Fresh Inspiration at the Lake (Corybantic X Mykhalia)

[Corybantic]

Gareth in the fully loaded 4WD raced east along the highway in a comfortable silence. His son, Leo strapped securely into a booster seat in the rear passenger seat was asleep, and the young blond beside him was currently staring out the car window at the scenery rushing by. Her presence was a last minute adjustment to the trip, but a welcome one, all things considered.

This long spring weekend had been intended to be just Gareth on a quest to discover his newest muse. His painting work had been showing well and occasionally selling, enough at least for him to stave off the spectre of needing to get a quote unquote real job, but that would mean he would have to find constant day care or a live in nanny for Leo. He didn't want this to come about as with Leo's mother gone after the rigours of motherhood proved too stressful and the lure of a possible career in showbiz too tempting, Gareth was determined that he would make sure Leo knew that at least one of his parents had his needs as a priority. Leo was almost four, and would start school soon. Which would bring a whole new swathe of challenges.

The plan had been for Leo to visit with Gareth's parents for the weekend, but his mother had fallen and injured her hip slightly, but enough that she needed his father's help to get around and they were not able to look after a boisterous toddler. It had seemed like his weekend was a lost cause until the idea came to him to ask girl next door (well, four doors down, actually) who regularly babysat for him when a showing of his pieces was at that gallery or the other, or he just needed a night to himself now and then. Her parents did not want a small child about the place either, but had agreed to have her accompany the artist to the cabin he had rented by a lake, as long as she would have a full Internet connection and would have opportunities to complete her scholarship applications at some point.

"Thanks again for helping me out like this." Gareth offered, trying to be hospitable even as he enjoyed the deep, comfortable silence they had shared.

 

[Mykhaila]

Talia had to admit she was surprised when her mother had agreed to her going along with Gareth and his son Leo for this weekend outing. Her father was usually quite easy going but her mother was the strict one. Still, she had to admit she did love spending time with the little boy and his father was a nice man. The sixteen year old could work for worse people that was for sure.

In one ear she had an ear bud connected to her IPOD which played one of her mixed playlists but she kept it low so she could keep up a conversation with Gareth if he spoke to her. On her lap was one of her notebooks which she occasionally wrote something in. For the road trip up to the cabin she had put all her blond hair into a braid so it wasn't whipping into her face.

Her top, a spaghetti strap tie die belly shirt revealed the belly button ring she hid from her mother but her father gave her permission to get and signed off on. Her jeans were one of her own personal works of arts, she'd cut them off, cut some designs into them and even painted or drawn on them just for fun making hearts and writing things that only certain friends would understand.

When Gareth offered her his thanks again she turned and offered him a bright, warm smile, "It's really no problem. Leo is great, I am looking forward to the weekend. I've said it before, any time you need me to help, I'm here." And she meant it, she might be preparing for college in a couple of years, but she would do what she could. Gareth and his son had become integral to her life.

"You just leave everything to me and focus on your painting, you'll see... everything will be fine." She said with certainty and she glanced in the back to check on Leo, an automatic reaction.

 

[Corybantic]

Gareth smiled at the confidence of the little girl... no, really she was a young woman now. He admired her vivaciousness and her innocence which she somehow maintained while still beginning to take on adult responsibilities. Truly it was a time of great change for her. Her babysitting on weekends and the occasional evening for him and some of the other parents was for money to save for her own car, as well as anything that took her fancy that was not deemed 'essential' by her parents. Gareth though back to his work experience at that age, where he had a paper route every weekday morning that he may have required the assistance of a parent every so often to drive a car around while he flung papers onto people's lawns. But that was many a moon ago now. He had finished school, attended university, although he had dropped out 2 years in after he discovered, like his paper round, that regimens and locked in schedules and requirements were not for him. He had left to work for an insurance company for a few years while he worked on his drawing and painting.

