Chapter Sixteen: Sketches

Tuesday, July 5, 1910

"Where have you never been that you would like to go?"

"What kind of question is that?" asked Emily.

"I dunno" replied Jake. "Do you want me to read it again?"

"No. I think I have an answer."

"Ok. You tell me the answer and I will start drawing your picture."

Emily gave a slight smile. "The ocean, I have never been to the ocean."

Jake scratched his head. "Ok, I got it. Go lay down on the couch."

Emily stretched out on the couch. Jake sat down on a chair in front of the fireplace. He took out his pencils and began sketching lines on a big piece of paper.

Audrey asked, "Jake can I watch you draw?"

He nodded. Audrey pulled up a chair next to him.

"That was a good question, Sarah."

She replied, "I just wanted something to get Jake's creative side flowing."

Lynn asked, "Audrey, do you want to play euchre? We need a fourth hand."

Audrey said, "Nah. I am terrible at card games. Jan is the queen of gin rummy."

Jan nodded.

Sarah said, "Ok. Let's go to the kitchen."

Jan dealt the cards; Lynn began French braiding Sarah's long blonde hair.

Audrey whistled. "Emily, Emily, dormèz vu?"

That wasn't working.

She clapped her hands and yelled, "Emily Clementine wake up!"

Emily woke up startled.

"You can't doze off at five o'clock in the afternoon, it isn't proper."

Emily yawned and stretched. "Sorry, I'm used to awaking at 3 am and making donuts. When I don't do that it throws off my sleep schedule. Cheryl Cobblestone is taking my place at the bakery for a couple of days."

She yawned once more. "Jake, sweetheart, how much longer will this take?"

He was focused on the sketch paper. "Almost there."

Audrey smiled and said, "You are going to love this drawing, I promise." Jake filled in a few more details.

He gave Audrey a pencil and a knife. "Can you sharpen this for me?"

She smiled. "It would be an honor Monsieur Monet."

Jake laughed. "He's a painter."

He was completely focused on his project. "Just one more… line of green... and I am done."

Emily smiled. "Lemme see- lemme see."

Jake made a drum roll noise. "Ta da."

Emily shrieked. "Ahhh!" She put her hand over her mouth. "I'm a fish, I'm a fish! Jake turned me into a fish!"

In the rich, blue aquatic themed masterpiece, Emily was depicted as being a mermaid. She swam over the coral, gliding as a delicate queen of a marine realm being watched over by a shark and a manta ray.

Emily smiled as she shook her head. "I am at a loss for words."

"Does that mean you like it?"

Emily said, "No!" She kissed him on the cheek. "But that means- I love it!"

Jake was red faced.

Audrey returned with the sharpened pencil.

Jake was trembling.

"Audrey look! Jake turned me into a fish. Isn't it outrageous?"

Audrey laughed. "Fantastic! What made you think of making Emily into a fish?"

Jake was still trembling wondering what the kiss meant. "Um, she kissed me."

Emily chided him, "Jake, now what've I told you about making up stories." She gave Audrey a sly wink.

He was very confused. "Um…ok."

He turned to Audrey, and said with a quiver in his voice, "She didn't kiss me, but, I did make her a fish." He then muttered to himself, "Girl's are weird."

Audrey chuckled, "Emily Fish you're a terrible flirt! And Jake you're a very lucky young man."

"Yeah, I guess so."

Sarah said, "I'm next"

Audrey asked, "Why are you next?"

"I'm the second oldest. Emily is six days older than me, so she had her portrait done first."

"Fine. What's with the questions?"

"It was Emily's idea. I wrote four questions and put them on pieces of paper, that way Jake doesn't know what the question is in advance. Also the girl who is asked the question must think of a quick answer, it's a fun idea."

"You only wrote four. What about your question?"

"Emily wrote it. I won't know what it is until Jake asks me."

Sarah walked into the parlor. She sat down on the couch. "Ready Jake?"

Jake took a folded piece of paper out of a wood bowl. Emily had written "Sarah."

"If you could live at any time in history, when would that be?"

Sarah thought a moment. "2010."

Audrey said, "Wow! A hundred years from now?"

Sarah smiled. "Yeah, exciting huh? I want to live in Manhattan, in a skyscraper."

