Chapter 3 The Man From The Painting

• Elle stared at the two eyes in front of her. Nostalgia instantly hit her when she first saw those grey beads. Indeed, it was not a piece of sweet memory, nor was it a sad memory. Or was it? Their first meeting made a powerful impression and significantly changed her life.
• Once again, she blinked her eyes. She was still on the threshold of trust and disbelief. Was it true that the man in front of her was the same person she had met before? But their appearance was too similar. Their eyes were the same.
• She also had a hard time believing that they were two different people. How the man looked at her implied that they knew each other. It was whether the one from her past or the man she was currently meeting. And she was always asking, how come?
• “Oh, you’re here?” Amy asked from a pretty far distance behind him. Elle had to slightly tilt her head to find a way to see Amy’s figure in a blue apron. “Come in,” she said from the same place.
• Elle looked at Amy, then turned to the man in front of her. She didn’t say a word. But as if understanding her mind, he leaned his body to give her access to the house.
• She walked past him in silence. Her tongue tied even to say thank you for letting her in. The situation was too awkward, so she chose to stay silent. So did he.
• Elle walked quickly toward Amy. It quite surprised her to find out that Elle had already been behind her back and followed her into the kitchen to drape the apron she was wearing.
• “Who’s that?” With all her curiosity, Elle asked what had been hanging in her mind for a long time.
• “You mean Lucas? He is Will’s friend from Denmark. Luke is in London for business,” Amy answered long.
• “Luke?” Elle parroted Amy’s words. Her eyes focused on the figure currently talking to Will in the yard as they looked engrossed in their gardening activities outside.
• Amy followed Elle’s gaze and instantly understood who was the focus of her attention. “He looks a lot like your man, doesn’t he?” Her comment indirectly guessed what was going on in Elle’s mind.
• Precisely. That was what Elle was thinking. From the moment she first met him, who turned out to be Lucas or Luke, it was the only thought that filled her head. Then she realized something. “What do you mean by my man?” She protested Amy’s words, which felt odd to her ears.
• “Well, I was right, wasn’t I? A man who looks like Luke always sleeps with you every night. Is it wrong for me to call him your man?”
• “It’s just a painting,” Elle corrected quickly. Even though what Amy said was true, what had been with her all the time was only a painting. It seemed wrong to claim someone as her own.
• Yes, the picture was indeed hers. But that didn’t mean the subject of her painting automatically belonged to her. Someone should not state their rights over other others. “And it may not be Luke,” she continued.
• “But it can be Luke,” Amy replied. Anything was possible, including this unexpected scenario.
• Elle slightly pursed her lips at Amy’s reply. The absurd possibility expressed by her best friend caused a somewhat ambiguous feeling in her heart, between happy and sad. She was pleased because she had found the man who had been with her for years. And sadly, if her guess was wrong, then her hopes and pleasures for their meeting that finally happened would disappear. “I don’t know,” she said in the same confused tone. “Anyway, how long have you known him?” she asked, choosing not to continue her worries.
• Amy looked nervously at the question. Her eyes moved restlessly as if she was contemplating an appropriate answer for Elle. “For a few months. I was as surprised as you were when I first saw Lucas. I want to introduce him to you, but it’s impossible if both of you don’t meet in person. Sorry.” She explained at length.
• Elle nodded in understanding. She acknowledged the situation described to her. This coincidence was too hard to believe. If she didn’t see him in person, she would probably think Amy was just making it up. Even when Amy showed Lucas’s photo as evidence, she could have denied it. She might not want to believe it. “Don’t be sorry. It’s nobody’s fault.”
• Amy looked at Elle with a look full of regret. She bit her lower lip. Amy seemed to hold something back. There was something else she wanted to say, but she was trying her best not to get it out of her mouth.
• “I should be the one apologizing for not helping you prepare our lunch,” Elle said again, this time changing the topic. Supposedly, her arrival at Amy’s house was not only for lunch but also to prepare it together. But her deep sleep had ruined all her plans.
• “It’s okay. They both helped me,” Amy replied, pointing at Will and Lucas with her chin. When she saw Elle had turned his head towards them, laughing outside, she continued, “Luke has been here since morning. So he helped us get everything ready.”
• Then Elle’s gaze turned to the dishes neatly served on the dining table. It all looked delicious, and Elle was sure it tasted as delicious as it looked. Amy had unquestionable cooking skills. For that reason, Elle chose Amy to manage her restaurant.
• “You said you were having trouble sleeping these past few days. So, when you don’t come early, that’s a sign that you finally can sleep soundly.”
• Elle laughed awkwardly. Amy’s words were like satire to her. Well, even though she knew that Amy never meant it. Amy understood Elle very well, also her uncertain condition, and was always there for her when she needed her. Their friendship, which had existed since childhood, had built a strong bond. “You were making fun of me, weren’t you?” she accused, not serious at all.
• “Of course not, dear. I love you. You know it.”
• She was right that Amy didn’t mean to be sarcastic. Amy only revealed the facts that she concluded from their previous little chats. “Yeah, I know. And I love you too. Thank you for being my friend all this time.”
• Amy chuckled at Elle’s confession. No, it wasn’t her confession that felt funny. Only, it was the situation that gave rise to it that amused her. Suddenly, their conversation turned very distant from the starting point. “Then, I also have to thank you because you have been my best friend for a long time,” she replied while winking at Elle. “Now, we’d better call the boys there. I’ll also introduce you to Lucas.”
• Then, she pulled Elle’s hand to follow her to walk over to Will and Lucas, who had finished their gardening activities and were sitting side by side while chatting on the terrace. “Hey, boys. What are you talking about?” Amy asked when she got to where they were sitting.
• Lucas and Will turned their heads at the same time. Even Lucas got up and replied, “Oh, just talking about plants.”
• Amy glanced at her husband, who was also looking at her. “When it comes to plants, you can trust him. He’s an expert in gardening.”
• Lucas chuckled. “Yes, I will,” he answered, looking around. The plants that Will took care of were growing well.
• “Luke,” Amy called, getting Lucas’s attention back to her. “I want to introduce my friend. Her name is Eleua.” As promised, she introduced Elle to the man Elle had met recently.
• “Hi, I’m Elle,” Elle said her name, then thrust her right hand towards Lucas.
• A wide smile appeared on Lucas’s face. She took Ella’s hand and said, “Hi, Elle. My name is Luke.”
• Silence for a moment. Amy, who was between two, Elle and Lucas, couldn’t help but smile at them. It felt a little awkward, but she believed it would disappear as they got used to each other. Well, it was like an introduction in general. There would be a time when two people who previously did not know each other would let go of their awkwardness.
• “So, you two already know each other, so now, let’s have lunch.”