She only wanted him to notice her. But he was concentrating on his yogurt and nothing else.

Dad thanked the post office attendant, tucking his receipt in the front pocket of his shirt.

“
Did you want to head home for lunch or do you have other plans?”

She broke her stare long enough to give her dad an answer. “I think I’m going to talk to Henri.” Her dad turned quickly, he was eager to lay eyes on Henri. He looked harmless enough.

“
Alright, I will see you later. Call if you’re going to be late.” She kissed his cheek, watching him head back the opposite direction. Maven gave herself a quick glance in the window. She ran her fingers through her long hair. Securing the small flower that was holding the side of her hair in place. She smoothed her light pink camisole and even straightened her jean shorts before taking a step in Henri’s direction.

“
Hey,” she said quickly, her shadow looming over the table where he sat. Henri lifted his head. He gave her a smile and offered her a seat.

“
What’s up, Maven?”

Maven leaned forward, eager to be a part of conversation with him again. She had looked forward to it. “Nothing much. I’m glad I ran into you again.”

Henri raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

Maven looked around, hoping Jake and Tatiana didn’t show up like the last time she was at the yogurt hut. “Yeah, I had a nice time swimming with you.”

Henri swallowed, looking away from the table.

Maven studied his sudden cold demeanor. “Is everything alright, Henri?”

Henri’s eyes met hers. “What if I said things weren’t alright?”

Maven’s eyes grew large. “What do you mean?”

Henri thought about confessing his secret.

Today wasn’t the day.

“
I don’t mean anything. Sometimes my mind gets the best of me.” He crumpled his napkin, tossing it into his yogurt that he barely had eaten. “Are you up for the art museum?”

Maven nodded. “For sure.”

The art museum of Portwood was in walking distance of just about everything. Nobody used vehicles because everything was so close. Maven loved the old fashioned cobblestone roads and the old style street lights.

They hurried up the massive set of museum stairs, pushed past the revolving doors and were whisked away into displays of chic artwork. The summers heat a thing of the past. The air condition pumped plenty of cool air through the small museum.

Maven kept her arms crossed as they walked into the first room of the museum. It was a little cold. Henri’s hands were tucked into his pants pockets. There were only a couple people anywhere around them. The museum wasn’t the preferred spot during the summer. Most people were busy swimming or doing something outdoors.

Maven stopped in front of an old oil painting, a scenic one, lush green grass, weeping willows and a young woman running across the painting as if she was placed there later, she was so contemporary compared to the vintage feel of the backdrop, long flowing hair, supple skin. It was a piece of art.

“
This is kind of nice.” Henri stepped a little closer, his hands still caged in his jeans.

“
It’s beautiful,” Maven confessed, she stepped closer, “My mind takes off when I look at artwork. I always want to know the reason behind all of it.”

“
He probably loved her.” Henri turned his head. “Why else would someone paint such a picture?”

Maven searched the tag for a name. “How do you know it was a man?”

“
Just a guess.”

Maven squinted at the blob like signature and gasped. “That’s Sandra’s last name.”

Henri nodded. “Yeah it is. Her grandfather painted many of the paintings in this exhibit.”

Maven was impressed. “Wow, Henri.”

“
Artistic talent runs in the family. I don’t mean to boast, but I’m a great painter myself.” He smiled, moving on to the next painting.

“
Do you have any in here?” Maven couldn’t believe how interesting he was the more she got to know him.

“
Nope. But I have a closet full of old stuff I did a long time ago.” He studied an abstract piece growing quiet.

“
Why don’t you paint anymore?”

“
Have to have a reason to paint. I really don’t have one anymore.”

“
I can draw a little. We should get together sometime and you can paint something.” She smiled at her idea.

“
You.” Henri made a picture frame with his fingers, framing her smiling face with them. “I could paint you.”

“
Okay, you can paint me. And I’ll even bring one of my own sketch books and draw you.”

Henri agreed. “Only if you promise you’ll keep it forever.”

Maven pushed into his arm. “Don’t be silly.”

“
What should I be then?” His eyes held a certain intensity that made her heart skip a beat. She timidly pushed her hair from her eyes.

“
Nothing, I wouldn’t want you to be anything but you.” She dropped her gaze to the floor. Henri turned away, paying attention to the next picture to lighten the mood. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.

At the end of the exhibit she couldn’t help but want it to go on forever.

She sat down on the bench outside of the museum. Henri leaned against the old pillar. Maven studied the cracked paint trying to come up with something to say.

“
How come you didn’t go to the same school as Sandra?” He wasn’t but a year older then her. If they were related it only made sense.

“
I lived in Tennessee with my parents.” Henri pushed off the pillar, taking a seat next to her. “I’ve only been here a couple years.”

