Becoming Mrs. Manoban

9. A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Lisa fiddles with some keys in her pockets, unlocks the door and invites her in.

The room is an open plan studio, with a beautiful glass ceiling that allows an infinite flow of light in. The floor is padded with white rustic wood which is further stained with numerous paint splatters. The white walls are covered with various paintings and expensive-looking artefacts, she notices an even more attractive version of Scissaurus Octavius sitting on a beautiful also ebony wooden table across the room. To the other corner stands a large Easel draped in an old cloth and behind her is a cluster of paint as well as numerous painting equipment. No doubt this was an art studio.

She continues scanning in awe, as she takes in the view of numerous instruments sitting on a large settee by the window. Clarinet, banjo, guitar, flute and some more she could not easily identify.

"Your silence is disturbing." Lisa interjects.

"Because it is all so beautiful, I don't even know what to say. What is this place?" She turns to face him.

"This, this is the person I am when I am not Lalisa Manoban. This is where I am just a woman, an ordinary woman with ordinary interests." She gestures at all the contents of the room before returning her gaze to Jennie who is now wearing a smile.

"For a long time Jennie, I've shut this part of my life out because I never had any will or any feelings to inspire me, life was grey and so was my existence. This part of me was dead but ever since you came into my world, for some reason I have a will to live, I have this newfound happiness and excitement-like every day is a new adventure; an adventure that I want to share with you. Hence I decided to express my appreciation the best way I know how."

Lisa walks past her and toward the Easel and unmasks her present. Sitting on the Easel is a large oil painting of Jennie's face all the way to her upper torso. features like her eyes and hair are so intensely detailed she wonders how much attention she must have had to pay her, she flushes at the thought. The painting is enclosed in a beautiful frame with a golden fillet and an au courant finish. She stares in awe at the beautiful picture in front of her, her eyes fill with tears and she tries to control her emotions but her insides are melting heavily.

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words, I hope this image of you from my point of view has been able to convey to you the words I have failed to say today." 

She walks toward her and she can feel Lisa close to her now. Why was this woman so indecisive, if she wanted her to hate her then she had to allow her to do that not jump in halfway with a beautiful oil painting of her and expect her not to be drawn to her even more.

"It is so beautiful, Lisa. I don't know what to say besides thank you so much. I'm so blown away." Jennie throws her arms around her neck and plants a kiss on her cheek before releasing her.

"I am glad you love it. Because then, I can give you this." She says quietly as she fiddles in her pockets for the second time.

"There's more?" she asks in astonishment, what could possibly top this present?

"There's way, way more, darling." Lisa smiles at her and retrieves a black velvet case from her back pocket. She opens it to reveal a shiny golden locket.

"Now I know this may seem a bit narcissistic but since you can't carry this painting everywhere you go. I want you to have it in here, close to your heart." Lisa opens the locket and reveals a reduced picture of the painting embedded inside.

"So that no matter where you are, no matter what you go through or what becomes of us you will understand that this picture is the way I see you, it is how I feel about you. I can't put my thoughts into words but with this picture, everything is said."