Jake thought for a moment. "Stand up and lean against the wall."

Sarah stood up and leaned back against the wall. "Arms at my side?"

"No, relax like it's a pretty day; you're outside leaning against a tree."

Emily said, "2010? I thought for sure you'd say the Renaissance."

Sarah shook her head. "We already know about the Renaissance. I want adventure, mystery, the future."

Audrey asked, "And what will this forthcoming world look like?"

Sarah's mind began to drift. "Manhattan will be filled with skyscrapers one thousand feet tall. I'll live in one with my husband… Dominick, no I don't like that name… Donald."

Emily asked, "So it didn't work out with you and Dominick?"

She pouted, "He spent all of his free time on Mars and not with me."

The girls laughed.

Sarah said wistfully, "Men will fly from place to place in aeroplanes."

Emily smiled. "Like the kind we saw last year at the River City fair?"

"Yeah. Donald will be a dashing young pilot. In our apartment, in the clouds, we'll have an atrium with a big skylight. If I look up I could see great dirigibles lumbering through the sky. We would have a spot in our house for the aeroplane. I'll stay at home all day watching films: romance, horror, true crime, nah, on second thought, I would be the mayor."

Emily guffawed, "You want to be mayor of New York City?"

"At first, then I could run for president."

Audrey and Emily were now laughing so hard they were grabbing their bellies.

Jake said, "I'd vote for you."

Sarah winked at him.

"On the weekends Donald and I would soar around the countryside floating on the winds; sputtering around, free as a bird. At night, the city would be illuminated by spotlights. There would be no more schools. Each person would have entire libraries of books. You would pick up your telephone and say, 'I want to read, Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne.' A teletype would instantly print it out for you.

With of all these fantastic machines at the ready disposal of the common man there would be no longer any need for human labor. If I want bread, a mechanical man would make it for me."

Emily smiled. "You mean I wouldn't have to work in that stupid bakery anymore?"

Sarah nodded.

Emily replied, "Give me one of those right now. Tell me, madam president, what else can a mechanical man do?" She raised an eyebrow and coyly enquired, "Per chance is there an automated Simon?"

"Emily, I am shocked. Some things a machine should never do. Human men would still have their place."

Sarah closed her eyes. "A machine can never love me or hold me or kiss me. Only a man can take me into his mighty arms and.…" Audrey and Emily were giggling at her.

Sarah opened her eyes. "Oh, right, sorry Jake."

He gulped.

"Back to the future; Simon… I mean Donald, Donald, Donald and I would live atop a one thousand foot skyscraper; I would be mayor of New York City. Everyday people would take off to their jobs on the moon. They would get in a big steel capsule and be shot out of a cannon."

Audrey said, "That sounds like a movie Jan and I saw last week!"

"The people would go to farms on the moon. They would grow stalks of corn a mile high, strawberries as big as houses, pumpkins so huge that you could put the entire town of Eagle Creek inside it. All of the cities would be clean; people would no longer have to rush to and fro. There would be no more war because there would be no need for it. Everyone would be happy, wealthy and free. No disease. No hunger. No hate. Only love."

Emily asked, "Well, what about chocolate?"

"Where there is love there must be chocolate!" She continued, "Each day would be a holiday. With machines to do all the work, men would sit back and take their ease. Every one would listen to splendid music that lifts the soul. Great art would hang on anyone's walls. Poets would be the heroes; military generals would be heard in lecture halls discussing the utter futility of conflict. There would be no crime because everyone would have what they need.

That is the world of 2010. That is my world indeed. Alas, I wasn't made for these times."

She looked off into the window at the setting sun, wondering who she was and what her future might entail.

Jake said, "Got it."

"Let me see."

Jake had drawn her as an elegantly dressed woman, leaning against a balcony. She wore a purple dress and white shoes. Beside her was a handsome man in a tuxedo. In the background were slender, sleek steel skyscrapers and a dirigible.

Sarah was amazed. She kissed Jake on the cheek.

Emily examined it, she gasped. "Jake that dress is transparent!"

Sarah held it close. "I like it! Jake has imagination; it's exotic."

Emily said, "No, but, isn't that a bit… daring?"

