#kacij

Back to the man with the bouquet of flowers. Anna held a soft grip on her pencil and began to sketch what she saw. As she sketched she tried to think of why the man would be so nervous, and why he was carrying a bouquet of flowers.

Was he trying to get the attention of an old flame? Was he seeking one last shot? Had he had a quarrel with the love of his life and he was trying to make it up to her?

Anna’s heart pounded with anticipation as she thought up stories for this man.

A woman came along in a dress. She appeared to only kind of recognize the man. They stopped for a chat, and he held the bouquet out to her.

Anna’s shoulders slumped. It looked like a first date. Cute, sure, but not as dramatic as she had hoped. Nonetheless she sketched the woman onto the page.

Her art had been sketchy lately. Lines were blurred and not well defined, and she was certain it was from a lack of focus. Yes, she loved the city, but it also felt lonely at times.

She was thinking too hard again, and she couldn’t focus on her sketch anymore. It was okay; she should probably be heading home anyway.

After a short subway ride back to her apartment, she returned for the evening. The space seemed much closer than it used to, but it also felt emptier. She had tried as best she could to decorate it and make it feel like home. She had hung a cute tapestry she had bought from an art market on the wall, and strung fairy lights from the ceiling to warm up the room.

She supposed that it was hard when the toilet was three feet away from her wardrobe, and the kitchen sink five feet away from her bed.

Anna missed the small town where everything was open and spacious, and people held doors for each other, and said things like “how are you?” and “thank you.”

She flipped her day planner open, remembering she had promised to finish a commission this week, and so far the page lay untouched on her desk. A finished piece leaned against the wall, waiting to be wrapped and delivered to the buyer. She sighed; sometimes being an artist was a thankless job.

Her laptop chirped, and she turned to look at it. Kristoff wants to video chat.

She jumped over the mess on the floor to accept the call. “Kristoff can you hear me?”

His picture was grainy from poor lighting on the screen and he waved and pointed to his ear. “Can you hear me now?” Anna asked.

He shook his head again and pointed to his ear. Anna looked at her laptop configurations and tried to check if the mic was on. She grumbled and switched it on. “Can you hear me now?” She asked.

“Yes.” Kristoff smiled. “It’s so good to hear your voice again.”

Anna smiled. She knew she missed him, she just didn’t know she had missed him this much.

“How’s the city? How’s your art going?”

“Fine. And Fine.” Anna nodded.

“Is it still going as you expected?” Kristoff asked.

“Yeah, but the nights get a little lonely.” Anna confessed.

Kristoff offered a weak smile, “I know. They’re lonely here too if that makes you feel any better.”

“Just a little.” Anna replied.

“I miss you.” Kristoff said after a long pause.

“I miss you too.”

His screen froze and Anna checked the connection. The internet had timed out again. She sighed and rubbed her hands over her face. Why did this always happen when she wanted to talk to her boyfriend?

Anna checked the router and her phone rang. “Oh goodness!” She cried and stretched to pick it up, “Hey.”

“Lose your connection?” Kristoff asked.

“Yeah. I’m sorry.”

“No worries, at least I can still hear your voice.”

“It’s still comforting over the phone I suppose.” Anna replied.

“I know you’re bummed, Anna. You don’t have to pretend like everything is okay all the time.” Kristoff said softly.

“It’s supposed to be everything I wanted, and it is, I’m just missing you. I sketch so many couples in my sketchbook all the time, but sometimes I think I just really wish you were here.”

“I know.” Kristoff replied, “Hey I gotta go. I have to get up a little early tomorrow. Have to get to the airport for business.”

“Oh. Okay. I love you.” Anna felt her shoulders slump.

“I love you too. Keep your chin up, alright?”

“Okay, talk to you later.”

“Bye.”

She was tired, and figured she’d browse the Farmer’s Market tomorrow before dropping off the art she to her commissioner.

- She carefully packed her backpack with the pieces delicately wrapped in paper so they did not get ruined on travel. She slung the bag onto her back and headed out.

Anna loved the Farmer’s Market and often drew inspiration from the people she met while she was there. It also was a place she could pick up a couple items she loved but couldn’t find anywhere else. Fresh ground coffee from Mr. Galiant and his wife, Bread hand kneaded by her friend Amy, and some fresh fruits she couldn’t find at a lower price anywhere else in the city.

After collecting her items, she headed to the building of the commissioner to drop off the art. She had specifically requested it be brought to her office address, which Anna had not problem delivering to.

“Good Morning Ms. LeFleur, I brought the art you commissioned.” Anna spoke to the box on the outside of the building.

“Ah, yes! Perfect, I will let you in!” The woman responded.

Anna was always nervous about delivering commissions, afraid to see the recipient’s reaction when they saw the piece. She had had all positive reactions so far, but she was worried that any time now might be the time the recipient hates it.

As she handed the wrapped piece to Ms. LeFleur, she carefully removed the paper protecting it. Ms. LeFleur looked at the painting for a long time, and said nothing.

