The Color of Love

Chapter 13

Lillian sat on the stool at her easel in the loft of what was once the guest house. Now, ten years later, the upstairs served as her private studio. James sat in a large overstuffed chair, socked feet up on an ottoman, typing away at his laptop as he worked at his own job. He glanced up to watch her, one paint brush in between her teeth, another in her hand working away at the canvas she had been working on for weeks.

They both heard the door swing open downstairs and quick stomping footsteps coming up the stairs.

A young girl came running over to her. "Momma! Momma! Look what Lewis found in the woods!"

Lillian quickly put her paintbrushes into their holders before her daughter made a mess of both of them.

"Oh, let me see now? And if Lewis found it, Lizzie Louise, then why are you bringing it to me and not him?"

When Lillian found out she was having twins, and one was a girl, she had asked James if she could name her Elizabeth Louise, after her best friend and his mother. Eventually, the young girl became known as Lizzie, or Lizzie Louise if she was in trouble.

Lizzie carefully opened up her hand, palm up, for her mother to see the arrowhead. "Because, Momma, he can't run fast and I wanted you to see it quick!"

Lillian sighed and glanced at her husband, who was watching the exchange from over the top of his laptop screen. "Lizzie Louise, what have I told you before?" At just that moment another, slower pair of footsteps came up the stairs. An out of breath, short-haired, male match to Lizzie appeared. Lillian smiled sweetly at the boy then looked back at Lizzie. "Your brother runs just as fast as he needs to for his purposes. And this arrowhead doesn't look any different than it would have if he had brought it to me in his time." Lizzie looked down, a bit ashamed, so her mother pulled her over and kissed her on the forehead. "Go snuggle with your Papa for a moment and let me chat with Lewis."

James was thankful to have heard the exchange, he moved his laptop just in time for Lizzie to bound over and plop down on his lap, snuggling into his side. He adjusted the laptop on the arm of the chair so he could continue to examine the spreadsheets he had been reviewing.

"Hi, Papa, how's work?"

"Hi Elizabeth. Work is fine. Can you sit quietly and allow me to finish while your momma talks to Lewis?"

"Yes, Papa," the little girl said before letting out a yawn. James' eyebrow perked up but he didn't remark, instead going back to his work.

"Come here, Lewis, darling, and tell me about your prize. Where did you find this beauty?" Lillian said, holding out her arm to her son.

Lewis slowly approached, eyes on the ground, and moved just close enough for his mother to put her arm around his shoulder. He shrugged as he got closer. "Found it down by the creek, Momma."

"Oh, that was quite a ways off to be exploring. Do you have your necklace with you?"

"Yes, Momma. And Lizzie has hers, I made sure of it." Lewis said, pulling the chain out from under his t-shirt, revealing a small square device. With the children enjoying their explorations of the mountainside, Lillian had insisted they both learn proper safety measures and also always be equipped with a GPS-enabled device in case they got lost. Both devices were also equipped with a panic button, should an emergency arise, their parents' phones would be alerted immediately.

"That's my sweet boy, always looking out for his sister. Just like your daddy, always concerned about others' safety. I really think this is quite the find, Lewis. We should go down together later to see if you might have stumbled upon a site of an indigenous tribe. They're scattered all over the mountains. Perhaps we could let Professor Belkin have a look. What do you say?"