"Daring? This is coming from the same girl who stole a bicycle so she could chase a strange guy through the streets of Helena?"

"I didn't catch him, Jeff never found out. What's the big deal?"

Sarah rolled her eyes. "You are ten times more boy crazy than any other girl in this state!"

Emily smiled and shrugged.

Sarah said, "Audrey, your turn."

"Whoopee, I am more than ready." Audrey sat down on the couch.

Jake unfolded a piece of paper.

"How would you like to be remembered?"

Audrey looked to Emily for a moment. "As a child of God. I would like to be a woman is worthy of God's grace.

When Emily punched me, I was livid. But as I lay on the floor of the Science Building for the first time in my life, I was at ease. Emily was listening to me. She could sense that deep despair and wickedness that I wore like a velvet badge on my charcoal heart. After she hit me, I went home and looked at my bruised face in the mirror. I smiled; now, the whole world would see that I was black; my character was empty, a void, nothing but eternal midnight in my soul.

Emily loved me so much that she was not willing to just stand there while I acted like an insolent little… woof! I learned that when you love someone you must be willing to hurt them to ensure they do what is right.

When I heard Simon preach the next day it was first time any one had told me that I could choose a different path in my life. Simon and I talked a lot that afternoon and Monday and again Tuesday. Friday afternoon he baptized me. I haven't had a bad day since."

Jake said, "All done."

Audrey wore a long flowing white dress. She fearlessly smiled as she stood in a desert. She carried a fan, cooled by her own confidence. To her right, in the clouds was a cross. No outside force could harm her; God was on her side.

Audrey smiled; she was overwhelmed with emotions. "Oh Jake!"

She also kissed him on the cheek. "Hey, hey, hey, I'm Emily's boyfriend."

Emily laughed. "It's alright Jake, I can share ya."

Sarah said, "Jan, you're up!"

Jan came in the parlor and sat on the couch. Jake picked up another question. "What do you see yourself doing in five years?"

Jan smiled. She thought for a moment and then pantomimed typing.

Jake asked, "You want to be a writer?"

She nodded. "Ok," Jake began sketching.

Jan said, "B, b, b, b, b, b, be nice."

Audrey said, "He's always nice."

Emily added, "Remember to kiss him when he is all done."

Jake cringed. "Agh! Don't say that!"

While she posed for him, Jan wrote: "I adore writing. My poems, my short stories, my quips, they are essentially my life. When I write I express myself in eloquent words because that is how I'd like to live. I have much to say and I will say it. I must in order to be happy."

Jake drew Jan sitting at a desk with a paper and a quill.

Jan was very happy with the picture.

Lynn, Emily, Audrey and Sarah cheered, "Kiss him! Kiss him! Kiss him! Kiss him!" She did.

This time he kind of enjoyed it.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Sarah said, "I'll get it" and went to the door. She was surprised to see Beverly Taylor on the porch.

"Hello Sarah, can we talk… in private?"

Sarah turned around. "Emily, I need to speak to someone for a minute. Ok?"

"I'll keep them entertained."

Sarah chuckled, "You always do."

When Sarah stepped on the porch she could see Amanda sitting in a wagon.

Beverly sat on a bench, Sarah sat next to her.

"When Emily came to see Amanda the other day, she mentioned a slumber party. Is that happening now?"

"It is."

Beverly sighed. "This is… awkward for me… but… I have a request. Can Amanda join your party?"

Sarah didn't know what to think.

Beverly continued, "It would mean the world to her. This is the first time she has wanted to go outside of the house in months. I know you did not plan on inviting her and I imagine your mother has placed a restriction on the number of guests you may have… and… if that's the case, she can blame me. Sarah, I'll pick her up before dawn. She won't scare you or anyone else, I promise."

Sarah smiled. "She is welcomed at my party."

Sarah turned to the window, knowing that Emily would've been listening to their conversation.

"Em, can you explain the circumstances to Audrey and Jan?"

"Sure."

Sarah and Beverly went to the wagon.

"Amanda, the slumber party is not as much fun without you."

She spoke with a lilt, "I can come?"

Sarah reached up and took a hold of her hand. "You're the guest of honor."

Amanda carefully stepped down from the wagon. "Oh Sarah, oh Sarah." They hugged.

