Stuffing his hands into worn jean pockets, Brax mumbled to himself as he walked down the sidewalk. Though his father had never hinted at any disappointment in his career choices, there was an uncomfortable aura that seeped out his pores whenever the subject was brought up. Brax blinked out of his thoughts when he felt a pair of eyes watching him. A smile formed on his face. Careful not show too much interest, he wandered over to a large bush. It was hard to hold back laughter as the bush shifted. Pulling his hands out of his jeans, he scratched at his golden scruff. Brax debated not saying anything at all and letting her go, but that wouldn’t be fun. 889Please respect copyright.PENANADy2YamALtN
889Please respect copyright.PENANAX6BruE1lup
“Why are you in a bush, Lo?” he calmly asked, his mouth twitching when the bush froze. He heard a soft groan. Slowly bending down and placing his elbows on his knees, Brax sensed the piercing glare of two deep green eyes, “Well?”889Please respect copyright.PENANA6pcIW5ztPN
889Please respect copyright.PENANAMcPOa21Jw5
The woman in question did not respond right away. She continued to glare at him before standing up with a hint of pink tingeing her cheeks.889Please respect copyright.PENANAZAjzNyop8F
“I…well...y-you…” she stuttered. When Brax laughed in his deep baritone voice, she adjusted her shoulder bag of books and snapped her mouth shut. London rolled her eyes when he flashed her a smile. “I was trying to save myself from another one of your awful moments of embarrassment.” 889Please respect copyright.PENANA0nUhQ2oeSp
889Please respect copyright.PENANAKRituiBed3
Brax brushed a few leaves of hair out of her chestnut colored braid and chuckled, “You stole my moment of glory then.” He paused to let her reaction sink in. She opened her mouth to reply but couldn’t say anything as her cheeks sported a deeper shade of pink. “Why hide? Just cave in Lo,” he said with confidence. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAJI94tygcWn
889Please respect copyright.PENANACgRC1ijxZu
“No,” she replied simply. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAGzfRQ8r8he
889Please respect copyright.PENANAoS3G2gPjzw
Brax shrugged carelessly and walked down the sidewalk. London glared after him as he rounded the corner. She straightened her clothes and brushed away the dirt. Biting her lip, she glanced with unease in the direction he disappeared before continuing to her next lecture. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAbuNQc8i8no
889Please respect copyright.PENANACHr6yuPUQs
Normally, Brax would have asked her on a date or tried some crazy antic to get her to confess her undying love for him. None of that happened this time. Something was off. London rubbed the sides her temples. The man gave her a headache. London groaned as she saw the amount of dirt on her knees. She would have to go back to her apartment to decently scrub it off. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAb7yTBr0Mg5
889Please respect copyright.PENANAgjNVvk81U4
“Why did I dive into a bush?” she muttered.889Please respect copyright.PENANAWs04GAhidu
Walking into the large lecture hall, London threw the heavy bag onto a seat. The image of his smile flashed hot in her mind. The heat on her cheeks didn’t recede and she internally willed the images away. Opening her book bag, she pulled out her notebook and ran her fingers gingerly over the cover. A sad smile spread across her face. Brax had taped a picture of a single sunflower he hand sketched in charcoal onto the top. The sketch was beautifully done. Although she would never admit it to his face, she often reused the cover when a new notebook was needed. It was one of the favorite gifts she had received from him. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAe2GZNxhHbv
889Please respect copyright.PENANA6in426C3h6
When Brax had first started to relentlessly pursue her, she had told him he would eventually give up on her. Naive and convinced of young men’s feeble attempts to grab at anything, London thought he would ultimately give up on her. London never once showed interest or led him to believe otherwise. Logically he should have left her alone. Brax had a very nifty gift of defying logic. In response to her behavior, Brax told her he would give her a randomly handmade gift each week and every week. Roughly three years and over 160 gifts later, he had never missed a week. Some were silly little cartoon drawings or a perfectly folded origami. Others were beautiful miniature sculptures or paintings. The presents were almost always tiny but nonetheless breathtaking pieces of art. London could never refute his talent. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAHj7S0z3S8U
