Boys will be boys.
“What the hell is that?!”
“My latest creation, an expression of beauty and love…and why are you looking at me like that?”
“You… You cannot be serious. That is three lines on a canvas.”
Fortuna looked at his masterpiece, and then glared back at Dominic. “You have no artistic eye.” he sneered, taking a drag from his cigarette and rubbing his forehead.
“Be that as it may, art is subjective right? And that, mate, is rubbish.” he replied. “Sorry to say, but you’ll have to come up with something better by the next show. Otherwise I’ll have to give your slot to that young lad with the cute bum.”
“Speaking of, how was that hot date last night? With le garcon.”
“Boring as usual, he’s a waiter, we have nothing in common. He just kept chatting on about ‘X Factor’, and his career as an aspiring singer. Quite frankly, I’ve had more fun watching you paint, and we both know how stunningly boring that is.” Dom smiled, as he made his way to the kitchen. “Anyway, I won’t be seeing him again; you know how I feel about the industry.”
“Well that’s not so good then, is it? Maybe you should quit slumming it and learn to be happy on your own for a time… But what do I know, the only girl I’ve ever loved ran away. Hey Dom, while you’re in there, bring me something, and make it strong, yeah? I’ll be outside.”
Dominic had an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew he shouldn’t have, but he brought Fortuna a bottle of wine, sat down and asked him what was wrong. Fortuna took the bottle and began to explain.
“When I was growing up in the French countryside, I knew little about life outside of milking cows every day. Until I met her; the girl who blew through my life like so much dust on the wind.” He took a swill of the wine and his eyes dimmed. “She showed me the beauty of the world, and all of that beauty was in her smiling face, until one day, without warning, she disappeared.”
“Uh huh, and then what happened?” Dominic said, somewhat interested.
“I had heard that she ran off with a wealthy collegiate, and well, I followed her here to London. But that was four years ago. I had hoped to find her, just to see her one more time.” There was a solemn silence as smoke swirled into the air; he took one last drag off of his cigarette before flicking it over the balcony and onto the street below. “I finally found her two years ago. I saw her walking with her new husband, and her daughter. She looked content… happy. It was painfully obvious that all I had given her, all I could ever give her, was not enough. She needed a man who could take care of her.”
Dominic was struck. “You mean to tell me that you moved away from everything you’ve ever known, to track down a bird who wouldn’t give you the time of day?”
“It looks that way. But c’est la vie, we take what we are given and we learn to make what we are able from it. For it was that day, that moment when I set on my path, to reclaim that passion, that indescribable beauty, to find a muse that would inspire that feeling in my bones once again.” Fortuna grabbed the bottle, and finished the last of the wine. “I don’t know what I’d be doing if not creating. I have you to thank for that, for giving me a chance.”
Astonished, Dominic rose up and leaned over, patting Fortuna on the head. “Well, it seems like we need each other then, after all, what could be more beautiful than this face?” They shared a laugh.
*******
The next morning, Dominic awoke to a pounding headache. “Too much wine.” he thought. As he rolled out of bed, and staggered down the stairs, he was met with quite a sight. “Why do you insist on doing yoga, in the nude, in the middle of my great room?”
“The energy flows better here… and don’t pretend that you don’t like this.”
“And I thought I was the vain one.” Dom said as he pulled the bottle of orange juice from the icebox.
Fortuna picked up a towel and wrapped it around himself. “Hey Dom, about last night- Do you remember any of it?”
Dom looked at Fortuna for a second, then panic stricken, he said, “We just talked, didn’t we? And that’s all we did, right?”
“Yeah, I just wanted to make certain since it’s all kind of foggy. I think maybe too much wine.” Fortuna made his way over to the stairs where his clothes were resting on the banister. He dressed and then placed a cigarette behind his ear. “Today I’m going to find inspiration rather than let it find me” he thought as he pulled on his boots. He opened the door and walked out onto the street, not knowing what it was he was looking for. What he did know is that when the time was right, he would find it.
Dom, still in his boxers, walked out onto the balcony, and hunched over the railing. He watched Fortuna walk away, down the road, and he smiled and thought to himself, “I may never truly understand him, but I hope that he finds what he’s after.”