Page 59 of Refraction

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Lord, lookat that weather.

Back home, spring was right there, waiting, but not here. Not yet.

Weird.

Cool, though. The gray of everything fascinated Tucker’s eyes, and he did a short series of colorless paintings until that bored him. Then he started a series of Calvin for his house.

Those needed color.

Pinks and reds and deep greens that made him grin. The curve of Calvin’s shoulder and that secret smile. He slept with the sketchbook close by, waking up randomly to watch the sunrise or the first people coming out of their buildings, the black coats and the umbrellas and hurrying.

The hurrying made him wonder. Where can you possibly be going where you have to go so fast?

His phone started chirping at him over and over. Weather app? Something on the radar? He blinked away from the windows, trying to remember where he’d put his phone.

He found it charging on the floor and picked it up.

morning!

in car

omg got up late ran out door

rain murder on my hair so mad

wanted 2 call u last nite but fell asleep w/ phone in my hand

miss u

lots of kisses

another long day

not fluttering

fuck that. hands are shaking. yesterday went great

Oh, honey.

So glad. I miss u too. Have a great day. I’m thinking about going outside today. Need bagels.

save me 1. had tea yesterday. Will B toast 2nite but could crash with u…

You can. You know you can. No strings.God, he would love that. A good old-fashioned nap.

cu2nite lvr!Calvin’s text had a line of hearts after it. One for each color of the rainbow.

Lord have mercy, that was about as cute as anything.Love you honey

He waited a minute but didn’t get a reply.

Tucker shook his head and grinned, then put his phone down. He had a few hours to paint before he needed to hide his canvases. For someone who made a living letting folks take his picture, Calvin sure didn’t like Tuck drawing him. He really wished Calvin had explained to him why, because it didn’t make any sense to him.

A photograph could be made into a lie. You put it in a computer and mess around with it and a man could lose his personality. No wrinkles of joy next to his eyes, no pale little mole in front of his right ear, no tiny little scar on his hip. The beautiful bits. The special parts that made Calvin stunning.

Like the stray bit of blond hair he was painting, dark with sweat and stuck to Calvin’s forehead.

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