889Please respect copyright.PENANAQgmIjEauUM
“Why the long face, doll?” 889Please respect copyright.PENANARlqZUAVLVB
889Please respect copyright.PENANAboSLYSL3vM
London blinked a few times, her best friend Ivory coming into focus, “And why are you covered in dirt?” she asked with a small laugh as she sat next to her. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAjL3vgkT0GW
889Please respect copyright.PENANAIiggMJ8KNu
“I dove into a bush.” London mumbled. Ivory choked back a laugh and eyed her friend suspiciously. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAsoWEX4gv9I
“Why…?”889Please respect copyright.PENANA4otxLKpJF1
889Please respect copyright.PENANA1pDN4Bjiqj
“To get away from an imp,” London stated while she covered her notebook cover with her textbook. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAN6wDdkMFGd
889Please respect copyright.PENANAKoItAbuCoh
“Ah, your handsome fiend strikes again?” Ivory smiled wide. “He never backs down does he?”889Please respect copyright.PENANA1Q56WcMEXl
889Please respect copyright.PENANAwULAP4TKFg
London groaned softly, “No, he doesn't.” Sadness creeped across London’s face. Ivory was silent as she watch the emotions conflict in her eyes. “He isn't mine,” she whispered.889Please respect copyright.PENANA2P9iz37bFE
889Please respect copyright.PENANAnObzeFPR2r
“You should at least go out on a date with him. Give him a chance.” Ivory said softly opening her book. 889Please respect copyright.PENANATX4kjztvGX
889Please respect copyright.PENANA8GnCSl38Rm
London didn’t say anything and simply wrote down the notes from the board. London had accepted the fact that Brax was not meant for her. No one was for her. Her future did not hold passionate true love. It was already a fact she had accepted.889Please respect copyright.PENANA2DYrelDgEg
889Please respect copyright.PENANAt0rkjpd1pz
Brax sprawled out on his unkempt bed, staring at the ceiling. He searched his imagination. Colors exploded and took odd shapes only to burst into nothing. The small block of clay mocked him as it stood on his disheveled studio table. The piece for the gallery viewing was not coming to life like he had hoped. He let out a very slow breath and ran his fingers through his long hair. London was going to be the death of him. 889Please respect copyright.PENANASyxQircY3s
Frustrated, he hopped up and paced his studio apartment. This week he was working on individual peony flowers made of felt. The lush roses and greenery were already finished, placed in a box waiting for the peonies to be finished. He walked over to the drying rack and inspected them carefully. Each was delicately hand dyed and molded in different hues of pink till they looked perfect. But something was missing. Pulling up a stool he opened his sketchbook and etched out the bouquet. He took extreme detail with each petal. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAg7omHOtl7H
889Please respect copyright.PENANAGjZIZmqpy0
Lazily leaning over the back of his stool, he stared at his apartment. His eyes fell upon a circle glass orb that hung from the ceiling near his kitchen. His sister had hung it there last she visited. Inside were a few air planets and succulents. Quickly Brax straightened up and bent over his book working out the extra details in the bouquet. Satisfied with his work, he rushed over to the other side of his room and took out the wool fibers and dye from the cabinets. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAWdE9rU1d9v
889Please respect copyright.PENANAbe8LMFALs8
Hours later Brax fell onto the couch, his body covered in fabric dye, wool, and paint. Hands sore from molding the wet wool, Brax rubbed them methodically as he stared at the ceiling. Somehow, he knew it wasn’t the right time to give her this particular item. Luckily, he had a spot in his art storage specifically for items that he made for her. In case class projects and gallery pieces took up too much time, he had backups he made in his spare time throughout the years.889Please respect copyright.PENANAl8ipXZOf0f
There was something about her that called out to him. During their freshman year, Brax had ran into her more then a few times. Quietly observing her. The way she would give encouraging smiles to her friend despite being nervous herself. When she was lost in thought while reading she tended to hold her pen in her mouth slightly. When she didn’t get a good score on a test the determination set on her face would make him snicker. Brax often found London almost walking into walls and doors because she was lost in a book she was reading. She was honest, caring, and odd. It took months to get up the courage to finally talk to her. The way London would turn him down while getting flustered enticed him more to continue.889Please respect copyright.PENANA6skM6yazNP