Anna bit her lip, not sure if she should just run from the room now.

“It’s so beautiful. Thank you so much Anna. It’s a gift for my husband, for our home. It’s absolutely gorgeous.”

“Thank you.” Anna blushed, “I’m glad you like it. I do have to get going.”

“Oh of course! Thank you for bringing it here.” Ms. LeFleur smiled.

Anna smiled and waved as she headed to the park.

She sat on the subway, trying to mind her own business. She couldn’t help but notice a couple holding hands and sitting close together, enjoying the ride. She glanced over the see a man with his hand around a woman as they held one of the handrails.

Anna got up at her stop and pushed through people to get out and above ground. She hurried to the corner to cross the street before the timer ran out. As she walked quickly, she walked along side a couple pushing a stroller with a baby in it. The baby squirmed in the stroller and reached up for its mother as the mother pushed the stroller along.

She took her usual bench in the park, across from a kiosk that sold coffee and in the winter, roasted chestnuts.

Anna pulled out her sketchbook, thinking about all the people she had seen at the Farmer’s Market, on the subway, and here in the park. Today, none of them interested her. She had something else on her mind.

Her hand began to move and sketch across the page, the curves and edges so familiar to her. She didn’t need to look right at it, because she knew.

Her pencil brought the page to life, his strong jawline, his nose, the messy curl and wave to his hair. She knew it all from memory. Anna leaned over her sketchpad to look closely at the details and the shading she was working on. She wanted it just right.

Her copper hair fell into her eyes, she had neglected to braid it this morning. She pushed it back, trying to keep its annoyance from distracting her.

She bit her lip in concentration, trying to get his nose just right, and to capture the love in his warm brown eyes.

“Excuse me, Miss?” a voice broke her concentration.

She was almost afraid to look up. Working in public spaces had its downsides, mothers looking at her like she had nothing better to do, perverted men asking her what she was drawing and making suggestions, people asking her to show them what she was working on.

Anna sighed and looked up.

She was greeted by warm brown eyes and a grin she would recognize anywhere. Her mouth gaped as she stared at him and then down at her sketchbook.

His hands were neatly tucked behind his back as he smiled at her.

“Kristoff?” Anna said in disbelief, “But what are you doing here?”

He laughed, “I had a meeting with a buyer in the city this morning, so I figured I’d spend the afternoon with my beautiful girlfriend.”

Anna placed her sketchbook on the bench and jumped up, throwing her arms around his neck. She had missed him, the way she had to stand on her tiptoes when she kissed him, how his skin carried a fresh scent, how he had a curl on the nape of his neck that no matter what he did it still misbehaved.

She kissed him, and kissed his cheeks, and his nose. He laughed as he held her and she buried her face in his chest. “I can’t believe you’re here, and you’re real.” She murmured.

“That I am.” He laughed.

She pulled away from him for just a moment, and he stepped back. “Remember when you told me the stories of all the couples you see in the park together?”

Anna nodded.

“I thought you might like these.” He smiled and pulled out a bouquet of sunflowers from behind his back.

Anna clasped her hands over her mouth and looked at him, and then down at the bouquet. “Kristoff these are my favorite!” She cried, reaching out to touch them.

“I know.” He laughed.

She took the bouquet and brought it up to her nose to smell the flowers. Anna smiled and then looked at Kristoff.

His head was cocked and he was trying to look at her sketchpad on the bench. “That’s really good, he’s a pretty handsome fellow.”

Anna blushed and picked up the sketchpad to show him the drawing the right way up.

Kristoff smiled at her, “Didn’t need a model for that one, did you?”

“I get to have this model every day of my life, so it’s not surprising I could draw it from memory.” Anna laughed nervously.

“It’s good, I like it.” He smiled.

“Are you hungry? You must be! Come, I’ll show you the best place to eat in the city. It has a patio and we can people watch, it’ll be so much fun!” Anna cried.

Kristoff laughed as she slung her bag over her shoulder and carried the bouquet in her free arm. She took his hand and led him out of the park and to the street corner.

He held her hand in a tight grip, not wanting to let her go. It had only struck him how hard being long distance had really been for them, especially for Anna. He had all their friends and his family back home, but she was completely on her own. It was no wonder she was so eager to show him the city and all her favorite places.

After a filling meal, Anna took him back to her studio apartment. He remembered this place from when he had helped Anna move. It was small and tight, but he could tell Anna had done her best to try to make it feel like home. Fairy lights twinkled above her bed, and he noticed many photos of them together around the room.

“I like what you’ve done with the place.” He said softly.

“It’s still not as I would like it, and it’s still cramped, but it works.” Anna gave him a weak smile. “When do you go back?”

“I booked a flight for tomorrow afternoon. Since I’m here I might as well spend all the time I can with you.” Kristoff shrugged.

Anna smiled, “Make yourself at home.”