Chapter Thirteen Twenty-Three Years #2
A younger couple sat at the table near the front holding hands.
"Yeah."She tried not to laugh."It kind of does.
"Then something caught her eye. She looked toward the whiteboard at the front of the room, she started giggling.
"Cam.""What?"Simone pointed."Look."Camille followed her finger.The second she saw the words on the board, her mouth fell open.COUPLES PAINTING CLASS"Oh my God.
"Simone laughed. Camille looked over at her.
"It didn't say couples."Simone was laughing too hard to answer.
"It didn't!""You picked the class.""I know!
"Camille covered her face."It did not say couples.
" Simone shook her head."You sure?"Camille pointed at the board.
"That was not on the website."Simone laughed.
Then after a second, she looked over."Do you want to leave?
"Camille looked at her."No."The answer came so quickly it surprised both of them.
Simone smiled."Okay."Camille looked at her for a second.
Then asked quietly,"Do you?"Simone's smile softened.
"No."For a moment neither of them looked away.
Then Simone glanced back toward the front of the room.
"We can stay."Camille smiled."Okay."As they continued talking quietly, the classroom door opened.
A woman walked in carrying a stack of papers and a bright smile.She looked like she was in her fifties, with dark curly hair pulled back and paint smudges on the sleeve of her shirt.The room gradually grew quiet.
"Hello everyone," she said, her French accent noticeable but easy to understand.
"Welcome to the class."A few people smiled and greeted her back.
She sat her papers down on a table at the front of the room and looked around.Then she laughed.
"Actually,""I should say welcome love birds.
"A few couples laughed. Camille looked down at the table.
Beside her, Simone suddenly found the paintbrushes very interesting.
"My name is Colette and I will be your instructor today.
"She gestured toward the room."For the next two hours, you and your partners will create a painting together.
"Camille slowly looked over at Simone. Simone was already looking at her.
"We do not worry about being perfect," Colette continued.A few people laughed.
"I promise, some of the worst paintings I have ever seen were made in this room.
"That got a bigger laugh."The goal is to have fun.
"Camille stared very hard at the table."You may even learn something new about the person sitting beside you.
"Simone rubbed her forehead. This woman was going to be a problem.
"Now before we begin, I would love to know your names and how long you have been together.
"Simone nearly choked. The introductions started around the room.
One couple had been together for three years.Another for seven.
One pair proudly announced they had been married for fifteen years, earning applause from the rest of the class.Then Colette looked toward Simone and Camille.
"And you two?"Simone and Camille looked at each other.
Then both answered at the same time."We're not a couple.
"Colette blinked."No?"Camille shook her head.
"We're best friends.""Oh."Colette smiled.
"How long?""Twenty-three years," Simone answered.A few people looked surprised.
"Twenty-three?" a man near the front repeated.Camille laughed.
"Yeah.""That's longer than some marriages.
"The room laughed."How did you two meet?
" Colette asked.Simone smiled."In high school.
When I was fifteen, my mom got transferred for work.
""To Florida," Camille added.Simone nodded.
"To Florida, right in the middle of the school year," Simone said.
"Which was terrible, by the way." Camille said.The class laughed.
"It was," Simone agreed. "I didn't know anybody.
""Then on my third day, we got paired together for a class assignment.
""It was science," Camille said."We figured out that we both loved science.
""And everything else," Camille added.That got another laugh from the class.
Camille smiled and shook her head."We became friends that day, Camille was the nicest and sweetest person I met.
"She looked over at Camille."And we've been inseparable ever since.
"The room collectively let out a small aww.
"She's been there through some of the worst times in my life.
" Camille said.Camille looked at Simone.
"And I'm really happy I have her."Simone looked back at her.For a second she didn't say anything.Then she smiled.
"Yeah."Her voice was softer than before.
"So am I."Colette smiled warmly from the front of the room.
"Now that," she said, looking around the room, "is a beautiful partnership.
"Colette smiled at them before looking around the room.
"Okay, everyone."She clapped her hands together.
"Now that we know who you are, we can begin.
"A few people laughed. Colette walked over to a large easel at the front of the room.
"For today's class, you will not be painting Paris.
"Several people groaned dramatically."No Eiffel Tower.
"Another laugh."No Mona Lisa."Camille looked at Simone.
"There goes my masterpiece."Simone laughed.
"You were definitely not painting the Mona Lisa.
""You don't know my talent.""I do."Colette pointed toward the couples.
"Today, you will be painting something inspired by the person sitting beside you.
"Some couples smiled. Some reached for each other's hands.
Camille slowly looked over at Simone. Simone looked back.Uh oh.Colette continued.
"It can be a place." "A memory.""A feeling.
""Anything that reminds you of them."Camille looked down at her blank canvas.
A memory. She had twenty-three years of them.
Beside her, Simone looked equally overwhelmed.
"Before we begin," Colette said, "I want each pair to spend a few minutes talking.
""I want you to tell your partner about a memory that makes you smile.
"Camille laughed."One?"Simone laughed too.
"That's impossible."Colette pointed at them.
"You have twenty-three years. I think you can find one.
"The room laughed. Camille shook her head.
"She's got a point."Simone smiled."Unfortunately.
"Colette smiled and clapped her hands together.
"Okay, love birds. You have a few minutes to decide what memory you want to paint.
"Camille turned toward Simone."So."Simone smiled.
"Yes."Camille laughed. "What memory can you think of?
"Simone leaned back in her chair."Hmm."She tapped the end of her paintbrush against the table.
Then her face lit up."Oh.""What?""Senior ditch day.
"Camille's mouth fell open."No way.""What?
""I was literally thinking the same thing.
"Both of them started laughing."I swear I was.
"Across the room, Colette noticed.She pointed at them.
"Of course.""You two figured it out first."Then Colette clapped her hands again.
"Okay everyone.""For the next part, I need each pair to sit across from one another.
"A few people looked confused. Colette smiled mischievously.
"No peeking."That earned a laugh. "You are creating your own interpretation of the memory.
"Everyone began moving around the room. Tables moved.
Chairs scraped lightly across the floor.
Camille picked up her supplies and moved to the chair across from Simone.Once they were settled, Colette continued.
"You may talk."She pointed around the room.
"You may laugh."More laughter."But you may not tell your partner what you are painting.
"Camille looked at Simone.Simone pointed at her.
"Don't even think about it."Camille laughed.
"I wasn’t going to do anything.""That's a lie.
""I just wanted a small little look."Colette shook her head.
"You see? This is why you're sitting apart.
"Camille and Simone looked at each other and smiled.
Then Colette picked up a paintbrush."Now.
"She gestured toward the blank canvases. "Let's create something beautiful."
Camille looked down at her blank canvas. Then across the table at Simone. Simone smiled. Camille smiled back. Twenty-three years. And somehow, they had chosen the same memory.