Maven did the math in her head. Henri knew what was coming next. “Then where did you go to school?”

“
Homeschooled my senior year.” He scratched at his forearm. “I finished halfway through my senior year.”

Maven nodded impressed. “What was the reason you chose homeschooling?”

Henri could feel his heart beating out of his chest. There was no getting out of this one. He started to panic. He had to do something fast. He leaned in, gently kissing her on the cheek.

When he pulled away he was surprised to see the huge smile pinned to her face. Maven’s eyes softened, she touched his face in response, her fingers playing with his hair. Henri closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her hands against his skin. His heartbeat slowed down and returned to a regular speed.

He touched her hair, pushing it behind her ear like she did when she was nervous. He warily touched her lips enjoying the feel of them against his fingertips. The corners of her mouth igniting in a smile.

He loved how blue her eyes were. And the way all her emotions exuded from them all the time. “I think you’re beautiful.”

“
You do?”

Henri nodded, giving her a smile.

The door to the museum opened thudding against the bench. Henri pulled away, ending the moment. The older woman gave them both a nod as she hurried down the museum steps.

Mysterious

Henri launched a rock across the water of the creek near his aunt and uncle’s home. He watched the stone skip three times before it disappeared. Tiny ripples ringing outward, a few lazy dragonflies skidding to the surface and then away.

“
Nice one,” Flynn, his older cousin said, chucking a rock of his own at the water.

“
Yeah some things never change,” Henri said with a shrug. He took a seat in the grass drawing his knees up and resting his arms. He stared at the water.

Flynn sat down. “Dinner soon.” He made a point to keep Henri in the moment when he seemed to be drifting off. When Henri forgot about eating he was always there to point him to the nearest kitchen, Flynn was just three years older than he was but he made it a point to hound him.

“
Yeah yeah I hear you. The last appointment I had she said I was keeping up.” He lied. It was the appointment before that she had told him he gained five pounds.

Flynn ignored his tone. Choosing to change the subject rather then get into another argument that just ended with him angry and Henri finding another reason to stay far away from home.

“
Ma says you been hanging around some girl with blonde hair. One of them Wilder girls she said.” Flynn looked over at Henri. “Does she know about you?”

Henri plucked a large strand of grass from the ground. He twisted it between his fingers.

“
Does she know what? There are so many things to tell.” He smirked. “My mother always said I was an extraordinary boy.”

Flynn shook his head at Henri’s goofy approach. He was the only person he knew that could make light of such a situation as his. “You know what I mean. Does she know that you’re not well?”

“
I figure she expects it. Or maybe she doesn’t and that’s why she still is hanging around.” Henri broke the blade of grass letting the two pieces sail to the ground.

“
She could be hanging around because she likes you. And if that’s the case you need to let her in on your little secret.” Flynn sighed.

“
What do I say?”

“
I don’t know the answer to that. Whatever you want to say. We all promised to keep our lip zipped, that’s all on you.” Flynn stood, dusting off the back of his jeans. He offered Henri a hand, but like usual he waved him away choosing to help himself.

Henri followed him back up to the old house. Old, but well maintained.

“
Good to see you at dinner, Henri.” Henri’s uncle said around a mouthful of mashed potatoes and gravy. Henri nodded, shoveling his own into his mouth, the smell of the food making him queasier. He hung his head, doing his best to clean his plate so he could take off to his room or someplace in town.

“
So Henri, how are things going with Maven Wilder?” His aunt asked. She spooned another helping of carrots on his plate.

“
She wants to hang out again.” He poked at the steamed carrots.

“
That’s nice. She is a very nice girl.”

Sandra and April both agreed. Henri knew that would be the case for April until she was dumped by her brother. And Sandra was only being polite around her parents. He had heard the things she said about Maven with her friends.

“
I think I am going to paint her.” Everyone’s eyes filled with delight at the mention of painting.

“
Oh that’s wonderful, Henri. You were always so good at painting.” His aunt smiled, she hurried to fill his glass with another round of iced tea. He shooed her away.

“
You’re going to make me sick.” They all laughed and the doorbell rang. His uncle rushed to the door, his heavy boots thumping across the wood.

Everyone listened. “Well hello there.” Henri shot his aunt a confused look. She was in view of the hallway. The smile on her face told him it was for him. He dropped his fork to his plate twisting around in his seat.

There she stood with a big smile on her face and a bundle of pencils in her hand and a sketchpad.

“
Hey there, Maven.” His aunt stood up. “Are you hungry?”

Maven shook her head. “No ma’am, I just ate dinner. Henri promised me an art session. I came to take him up on that offer.”

Everyone smiled at Henri and the girl willing to take what she wanted. Henri rose from the table with his plate. He took it into the kitchen gesturing for Maven to join him.