1.9 – Paint me over

“Mel, what are you doing?” Emmanuel chuckled as he reached up to peel Melanie’s fingers from over his eyes.

“Stop,” she laughed, “You’ll ruin the surprise.”

After another unsuccessful attempt, Emmanuel finally dropped his arms to his side and stood patiently waiting for the unveil. Melanie shifted to the side so she wouldn’t miss the look on Emmanuel’s face and slowly begin to remove her fingers.

At first there was nothing. Emmanuel stood there…shocked? Angry? Happy? A bit of all three, perhaps? Then an ear splitting grin covered his face and he quickly turned towards Melanie, scooping her up into a loving embrace. He held her tight before setting her back on the ground.

“How…when…why?”

Melanie leaned against him, her hands folded across her chest and stared at the easel she had gotten Emmanuel as a surprise gift.

“Today  while you were out. As soon as I saw it I just knew I had to get it for you.”

“I…I don’t know what to say. Thank you?”

Melanie giggled and grabbed his hand, tugging him towards the easel. “You’re welcome. Now come one, let’s see what else Santa has brought you.”

She pulled him over towards the easel and grabbed a wooden box from off the floor. She pushed it into his direction and stood back, waiting for him to open it.

“I don’t know much about Art other than it’s messy…but, I think I got the right stuff.”

Emmanuel smiled as he opened the box which revealed to him a slue of art supplies, brushes of varying lengths, an assortment of paint, and folded neatly in one corner of the box was an apron that had King Tut scrawled across it. When his eyes fell on it, he looked up at Melanie with a grin.

She shrugged. “I didn’t know what those things were called that you artsy guys wear. So, I thought an apron would work just as nicely.”

Emmanuel burst into laughter, laid the box down on the floor and walked over to Melanie sliding his arms around her waist. “You never cease to amaze me.”

Melanie faked an eye roll and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m full of surprises, sir.”

“Yes, you are madam.” He bent down to plant a soft kiss on her lips.

She broke the kiss and stepped back. “Now go play with your new toy.” She moved behind him and pushed him towards the easel.

“Mel, wait.” He forced himself to stop and turned to Melanie. “I haven’t drawn anything in years. I may not remember how.”

Melanie frowned and planted her hand on her hip. “You’re full of excuses.” She walked over to the box, pulled out a tube of paint and brush and walked back towards Emmanuel. “You’ll never know if you don’t try.”

Emmanuel took the supplies and went to stand in front of the easel. He begin a familiar set up of the supplies and begin to paint. Melanie smiled from a place behind him.

When he had painted for awhile, he turned slightly to Mel asking for a nonverbal hint of satisfaction for his incomplete painting. Melanie bent her head to the side, closed one eye and stuck out her tongue in a mock display of assessment before smiling and giving Emmanuel a thumbs up. He beamed at the sign of praise and turned back around to finish the painting. Melanie stood and admired his work a bit longer and then walked over to him slowly and wrapped her arms around his torso, pressing her face onto his back.

“See babe…we never forget how to use our God given talents.”

She felt him sigh and exhale above her. “You’re absolutely right.”

They stood like that for minutes more until Melanie and Emmanuel were finished with falling in love all over again.