Ben touched her arm. “Amazing, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know words big enough to describe it. Awesome, inspiring—I can’t do it justice with words. Or with paint.”
Juli held up her empty hands. Powerless. “Anna said people look for perfection and when they think they’ve found it, they try to hold onto it forever.”
“This is a sunset, Juli. It’s beautiful and it will come again. The next will be different and may be more awesome. For me, joy is the word I feel.”
“Joy?”
“Joy at creation.” He threaded his fingers through hers. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
“Now, that’s beautiful.”
“It’s Psalm 19. Verse 1.”
“The sunset’s fading.” She leaned toward him. The slump of his shoulders betrayed his fatigue. Juli tightened her fingers around his and was disturbed. They felt bony and the knuckles were large in contrast.
He put his lips against her hair and whispered, “There will be more. Guaranteed.”
Chapter Fifteen
The Spagnoli family arrived on a Sunday afternoon in the beginning of August for a two week rental. Juli happened to look out the front window and saw a fair-haired toddler racing down the crossover toward the ocean, his progress revealed between the side rails as he ran along. Without thought, Juli dashed past Ben and ran out the door.
The toddler, chunky legs churning and diapered butt jouncing, nearly beat her to the end of the crossover. She snagged his t-shirt as a woman yelled, “Charlie!”
“Oh, my, oh, my. He nearly got away this time.” The woman was quickly there, arms outstretched to receive her squirming Charlie who was still intent on escape.
Juli passed him to her while noting the skinny, dark-haired pre-teen girl who hung back.
“I’m Victoria. We just got here, unpacking and all that. This one,” she moved him over to straddle her hip, “is a very busy boy who loves water. He doesn’t know enough to be afraid of it yet, so he gives me gray hair.” She motioned the girl forward. “This is Violet, my daughter.”
Violet had straight dark hair and knobby knees. She didn’t speak, only stared.
“He got away from Violet. I’m grateful you were there and caught him. Thanks so much.”
“Glad I could help.”
“Are you next door?”
“Yes. I’m Juli. Just me and my husband, Ben.”
“Thanks again.”
“Well, no harm done. All’s well.”
She held her free hand over her chest. “No harm, except to my heart. It’s still racing.”
“There’s a little gate with a latch at the entrance to your porch. That might slow him down next time.”
Little Charlie wasn’t impressed by his mother’s distress. He protested and kicked his legs. With a rueful grin, Victoria said, “I’d better get back to unpacking. We’ll see you around.”
Juli followed them back up the crossover. As she entered through the open gate on her side of the porch, Ben reached out and pulled her into his arms.
“That was amazing.”
“What was amazing?” She was truly puzzled.
“Your response. You didn’t wait to see if someone else was coming after him. You just went.”
“What’s so unusual about that? There wasn’t any danger. Not to me.”
“You were wonderful in action. Most people hang back, not wanting to get involved or give offense. You went.”
She let him hug her again, glad he was pleased, but not understanding why. After all, little Charlie’s parents could’ve been out there, out of her sight, but still in control. They could have been offended. She could’ve caused a big headache for Ben.
Dealing with other people was often a crap shoot. Ultimately, you had to do what you had to do, what your conscience could live with.
****
Ron Spagnoli favored early morning jogs. Juli usually walked. They passed each other day after day. They exchanged waves, rarely stopping to chat. It was a very long beach. Twelve miles were specifically tagged as Emerald Isle, but it was only one of the beaches fringing the twenty-one-mile long island of Bogue Banks. Ron jogged to the pier and back, or so he said. Given his muscled appearance, Juli believed him. She liked his open face. He seemed a nice guy, calm and quiet in contrast to his wife and the imp, Charlie.
****
Donna spread liberal amounts of red pigment on the canvas. “It’s a poppy,” she said.
Juli said, “A large poppy. Very red. Lots of energy.”
“Red is my favorite color. My husband wants me to hang it in the guestroom when it’s done.”