Mrs. Taylor handed her daughter a basket.

"I brought some fudge and some records."

Sarah took Amanda by the hand and they walked towards the house. "We're going to have a lot of fun."

"Mother? Mother? Thanks for everything."

"I'll pick you up at 5:30 am."

"Yes ma'am."

As soon as the wagon began to roll away Amanda said, "At last, the clip-clops of independence!"

Sarah laughed with her. The other girls were delighted to see her. "Welcome, welcome. My name is Audrey. I'm from Helena."

"J, j, j, j, j, Jan. Hel, hel, hel, Helena too."

"I'm Lynn. We met the other day"

"Hi Amanda."

"Jake's here? That's wonderful. This little guy has been so helpful to me. I'm learning massage and he's been a patient practice subject."

Emily spoke up, "He's drawing us. Jake is an amazing artist. He turned me into a fish."

Amanda laughed. "That sounds fun."

"It is. You ought to see…." Emily cringed.

Amanda shook her head. "That's just an expression, Em. I take no offense."

"Thanks."

Sarah asked, "Jake, who's next?"

"Cousin Lynn."

Lynn sat down on the couch.

Jake looked at the question, his eyes bulged. "Um?"

Lynn raised an eyebrow. "Jake, what's the question?"

"Well, ok, here it goes. What was your most romantic experience?"

Lynn shrugged. "I wish I could tell you about that but, well, I have not really had many romantic experiences outside of my dreams. Being with Tommy at the carnival was nice, but, we didn't have that much time to be alone."

Jake thought for a moment. "Then, tell me about your dreams."

Lynn hesitated. "Look, I… I don't know about that… I mean, that's an intimate area of discussion."

Emily said, "Aw, come on. Everyone had to answer a question. I am dying to hear about one of your fantasies."

Sarah asked coyly, "Was it anyone from Eagle Creek?"

Lynn shook her head, no.

Audrey raised an eyebrow and asked, "Was it a man you saw in a magazine?"

Lynn smiled. "It was someone I met."

Jan wrote on a piece of paper, "Jason?"

Lynn smiled. "No, however, you are close."

Sarah asked, "Mr. Blue Jeans?"

Lynn giggled. "No."

Sarah said, "I'll bet it was the dreamboat we saw in the music room of the library?"

Lynn placed her right pinky on her lips and kissed it. "Uh huh."

Sarah added, "He was a cutie."

Lynn sighed. "Oh, those brown eyes. I wish I'd spent more time with him. He had broad shoulders and a chiseled jaw. I wanted to run my fingers through his hair."

Audrey said, "Tell us about the dream."

Lynn reclined on the couch. "It was midnight. We walked along the boardwalk in River City. He wore a black tailored suit. I had a long, lacy white silk dress. As we ambled I noticed that the normally busy boardwalk was empty. There wasn't a soul around just me and Dreamboat. I held his magnificently strong hand.

He placed me on a little stone bench. The full moon shone just for us, its beams traced the waves and ripples on the water. He leaned in and we shared a deep kiss. I was breathless. 'You cad' I said. 'I don't even know your name.' He whispered, 'My heart sings for you."

When he kissed me again I was flush; it was though I was falling through space. His lips met my neck. I was swooning from his caresses. Tiny droplets of sweat beaded on my…."

Lynn suddenly remembered that she was in mixed company.

Jake had long since stopped drawing. He looked very uncomfortable.

Jan tilted her head and smiled.

Sarah was kissing an imaginary Simon.

Audrey looked lost.

Emily was shaking her hands and anxiously chiding her, "And what? And what? And what?"

Lynn sat up. "Um, so, Jake?"

Sarah woke up. "Huh?"

Lynn smirked. "Jake, the thirteen-year-old boy who's here to draw for us."

Emily pointed. "You know, that kid, there."

Jan was laughing. Audrey's eyes darted from left to right.

Jake exhaled. "Yeah, your drawing is ready."

Lynn was amazed. "Jake this is wonderful."

She passed the drawing around the room.

Jake asked, "Amanda, can I draw your portrait?"

"Sure." Amanda sat down at the kitchen table.

Audrey said, "Jake has been asking us questions so he can draw our portraits in a theme."

Sarah said, "He asked me 'If you could live at any time in history, when would that be?'"

