her head trying to decide what was behind the two impressions … rising stairs? A jungle? As she peered, it seemed the two figures were moving away from each other. Yet when she stood directly in front of the painting, the man and woman appeared to be coming together. She frowned, squinted her eyes, and looked again, giving her head a slight shake.
“So, you see it, too.”
Angela turned toward the voice behind the counter. “Oh, hello Willow.” She laughed at her own preoccupation.
“Hi, Angela, I’m so glad you could come on such short notice. Sorry for the wait, I was on the computer with a client, making some final adjustments for wedding flowers. What can I get you, coffee, hot tea, a cold drink?”
“Tea sounds good.”
“Make yourself comfortable.” Willow made a sweep of her arm around the room.
Angela decided to sit at the table where she could have a good view of the painting. She sank into the comfortable chair and placed her purse on the one next to her. Her gaze panned the room again but homed in on the painting and stayed there. She leaned forward, squinting to read the signature.
Willow came out from behind the counter with two cups of steaming tea in her hands. “The artist is Marco … Marco Del Sands.” She sat the cups down in front of them. “I am so glad we’re finally getting together.”
“Me, too.” Angela took the cup Willow offered.
“I know I told you I would show you our shop, but truth is, I don’t come in very often anymore. The girl that works for us couldn’t come in today, so in a little while Katelyn has to go and tend the plants in the homes and businesses. So, here I am!” She flipped her hands in the air.
“Oh, your daughter’s here, I’d love to meet her.”
“She’s in the office finishing up some things. She knows you’re here. She should be out in a minute.”
Angela nodded. “The place is lovely. Truly, Willow. I’m so impressed.” Her gaze surfed the room.
“Well, thank you. We’ve tried to make it inviting.”
“Accomplished!” Angela took a sip of the hot tea while her eyes drifted over the rim of the cup and turned once again to the painting on the opposite wall.
“You like the painting?” Willow asked.
“Like? Uh ... I’m captivated by it. And befuddled at the same time.”
Willow laughed. “You’re not the only one that it strikes that way. Then, too, it doesn’t strike some, at all.”
“It is an enigma.” Angela frowned. “I don’t recognize the artist, but I—”
“I’m leaving, Mom.” Katelyn burst into the room, ponytail swinging, a pretty woman a few years younger than Angela and full of energy. She had a strong resemblance to her mother.
Willow beckoned her daughter over to the table. “Katelyn, I want you to meet Angela.”
“It’s so nice to meet you.” She shook Angela’s hand. “I’m sorry I missed you at Grandmama Grace’s a few weeks ago.”
“Me, too.” Angela leaned on her elbows on the table. “It was delightful.”
“Mom said you fit right in,” Katelyn said. “Even won Grandmama Grace over by singing.”
“I could hardly call it singing. I just harmonized a little with your mother. Isn’t that right, Willow?”
Willow shrugged. “You’ve got a good set of pipes.”
“Nothing like yours. Do you sing, Katelyn?”
“Not really,” Katelyn admitted.
Willow slashed a hand through the air. “She’s being modest. Beautiful voice. She just doesn’t exercise it enough. Moving on, Angela and I were just talking about Marco’s painting.” Willow gave Katelyn a knowing grin.
Katelyn cradled her cheeks in her hands. “Oh, dear.”
Willow chuckled.
Katelyn turned to Angela. “Then, I guess that means you saw it?”
“I’m not sure what I saw.” Angela frowned in thought. “I think I saw a man and a woman, some stairs or some kind of jungle. I don’t know.” She left out the part about seeing them moving. They’d think she was crazy.
“What were they doing?” Katelyn asked.
Angela hesitated. Tricky now, should she tell them? What the heck. “That’s the strange part,” she stated hesitantly. “Initially, I thought they were moving away from each other. But then, when I looked again, it looked like they were moving toward each other.
Willow and Katelyn shared a look.
Angela’s eyes moved back and forth between the two women. “What? What?”
“It’s just a little phenomenon that happens to special people.” They raised their eyebrows in a woo woo expression.
Angela was puzzled, but she was also intrigued. “Did you see it?” She addressed the question to both of them.
“Yes,” they said in unison.
“I