The Fate of the Muse - By Derrolyn Anderson Page 0,31
realizing at that moment exactly how little I really knew about her. She started to walk away, and I could see her shadowy figure shuffling up the stairs, pausing, and turning back to face me, “I need you to watch over them. Don’t let them go hungry.”
“Of course not,” I said, bending down to pick up my surfboard, adjusting it under my arm before following her up the stairs. She disappeared into the near blackness of the cover of the trees, and I could hear her on the dark path ahead of me, laughing to herself at some private joke.
“Bless your soul, sweetie.”
When I reached the top of the stairs she was nowhere to be seen.
“Stella… Stella?” I looked up and down the street but she had gone on without me. I stopped to listen but the night was as still as before. I made a mental note to pick up more cat food in the morning, and get it to her before I left for Paris. She was probably starting to run low right about now.
The next day dawned bright and clear. It was Friday, and the big demonstration was scheduled for the next afternoon. I knew that Ethan was already at the site, hard at work, setting up a stage for the speakers and performers and roping off the parking areas. Dutch was picking up a barbeque pit, and they had plenty of volunteers scheduled to set up tables and awnings.
I needed to get downtown and deliver my paintings to the gallery, so I decided to pick up some cat food on the way home. I scrutinized my pile of finished paintings, selecting a nice assortment for the show, and loading them in the Rover. I found myself reluctant to leave my studio, but I had to get the paintings over to Susan’s gallery in time for her to hang them.
Before I locked up, I paused to take a last look around the loft. Shayla and I had worked hard to clean the place up and it was completely transformed. It looked comfortable, and I truly felt as though I could relax here. I shivered with a long absent happiness, and had an overwhelming urge to see Ethan. I couldn’t wait to surprise him with my new studio, and decided to show him after the rally. I realized we could be completely alone here, and the thought was both exciting and scary.
When I turned into Abby’s drive the first thing I saw was Ethan’s truck. It was a happy surprise, for I didn’t expect him until much later. I walked in with a smile, lugging a large bag of cat food. Ethan and Abby were sitting at the kitchen table. They looked at the bag and back up at me with sympathetic eyes.
“I see you heard,” Abby said.
Ethan got up to give me a hug, “I just found out… Are you okay?”
I drew back, “Found out what?”
“Didn’t you see the paper?”
“No,” I said, looking between the two of them. They exchanged an uncomfortable glance.
“We have some bad news…” Abby bit her lip, “You better sit down, hun.”
Ethan took my hand and showed me the newspaper. There was an obituary with a picture of Stella and a headline that read, “Longtime Aptos Resident.” I took it from him and read an article that said Stella had been found dead at her daughter’s house… five days ago.
“No,” I shook my head in disbelief, “It’s not possible.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, squeezing my shoulder.
I looked up at them, “But, seriously… I… I just saw her.”
They exchanged a look. “Oh honey… I’m so sorry.” Abby said.
“No! I mean, it’s got to be a mistake,” I said dismissively, not wanting to bring up my surfing last night. “I bet she’s down there as we speak… in fact, I’m going for a walk to drop off some food to her right now.”
Now they looked alarmed. I got up, mildly irritated, “It’s just some dumb mistake. Trust me, you can’t believe everything you read!”
Abby rushed over to me with a sob and hugged me close, patting my back like she was burping a baby. I rolled my eyes at Ethan in amusement, patting her in return.
“I’ll just be a little while,” I told them, getting up to go.
“I’ll go with you,” Ethan said, following me out the door. He took the bag under one arm and my hand with the other, casting sideways glances at me as we walked.