Soon, a gallery offered to show his paintings, and one sold making Gareth more money than he had made in two years from his day job. Then he span into the party scene where he had met Yolande, another free spirit. They had spent 3 wonderful years together and one terrible one before Yolande had left, only to return at odd intervals when she was breezing back into town to visit Leo.

And so he had focused on his art full time painting commissions here and unique corporate pieces there. But he had felt himself stagnating somewhat. His impressionist style had won him many admirers, however he had started find painting the scenes in the manner he began with had started to pall. And his earnings had decreased slightly but by a significant amount. So he was looking to find a new inspiration in some nature settings. He had found the cabin on the lake and was looking forward to sitting on the verandah watching the sunrise, or setting up his workstation in the weak afternoon light after a rainstorm Poetic images that he hoped could match within the 72 hours that he had set aside for this getaway.

He smiled to himself. thinking that now he could still take some time at one moment or another to spend some quality time with his kid. It was no small irony that Gareth's contribution to the currently bursting car was just over two suitcases, whereas the sheer mass that accompanies a small child away from a home. Bags of daipers. Several sets of changes of clothes (minimum of four per day) boxes of toys, and then there was he other passenger's luggage to contend with. To this day he was amazed at how wowen could be so organised as to fit an entire closet into two suitcases, and still find enough reasons to bring five other 'essentials."

After some further driving, Gareth stopped alongside what the various maps indicated was the last place to pick up groceries. He hopped out of the car and leaving Talia to look after Leo if he woke up.

"Any special requests for food this weekend? I'm afraid i have only a very basic supplies, so let me know now so that I can make sure we have everything that you want."

 

[Mykhaila]

After a while Talia went back to looking out the window and at one point caught herself humming softly to the music she was listening to. She was still trying to decide what she planned to do when she went to college, she wasn't a cheerleader and never would be. She did like gymnastics though but she was also aware that she would need something more than a form of sport. After all, the day would come when she could injure herself which would mean she would need something to have as a back up if she went for gymnastics.

She sighed as she considered it. She was still thinking it over when Gareth stopped at a grocery store and when he asked about supplies she smiled and reached into her pocket to take out some of her own money before she withdrew a written list. Handing them both over, she blushed slightly, "Just a few things if you don't mind, I also have a few things I wanted to cover I figured I'd use to make us all some meals. Things I know Leo will eat."

She had shown since she started babysitting for Leo a little under a year ago that she liked cooking for Gareth and Leo, often she had cooked more than enough for a couple of meals so that they had some things for freezing so there were more meals later in the week. She knew she was young but she kind of just felt that sometimes Gareth just needed someone there for him too. Someone that didn't expect anything from him in return.

"I'll cover what's on my list," her expression was determined even with the blush, she wouldn't allow Gareth to cover everything, she had money and she would never let anyone thing she took advantage. That was why she handed him the money and list at the same time. "And don't worry, Leo and I will be right here, locked up nice and tight." She smiled at him.

 

[Corybantic]

Gareth was surprised to feel the notes drop into his hand along with the list. His attempts at handing the money back was met with laughter and the sight of an insouciant grin and the rolling up of the passenger window. As if to punctuate the unspoken statement, the doors lock engaged. Laughing at the girls audacity, he took the money and the list and entered the store. It was another blessing that the girl not only wanted to cook and enjoyed the task, but was quite talented in the art as well. He looked over the list and picked up the items, grabbing some extra delicacies and treats he knew were her favorites. He had no intention of keeping the money, and knew he would work the extra back into what he would pay her or perhaps he'd get her a gift or something. Shopping took little time, and then he returned, heavily laden with shopping bags, to the vehicle.

"Looks like we're in for a serious of sumptuous gastronomic delights this weekend. I'm going to have to put in some serious time on some nature walks or you'll be able to roll me home!" he joked. But only somewhat. Working from home offered many, many opportunities to cut corners in his fitness schedule, but while it was a struggle at times, he knew if he slipped up, it would be at the expense of the carefully constructed routine that he needed for both himself and Leo. And so it was daily jogging and twice-weekly gym sessions to keep his body in the right kind of shape. He wasn't bulky, by any means, but his body was lean and his muscles clearly defined in the oft paint-splattered tight white t-shirts that he favored.

