The Color of Wine and Music

Paul imagined the perfect color for the petals on the zinnias of the lavish garden on his coloring sheet. He stretched lean, angular fingers throughout the pile of rainbow markers searching for the quintessential grape. A tug from a stubby, short hand plucked it from his imagination and literally from his grasp. He didn't let go. She didn't either. “Oh, were you trying, hoping, dying, or wishing to use this color next? A final pluck using a determined thumb and forefinger, and it was her captive. He squirmed, “Yes. I was hoping to complete the floral garden reminiscent of my mother’s summer garden. A childhood memory.” “Well, she handed the marker to her opponent. You can use it. It's not the proper color I need after all. I'm searching for a more Azure blue like the clear skies of spring.” She dropped the marker into his hand as if it were a hot coal and immediately raced across the room. In the library's adult coloring class, there were two tables of people resembling a kaleidoscope of colors, aromas, cultures, and flavors. Yet, she stood out in the crowd. Even though people always thought she resembled their friends, relatives, and lovers. Paul remained motionless until she sat down at the table and joined in a conversation with two other people who sat across from her. She laughed as her coiled hair bounced to the beat of the jazz music lilting in the background. “This is so relaxing” a voice from across him bellowed. He jumped at the sound of the stranger's voice. He looked up and shook his head in agreement. Finally able to move one foot in front of the other, he carried his prized possession back to his seat. The scuffle of the chair scraping against the cement floor caused a few stares and frowns. He had broken the tranquility and peacefulness of the activity. Across the room, a smile formed at the corners of her full lips. In an instant, she looked down again at the task at hand her ‘Sky’ masterpiece. Suddenly she lost all concentration. Something unnerved her. Something made her edgy. She stared across the room watching his movements like a hawk. She watched as he held the marker striking gentle, circular motions across the coloring page. She wondered what he was coloring. Had he finished the garden? She felt the blue across the room. It was that vibrant. All this time, he continued to stroke against the page with a determined flourish. Occasionally, he would swipe the long black wayward strand from off his forehead. She had both her hands under her chin just staring now. Her coloring buddy called her name. She didn't know how many times until she felt a kick under the table. Oh, ow! What! Why are you kicking me? She whispered back at her, “Shh! your eyes are full of him. Your mouth is drooling. Behave. Maybe you should try to color something. It is an adult coloring class after all. Faith, color something! I invited you so that you could release all that stress bottled up inside of you.” “Hey, it's my business how I choose to color. I color on my terms but thank you for the invite. It's not like it's a private country club… it's a public library Jackie so anybody can attend.” Faith pushed out of her chair soliciting frowns from the zoned-out crowd and scuffled up to the art project display table. She tapped her finger to her nose. Maybe I need a different picture. She glanced over the uncolored pictures of animals, flowers, shapes, and shook her head. “Yes, it isn't working maybe someday, but not today. I need something more to relieve my stress. I need to relax.” She let go and listened to the rhythm of the jazz music. She wrapped her arms around her body and swayed to the lilting melody. I like this music too. It's just like the blue I'm searching for. A quiet movement behind her forced her to turn around. She found him smiling at her. “You have a blue nose”, he chuckled. She swiped the blue marker off the table and dotted at the tip of his nose. “And so do you.” He looked at her quizzically and then reached for her hands placing her head gently on his shoulder. They moved to the melody slowly and steadily. He whispered in her ear, “Let's go!” “But we are coloring,” she murmured looking up into his eager eyes. “There's coloring and there's coloring. What you need is the more advanced adult coloring class.” He grabbed her and pulled her gently toward the exit of the library past the stairs and grins of a coloring class and the chuckling librarian. He snatched up their unfinished papers, grabbed their coats and they bounced out into the brisk coldness of the snowy evening. They jumped to dodge piles of snow across the street into a small café. The blue door welcomed the couple warmly into its fold. She looked up and smiled at the sign ‘Cafe Bleu.’ Once inside, he ordered two glasses of Merlot and appetizers of tempura vegetables, mushroom caps, and unsalted pretzel breadsticks. Paul gestured to the waiter to leave the bottle of wine on the table. “What should we toast to?” she smiled clinking her glass on his. “More color,” he said. Much more color! As they sipped the sweet blend, a sound of jazz filtered from the backstage. The quartet of musicians prepared for their next set. The table displayed their adult coloring pages now blurred from the snowflakes and now blended into one new vibrant blue.