He causally walked over his storage room and leaned against the wall staring at the items he had yet to give to London. He clenched his jaw viewing the raw passion put into some of the pieces. London would one day accept his feelings. That woman was it for him. There would be no other in his life. Eventually, he would be able to convince her. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAnvlMOZMzR5
889Please respect copyright.PENANA97dttoemwZ
Very carefully, Brax examined all of the artwork on the long shelves. Each week he carefully chose pieces that were relevant to their interactions. He paused, picking up a watercolor painting of the arts building full of autumn colors. He chuckled noticing the large bushes on the side of the building. Her petite form only half hid behind the bushes caught him by surprise. Brax wished he hadn’t been daydreaming. He was only ten seconds too late to see her dive behind them. Gently he closed the storage door and placed the picture next to the finished felt bouquet. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAT3AEIfnjuf
889Please respect copyright.PENANAXLncQat11h
“Don’t you have some large gallery exhibition to be attending?” London said annoyed as she continued to flip through her book. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAZLWanERKwF
889Please respect copyright.PENANAbFGb5Fn1T0
“I am waiting for my date to join me,” Brax said nonchalantly. His back was to her as he pretended to look through the large library bookshelf. London froze. In the last six years, Brax had never once pursued or mentioned another woman. She frowned, biting her lip. Sadness swept over her in a rush. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAZVaZJVucAk
Attempting to push away the sentiment, she flipped to another page and tried to focus. 889Please respect copyright.PENANA8q3UvJx55n
Brax glanced at her with a half smirk on his face. “I’ve only gotten her to go out with me once,” he continued. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAMnp60lvOjD
889Please respect copyright.PENANAg0iYDQFryJ
“Once huh? You are making progress. Guess you aren’t so hopeless,” she pushed through the words, jealously boiling up and confounding her.889Please respect copyright.PENANANBP0zfDEHa
889Please respect copyright.PENANA3Zsc0W8kUj
“Still hopeless…” he said walking over to her. Brax slowly leaned forward over her shoulder and softly said, “It took her six years to agree to go on a date.” His breath felt hot against her ear and London gasped softly. 889Please respect copyright.PENANApXZgmXVwLY
889Please respect copyright.PENANAiR1WEam578
“W-what are you talking about?” she stuttered. Her mind moved sluggishly. It was focused on his strong arm gripping the table. “I have not agreed to a date,” she stated. Heat bloomed on her cheeks. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAkT5lv4EO4B
889Please respect copyright.PENANAkHWereli6e
Brax pretended to look confused as he straightened, “I was positive you had agreed. Remember the other day? I had asked if you and Ivory were going to come to the viewing. You said yes.”889Please respect copyright.PENANAsU2LEl1fo8
889Please respect copyright.PENANAj8IRgMoPef
London turned around, looking up into his eyes, “That was not an invitation for a date,” she said slowly.
889Please respect copyright.PENANAFV6XI7o9Ey
She was walking into a trap. She knew it. London would never admit it to him out loud, but she wouldn’t mind getting caught. Just this once. London wasn’t sure when she fell for him. It could have been the moment he first handed her a painting declaring he would eventually get her to go on a date. Might have been each time she received a wrapped parcel when he was away from campus or on summer breaks. Brax had kept his promise. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAwEDteycxHw
Perhaps it was two years ago when he unexpectedly showed up at her grandmother’s funeral after not seeing him for seven months. After that she opened up to him. Yet, she couldn’t convince herself she really deserved to be with him. Since then, she spent more time with him, grateful they both had chosen to stay at the same college for their graduate degrees. Slowly she found herself seeking him out in a crowd and felt loneliness when he wasn’t around.889Please respect copyright.PENANAqY2MbEBkK9
889Please respect copyright.PENANAE3eI2DDKyt
“Lo?” Brax asked waving a hand in front of her. “Lost you there for a moment…” he laughed. “So are you ready?” he asked, reaching out a large hand towards her.
