Chapter 14
“Told you he was promising.” Dora said, leaning the painting carefully against the wall. She patted Alonzo on the shoulder and added. “This one’s mine. Hands off.”
Alonzo pouted, “Geez, stingy much?”
At the lunch table. Alonzo kept peppering Dewey with questions about his color choices. But Dewey hadn’t thought that deeply–he just picked what he liked. Still, unknowingly, he’d poured his inner world onto the canvas through color.
Alonzo was so excited he barely ate, shooting Dora repeated looks like, ‘Come on, how can you not let me keep this kid? He’s a prodigy!”
Dora pretended not to notice, calmly focused on her food.
Alonzo frowned in frustration. This stubborn girl. You bring me a gem and won’t even help me out?‘ he thought.
After a brief pause, he softened his tone and turned to Dewey with a gentle, coaxing smile. “Hey Dewey, how would you like to learn painting from me? If you become my student, you’ll get to use as much paint as you want and draw anything you like every day!”
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Dewey blinked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. “Alonzo. are you really that good at painting“?”
“Of course!” Alonzo puffed up with pride. “I’m the best in the whole country–if I say I’m number two, no one dares claim number one! After lunch, I’ll show you my work. If you like it and want to learn, you can live here with me, okay?”
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Chapter 14
Dewey thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t think I can. It’s too far out here. If I live here. I won’t get to see Mom and Dad much.”
Alonzo’s face crumpled in disappointment.
Dora couldn’t help but laugh. Resting her chin on her hand, she said lazily. “Alonzo. Dewey still has school. Living out here really isn’t practical. You should think about moving back into the city. You’re not getting any younger, and with just one housekeeper out here in the middle of nowhere–what if something happens? An ambulance wouldn’t even make it in time.”
She’d tried to talk him into moving before, more than once. As expected, Alonzo waved her off irritably. “Enough already! You nag more than an old man. I’ll think about it.”
Dora shrugged. “No rush. But just so you know–if you don’t move. Dewey definitely won’t stay out here to paint. But if you do move, Byron’s already lined up a place for you. One call, and someone will be here tomorrow to help you pack.”
Alonzo had been living out there for seven or eight years and wasn’t too eager to leave. So, for now, he brushed off the idea and cheerfully led Dewey to admire his collection of casual works.
It wasn’t until around 4:30 in the afternoon that the siblings finally
headed home
On the ride back, Dewey couldn’t stop talking, bubbling with excitement. It was clear he was genuinely interested in learning to paint from Alonzo.
Dora didn’t mind either way. She had already gotten the painting she needed, and whether Dewey became Alonzo’s apprentice or not didn’t concern her. The real reason she’d brought him there was to nudge Alonzo into moving back to the city.
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She owed him a great deal–he had been one of the first to see her potential and support her. She
just didn’t want him growing old alone in a remote corner of the countryside. If something ever happened suddenly, she might not even make it in time to say goodbye.
Living in the city meant better transportation, access to medical care, a strong social network–someone would always be around to help if needed.
and
They arrived home just as dinner was being served. Dewey practically bounced into the house, excitedly telling everyone about his day and how he wanted to learn painting from Alonzo.
She calmly swallowed a bite of food and replied evenly, “Dewey really likes painting, and I happen to know Alonzo, so I brought him over to play for a bit today.”
That single sentence instantly stirred up a storm at the dinner table.
Alberto’s voice shot up an octave in disbelief. “Alonzo? The Alonzo–the nationally renowned master of traditional painting?”
His works were the stuff of legend–nearly impossible to buy, even with deep pockets. Over a decade ago, his masterpiece Serene Forest had been purchased by the Hendrix family at auction for over 30 million dollars.
He’d retreated from the public eye in his fifties, disappearing into. seclusion. Since then, his works had become even rarer–and astronomically more valuable.
Dora nodded without much fanfare. “Yes, that’s him. He’s a friend. I spoke with him today–he thinks Dewey has real talent and said he’d be willing to take him on as a student.”
The whole family was floored.
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‘Alonzo, a master known at home and abroad, wants Dewey as his apprentice?‘ they thought.
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