Picture 2
Michela Walters’s Picture Choice: 2
Title: Therapy
“What the hell is that?” Ellie barked, wandering over to the weird artsy-crafty pinup figurine sitting on the shop table.
Her husband of ten years, turned from the bike he was restoring to see what she was complaining about. Mike wiped the grease off his hands and picked it up. “Oh, don’t you like it? Sierra made it for me in your likeness.”
Ellie held out her hand, asking to see the figure more closely. Now that she knew her niece had made it, she felt obligated to examine it further. Sierra had come to live with them after Ellie’s sister died from cancer a few months ago. It was a huge transition to go from having no kids to an instant family with a surly and mourning teenager, but Ellie loved the girl like her own long before she’d taken custody. She was still grieving and the change of city and high school was wreaking havoc on the teenager’s life. They were all doing the best they could, but it was challenging and rewarding all at the same time.
Saddling up behind her, Mike nuzzled his wife’s ear, peering down at the statue Ellie cradled in her hands. “She was trying to imitate my tattoo. Think she did a pretty darn good job of it too,” he mumbled into her neck.
“Oh my gosh, it does look me now that you say that.” Ellie hadn’t even put the connection together between the tattoo her husband had asked her to pose for their fifth wedding anniversary and the trinket resting in her palms. She studied if a few more seconds before releasing a heavy sigh. “She’s really talented, isn’t she?” Turning to look into his eyes, she saw his emotions beginning to peek through his tough tattooed exterior. He loved Sierra just as much, if not more than Ellie did. They’d tried to have kids for years with no luck, and after a while they just gave up hope of ever having children. They had a second chance to try and help their niece through this and maybe together they would help heal each other.
As if sensing he was close to breaking, he nodded roughly and went back to working on the bike. “I think the art therapy classes are really doing wonders.”
Ellie couldn’t agree more and rubbed her hand over his muscular back. “It was a great suggestion, Hon. Baby steps, right?” She gave him one last quick squeeze and went into the house to let Sierra know how much she liked the figurine, hoping a compliment would be another inch towards normalcy to creep them all towards a happier future.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like what you just read? Have a question or concern? Leave a note for the author! We appreciate your feedback!
Michela Walters is a wife, mother and book enthusiast. She is currently attempting her hand at writing her first romantic fiction novella. You can read her other stories on her blog: michelawalters.wordpress.com
#DailyPicspiration
What an interesting interpretation. So glad they can help themselves and Sierra.
ReplyDelete