889Please respect copyright.PENANAFip0wDaLq7
Without thinking, she held out her fingers. Surprise ran over his features and he quickly reached farther and grasped her hand before she could pull away. A bright smile grew on his face. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAAzz9jXgHNU
889Please respect copyright.PENANAETen7c9Uhk
“Good,” he whispered. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAPaARnMMWjV
889Please respect copyright.PENANA0XW9uWroTh
London’s breath caught in her throat. His lips felt hot and inviting. She gripped his shirt tightly. Slowly Brax pulled away. London shivered, his breath searing across her skin. Opening her eyes, she met his gaze. There was safety there. His thumb gently rubbed the edge of her chin, fingers tangled in her hair. London’s fuzzy mind couldn’t process thoughts as her stomach wrenched in knots. She needed more. Leaning up, she placed their lips together again with a desire that consumed her. Their soft breaths and rustling of clothes were drowned out by the throbbing of her heart in her ears. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAGADnZV2c9y
889Please respect copyright.PENANAziiyE2amjQ
“I love you…” he whispered against her skin. Joy exploded from the grogginess. London drew back and dropped her arms. She stared at him for a few moments as the words sunk in. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAnEH1o22PCt
889Please respect copyright.PENANALfKhDUgujE
Brax bit his lip nervously as she watched him intently. Her skin was flushed and lips plump. Short brown strands of hair pointed in odd directions. Brax couldn’t take his eyes off her. His thoughts were frantic. Those words were not meant to come out at this moment. They were being saved. Shifting his weight between his feet, he fidgeted. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAfLuGUBK0dV
889Please respect copyright.PENANAnVdjJhIW3S
“Say it again,” she whispered. Unable to read her, Brax took a moment to get his thoughts straight. 889Please respect copyright.PENANATt1vAnZFr8
889Please respect copyright.PENANAFaMWN7H6Y2
He wet his lips, “I love you Lo.” 889Please respect copyright.PENANAtZ0sEIKUD5
889Please respect copyright.PENANAtIjAU9pD1B
She inclined her head to the side. Love. London never thought she would ever hear those words spoken to her. Brax slowly had chipped away at her. London had watched firsthand how love could tear and destroy people. Her parents’ relationship wheeled wildly out of control and she was eventually abandoned at her grandmother’s because neither of them wanted her. Love was twisted and cruel. It changed people and never in a good way. That is how she always viewed it until Brax. Every beautiful piece of work she received gave her hope. Every smile and kiss he gifted her with gave her a new perspective. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAXI5YvRCre0
Hot tears built up behind her eyes. Emotions welled up at the surface and she stumbled over her words. “Brax,” she sighed. In that moment, Brax felt his heart sink. Fear hit his gut. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAHB4BqyQ7u7
889Please respect copyright.PENANAYUKEULWQIV
Her body slammed into his and he firmly wrapped his arms around her. London buried her face in his chest and mumbled something he couldn’t comprehend. “Lo…” he said. She kept mumbling. Brax gently rubbed her back and said forcefully, “Lo. Please speak English.” 889Please respect copyright.PENANA7zBTPzZDy4
889Please respect copyright.PENANAK2l1sSWbZC
Brax felt her body shake in his arms. He stared at her in confusion until her bell like laugh filled his thoughts.
889Please respect copyright.PENANAsTT7Ync2tW
“I love you too idiot,” she said between laughs and sniffles. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAxRYGyrjRHy
889Please respect copyright.PENANA3CioyKT1wx
Laughing, London hunched over forgetting about her drink in her hand as its contents split on the ground. Brax looked peeved. A tall man stood next to him and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAWM4xnXzTCS
889Please respect copyright.PENANAGAl6Er89dh
“You look so… weird!” London laughed again not able to hold it in. Brax shrugged his brother’s arm off and stepped away. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAdPeIMa8bZq
889Please respect copyright.PENANAgcqx0sVQ2b
“You knew when you brought her there would be the unenviable moment of shaven Brax,” his brother said, trying to stifle laughter. 889Please respect copyright.PENANA4wfu5EVhdt
889Please respect copyright.PENANA0X8vRL83RI
“I didn’t realize you would have something like that hidden in your phone. That is an all-time low, Ravi,” Brax mumbled. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAGsNXFBfy8d
889Please respect copyright.PENANARJ5ZlG00Sd
“Why would you do such a thing?” London asked reaching out for Ravi’s phone again.889Please respect copyright.PENANAqYhjFSoJKE
The younger man in the picture sported a clean-shaven head and an annoyed scowl plastered on his face. Compared to her current Brax with long blonde locks that held a natural wave, it was difficult to believe he would shave his head. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAo4kKOh7y3S