Emily said, "Jake asked me 'Where have you never been that you would like to go?' I replied, 'The ocean.' So, he made me a mermaid!"

Audrey said, "Jake, ask Amanda a question too. Just make up one."

Jake collected his papers and pencils. "Ok." He thought for a moment. "Amanda, if you had one wish, what would it be?"

Amanda's head fell.

Sarah snapped, "Jake?"

"Oh…," he swallowed. "Um… I… I didn't mean anything by that Amanda."

"Jake, that answer is a little too personal."

Jake slowly scooted from his chair and walked back into the parlor. He sat down on a chair in front of the fireplace.

Amanda broke the tension, "Jake, I could draw you instead."

"How?"

Amanda turned to Sarah; "Please bring me a chair and place it in front of Jake. Also, put on the record… Bolero."

Sarah got the chair, Emily lead her to the spot. She sat down. Lynn put Bolero on the record player. The delicate French horn began its soulful introduction.

"Jake," Amanda spoke up, "I want to feel your face."

Jake tilted his head. "What does that mean?"

"I want to put my fingers all over your face. I want to touch every inch so I can get an idea of what you look like. I'll bet you're a very handsome man."

Jake did not know how to take the compliment. "Um… thanks. Amanda, could I see your face?"

"No. I never, never want a man to see my face."

Jake shrugged. "I understand."

She sighed. "You… you would not like what you see. Trust me. Let me just feel your face, ok?"

"Ok."

"To begin, I need you to close your eyes."

Jake hesitated. "Why?"

"Because that way I can get a good description of your eyelids."

"Alright. That makes sense."

He closed his eyes.

"Take a few minutes to relax Jake. I want you completely at ease."

Jake began breathing deeply.

"Are you relaxed now?"

"Uh-huh," Jake said softly.

"I'm going to start with your cheeks."

Jake felt a brushing motion on his cheeks.

"That tickles."

"Well, I'm just lightly tapping your cheeks so I can get an idea of the size of your dimples."

"What are you doing to my eyes?"

"I am tracing them with my fingernails."

Jake was uneasy but trusted in her experience.

"You have a noble nose, Jake."

"Thanks."

"Pucker up."

"Pucker up?"

"Jake," Amanda spoke in a sultry tone. "There is only one way for me to get an idea of what your lips look like and that is… to kiss you."

"Kiss me? You want to kiss me?"

"Oh yes," Amanda yearned in her voice. "I'll bet you've kissed lots of girls, haven't you, Jake?"

"Um… yeah… sure. I've kissed plenty of girls."

"How many exactly?"

"Five... hundred."

"You've kissed five-hundred girls?"

Jake shook his head. "No. Actually, I've never kissed a girl."

"In that case, I have the supreme honor of being your first. Here we go."

Jake felt a cool, wet sensation on his lips. "This feels funny."

Amanda said, "Well, Jake, you've never been kissed so how can you tell if it feels funny or not?"

"Oh yeah."

There was one last damp impression on his lips.

"Done. Jake you can open your eyes now. Girls, you can come back into the parlor."

Jake opened his eyes. He was beaming.

"Oh Amanda, that was neat."

Amanda fawned over him. "It was a dream come true for me, Jake."

Sarah said, "Jake, my friend, it is dark. Do you know what that means?"

He moaned. "I have to go?"

Sarah said, "Girls only time, yeah, I'm afraid so. But here is your $5 and a plate of caramel cookies courtesy of Clementine's Bakery."

"Oh boy, thank you."

He walked to the hallway.

"I had a lot of fun tonight and…" Jake yelled indignantly when he went by the mirror, "Hey!"

He squeaked, "I'm wearing make-up!"

The girls began laughing hysterically.

"Sarah! You tricked me!"

The girls clapped for him. "Bravo! Bravo!"

Lynn put an arm on his shoulder and walked him to the bathroom. "Come on I'll help you get it off."

A couple of minutes later Jake returned; dignity partially intact.

Amanda spoke up, "Thanks for being such a good sport, Jake."

Jake shrugged and laughed with them.

Sarah walked with him to the porch. She watched as he disappeared into the lingering twilight.

Sarah went back inside the house. "The coast is clear."