In almost no time at all, they arrived at the lake. His first impression on turning onto the gravel drive that signaled their proximity to the cabin was one of lush fertility. Insects zipped and buzzed around wildflowers. Heavy willows drooped and their tendrils drifted lazily in the placid lake. The grasses surrounding the lake were a vibrant green, the pines and fir trees bristled with new growth. It certainly offered the picture postcard views he was looking for to try his hand a the more lucrative form of his art, bucolic landscapes and wilderness scenes.

He pulled up to the cabin and parked the car under the carport. Gareth sighed the sigh of a long car trip complete, and all that remained was to empty the car and pack everything away. As Talia thankfully was on hand to wrangle Leo, Gareth started with the groceries and suitcases. The cabin's two bedrooms meant that unfortunately Talia would have to room with Leo, but thankfully there was an abundance of living space so that she could have plenty of her own space to occupy when Leo was asleep or Gareth was taking advantage of some time to play with him. Thankfully, Leo was in a very docile stage, content to follow the requests and instructions from the adults provided he had plenty of attention, and someone too the time to answer 'why' about thirty times a day.

 

[Mykhaila]

As they pulled up, Talia found herself drawing a deep breath as she looked around with awe. "It's beautiful," she breathed, taking in their surroundings. She’d laughed when Gareth attempted to give her the money back. As soon as the vehicle stopped, she climbed out and opened the back door unhooking Leo and gently lifting him in her arms. She carried him inside and as he was waking up, she carefully set him up in a spot right in one corner of the kitchen with some of his toys. She made it her job to unload the food and put everything away first, even made a small snack for Leo before she started setting things up for a meal.

She even had Leo work with her, letting him help her mix the batter for the dessert, she was making a chocolate mousse. She had found the treats in the bags that she loved and was going to make it a point to thank Gareth later. She laughed when Leo got some of the chocolate on his face and splattered some on her, “Scamp,” she teased him lightly. She playfully wiped his face clean and made it a point once everything was cleaned up and ready for cooking, the mousse was chilling so she took Leo outside to play with him a little while.

The two rolled around in the grass, she tickled him and got him laughing until he needed to go to the bathroom. Once she helped him, she changed him into clean clothes and put all his things that had been packed in the room she would be sharing with him while she made certain all the plugs in the room were covered for protection. She put him in a play area before putting the food in to cook then went back in to spend time with Leo while things cooked. She read him his favorite book, built things with him and when the food was ready she set him up at the table in a chair that would be between her and his father.

Setting the table, she dished out the food before calling out, “Gareth, dinner is ready. Do you want me to bring your plate in or do you want to join us at the table?” Leo was already sipping milk from his sippy cup while she cut up the chicken patty she had cooked for the little boy. Leo didn’t like fish so she had only cooked the Broiled Haddock for herself and Gareth. The side dishes were roasted garlic lemon broccoli and provincial tomatoes. Gareth’s plate had the largest portions, both plates had glasses of milk beside them.

Talia would be a fool not to notice all the amazing things about her charges father that made him not only a good father but a great man. She had easily seen how attractive he was and knew there were many girls in the neighborhood and women who had their eyes on Gareth. Her aunt had been visiting a few weeks ago and seen him, the comment she had made was enough to make Talia blush. But there was more to Gareth than just his looks, she had come to love seeing his art and while she would never claim to understand the terms used in regards to art, she recognized his talent. Still, her favorite thing to see about him was his devotion to Leo.

She often watched Leo while Gareth was home, it was usually so the older man could work on his art and not need to fear for his son’s health but if Leo was injured, even if she was there, he often made an appearance. It always touched her heart. She hoped this weekend Gareth would find the inspiration he sought and she herself could hardly wait until the next day when she took Leo out to swim.

For now, she was prepared to help Leo eat while she ate, then after she would wait until Leo was in bed sleeping before she showered and changed.