Copper heard the music when she entered the house. Mom was listening to John Mayer again! She rolled her chair quietly through the house and peeked through the French doors leading to her mother’s studio. Her mom was moving in a rhythm as she moved the clay in her hands. The long gold tresses swayed as her mother’s body became rhythm. She should be a dancer, Copper thought! Her mother’s short turquoise cotton dress floated occasionally as she danced around the light filled studio in worn brown cowboy boots. Copper smiled and stifled a giggle, as the light mood infected her heart. For too long Mom has been sad, she thought. Then she saw movement and Copper’s dad moved into view! Dad was home? This early?
Copper’s eyes widened in surprise as her dad easily danced in the room. He took her mom’s hand, his arm around her waist and they danced around the studio! Her mom threw her head back and laughed! Her dad twirled her mom easily and then…..he dipped her! Copper giggled, as one smooth tanned, cowboy boot tipped leg came up and blond hair trailed the floor. On and on they danced until a twirl out and back put her mother with her back against her dad’s chest, his arms around her, she laughing up into his loved filled eyes fastened on hers.
Copper quietly replaced the sheer curtain on her view, respecting this private movement. Copper smile, she could hear Hootie belting out music with her mom and dad’s laughter mixed in. Too often people assumed Copper could not enjoy this type of moment because she was chair bound, but music was life!
The new sculpture was finished! Copper waited until everyone was gone before she entered the studio. It was sitting on her mother’s worktable covered in a deep turquoise silk throw. The silk easily slipped away, like water running off smooth stones and Copper’s heart stopped.
The sculpture was just a face at a window, just one pane. The joy on the face caused Copper to smile; because it seemed the laughter was just a hair’s breadth away from erupting into the room. A small hand covered the girl’s mouth holding in the giggles, her eyes were wide with surprised joy. Then Copper looked closer at the window. It shined and was of glass! Embedded in the glass was an almost image……Copper moved slightly and the image cleared! She looked closely, but the image disappeared because Copper imperceptibly shifted. Copper held her breath and moved her head until the image shimmered and reappeared. Copper saw a woman and man, she in a short cotton dress and cowboy boots, he in a jean work shirt and worn jeans. They obviously had been dancing, and one smooth leg was up with cowboy boot in the air, as the man dipped her! The woman was laughing up into the man’s love filled eyes. Copper moved and the image was gone! She moved slightly and the imaged appeared! Copper enjoyed the moment, smiled and giggled! She couldn’t help it – the sculpture made you feel that you were a secret observer to an impromptu, joyous, and incredibly romantic moment.
Copper’s eyes looked at the nameplate: “Mayer and Hootie on a summer afternoon”.
So many people tried to interpret the sculpture, some even decided Mayer and Hootie was the couple’s names! Copper laughed aloud when she read that reporter’s comment. Every child should have that moment embedded in their mind, especially when they grew up and looked for someone to love. Copper turned up the music and smiled while she finished her homework.