They continued their hearty laughter at Jake's expense.

Jan once again admired Emily's picture. "S, s, s, s, s, so p, p, p, pretty."

Audrey said, "Yes, he has tremendous talents. He will definitely go far in the world of art."

Sarah agreed with her. "Jake definitely holds a special place in my heart."

Lynn rolled her eyes and spoke in a cautious tone, "He's still a thirteen-year-old boy."

Sarah replied, "Meaning what?"

Lynn was slightly befuddled. "Meaning, why are you so nice to him? Do you think you're just a friend to Jake?"

Sarah sneered. "I am quite aware that Jake loves me and thinks of me."

Lynn couldn't believe it. "And you are comfortable with that?"

"Yes, I am as a matter of fact."

Amanda said, "I can understand. Jake's a special little guy."

"Enough sappiness," said Emily. "Let's open our birthday presents. I already gave Sarah her present: remember the two dashing young men?"

Audrey fanned herself. "How could you possibly forget them?" She panted like a dog.

"So, Sarah, whatcha got for me?"

Sarah handed Emily her present. She opened it.

Her eyes brightened. "Songs from: A Trip to Chinatown."

"I remember you telling me how you enjoyed that play."

"I did. I did. My favorite song was After the Ball."

Sarah and Emily hugged.

Lynn handed Emily and then Sarah a small box. They opened it.

Emily smiled. "A taffeta ribbon for my chapeau: how nice is that? Oh so smooth! Thank you Lynn."

Lynn said, "Sky blue and audacious red. It fits your personalities."

Emily raised an eye-brow. "In other words, Sarah is the soft sky blue?"

"But of course," Lynn chuckled.

Sarafina came into the parlor to see what all the fuss was about.

Audrey called her over and began scratching her ears.

Jan pointed at herself. "M, m, m."

Emily spoke up, "Ok, Jan's next."

Jan handed them their presents.

Emily opened hers first.

"What's this?" asked Emily. "Oh wow! Silk pajamas from the Broadwater. Sarah, these are the ones I saw when we went there to get our massages. I loved the feel of the fabric against my skin but they were too expensive."

Sarah began to unwrap her present. "Oh, it's a book."

Sarah shook her head in amazement. "This one isn't supposed to come out for a few weeks, how'd you get this early?"

Jan wrote: "My dad is friends with the owner of a local book distributer. Emily told me how much you liked the Wizard of Oz books. I wrote him a note… ta-da."

Emily sidled up next to her.

Sarah showed her book: The Emerald City of Oz. "It's the sixth in the series."

Lynn sneered. "It can't be better than the original."

Emily rolled her eyes. "You say that about every sequel!"

Lynn whispered, "True. I get it next."

Sarah gave her a wink and whispered, "Ok."

Audrey handed Sarah her present. She began to unwrap it.

"A baseball jersey!" exclaimed Sarah. "Jennings University. Number 16. Conrad. Audrey that is so clever!"

"Look on the back."

She turned it around. "That's funny, there's a different name and number on the back. Hastings? Number 20?"

Emily nudged her. "Think about it."

"Oh!" Sarah had her moment of clarity. "Simon Hastings. Oh Audrey!"

Audrey nodded. "He turned 20 last Wednesday."

Sarafina watched the transactions and thought, "I really should've gotten her something too."

Audrey beamed. "And for Emily…" she handed her a present.

Emily opened her gift. "Another book! I'm going to have to open my own library after tonight."

It was a Bible with the name Emily Jean Clementine embossed in gold leaf. She opened the front cover and froze.

Sarah asked, "What does it say?"

"It says," Emily choked up. "It says:
Emily,
Thank you for being my friend and for being such a fine example of Christian virtue.
Audrey Livingston. July, 1910."

She was shaking when she put the Bible down.

Jan was snickering. "Va, va, va, virtue?"

Emily had a blank expression on her face. She slowly shook her head towards Jan.

Audrey asked, "Well? Don't you like it?"

Emily nervously nodded and whispered, "Sure. It's very thoughtful. Thanks Audrey."

Sarah didn't know how to react. Lynn took the Bible and began thumbing through it. The girls broke up and went to change into their pajamas; they returned a few minutes later and sat around the parlor talking.