Chapter 7

“Is it good?” he murmured. “Or have I gone off the deep end in my old age?”

He knew one person who would give him an honest answer.

“Janice,” he said, walking into the living room to interrupt her vacuuming.

“It’s about time you showed your face. I was beginning to wonder if you’d given up eating for…well, it’s past Lent, but…”

“No.” He realized he was hungry now. Starving in fact. And extremely tired but elated as well. “I’d love something to eat—after you come up to look at my newest painting.”

She smiled widely. “So I was right. Getting away from here did inspire you.”

“You’ll see,” was all he said as they went up to the studio.

She stepped inside, and stood for a long moment looking at what he’d created. Then she moved closer, examining it. Finally she said, “It’s truly horrifying, but in a good way, if that’s possible.” She turned to gaze at him, biting her lip. “Something bad happened to you, didn’t it?”