889Please respect copyright.PENANAuD4S62Zz3y
“There was an unfortunate explosion of plaster paste.” Brax said running his hand down his face. 889Please respect copyright.PENANABNkQFYevlB
London let out another fit of giggles. Brax smiled warmly at her as he watched her and his brother interact. He gently tugged her to his side, resting his hand on her lower back. Without breaking conversation with Ravi, London leaned in against him. Brax fought off the desire to kiss her. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAmfPV2qiPS1
889Please respect copyright.PENANAdnFYViwkPb
“What’s wrong?” London asked, setting down her drink and wrapping her arms around his waist. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAijRJrZYZRN
889Please respect copyright.PENANAzipcv9Lmny
“Nothing,” he said as he kissed the top of her head. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAmLzyMRUuzd
889Please respect copyright.PENANAAe9xvLRovV
His brother walked over to them and handed Brax a bottle of beer. An uncontrollable quiver took over Brax’s hand and the glass shattered on the stone patio. London gasped and Brax stared with concern at his fingers. He quickly hid the confusion and forced a laugh. 889Please respect copyright.PENANA1KtcIyLQwH
“Sorry, wasn’t pay attention,” he lied. London glanced up at him with worry but brushed it off as Brax continued as usual. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAIA3LSOXy4Z
889Please respect copyright.PENANAQsNPBSeflY
Hearing an abrupt crash from the back half of the house, London ran towards the loud cursing. Walking into the room, London paused and watched the scene play out. Brax threw the canvas across the room. Paints were splattered all over the cloth on the floor. Paintbrushes lay snapped and broken. London remained silent. These outbursts escalated as the tremors in his hands worsened. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAXe5G2Y3AAb
889Please respect copyright.PENANATpmDJealZ7
“Love…” she softly said walking over to him. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAJYKTgCBh3B
889Please respect copyright.PENANAY010MLrguR
“What am I without-” he shouted, expanding his arms towards the whole studio, “Without any of this?!” 889Please respect copyright.PENANAgqADyB045u
889Please respect copyright.PENANAhtV5AfFqPb
The words stung. London stood speechless before him. Unable to comfort him, she let him storm out of the studio. Bringing her hands to her face, London hid her tears. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAwbR5824OI2
889Please respect copyright.PENANANJsLlC7DSB
A pair of young women stood before a glass case talking in hushed voices. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAOuYIhIpPzK
889Please respect copyright.PENANAoaQv97LmcQ
“What about this piece?” The shorter woman asked. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAkzjOfIlYME
889Please respect copyright.PENANAupboPhTajv
They leaned in and flipped through the booklet, searching for the picture of the piece of art before them. Stopping on a page, they let out a soft sigh finding its duplicate picture. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAPDxADSvZyR
“Number 327. Felt peony bouquet gifted in 2011. Delicate petals of the peony are hand painted. Each flower was specifically arranged and pinned together. The pink hues of the peonies and roses are off set by the faint tinted green and blue succulents. The arrangement was used as the bouquet Mrs. Rufer carried down the aisle at their wedding in 2013.” One of them read out loud. They paused and stared at the beautiful bouquet that stood in a simple white porcelain vase. 889Please respect copyright.PENANA2C8Pwu2y1c
889Please respect copyright.PENANAbz1gui1NZZ
“This is like a walking timeline of their love story.” 889Please respect copyright.PENANArIh0BXtEhK
889Please respect copyright.PENANAZVf54WuSFQ
“Each piece bears raw emotions. It’s empowering to see firsthand. The collection in the books don’t show enough details,” her friend whispered. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAx6SitGV40v
889Please respect copyright.PENANARPqKI90vZL
“It’s perfect,” the other replied. 889Please respect copyright.PENANA52mk6TB3zp
She stepped back and circled the large hall. It would take hours to look at every single piece of work that was on display. They quickly hurried towards their guide as she began talking. 889Please respect copyright.PENANAPdmDLDvGV3
889Please respect copyright.PENANAZ3PktfSjZ1
“As you can see all 681 pieces are arranged in chronological order from when they were given. Dates range from years 2008 to the end of 2021. The weekly gifts continued many years after their marriage until Mr. Rufer’s disease its toll and he lost the ability to use his hands. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2019, Brax Rufer continued to create breathtaking sculptures, sketches, and paintings for his wife. The pieces down the hall to the left are the very last he was able to produce.”
889Please respect copyright.PENANAyd4gNdUe7z