The Tragic Tale of Teddy Woven novel Chapter 17

The ends of my short yellow floral dress billowed in the wind, lifting up to the point that I had to use my hands to pin it down. Teddy seemed to take no notice of it, simply looking out along the sea coast as he strolled by my side. It was a fine day, supremely sunny with a gentle breeze that caressed my skin.

He was closest to the cliffs, unbothered by the substantial drop that could spell the end of his life. I tried to read his facial expressions, but they seemed to conflict with one another at certain intervals. The straw basket swung on the left side of his body, probably heavy since it was filled with our entire lunch.

I was nervous to go out with him today, but after everything he had done it felt right to accept his invitation. The breeze felt wonderful against me, and the fresh sea air enlivened me. I looked over my right shoulder, vaguely catching sight of the dark silhouette of his humble home. It was nice to know we were so far away from it now, and I secretly hoped his behaviour would lighten now that we were no longer inside of it. I slipped my hand against his left rib-cage to get a hold of his arm, propping his upwards until I could rest mine comfortingly against his own. He looked down his long nose, allowing a tiny twitch of his lip upwards in satisfaction. “How are you feeling?” he politely asked.

I swayed my body weight to the left, hitting him hard enough for him to sense my mood. “Good,” I cheerily replied.

“When’s the last time you had a picnic?”

I looked past him, taking in the azure blue sea with heaps of white foam smeared atop of it. “When I was a little girl,” I softly replied. “How about you?”

“When I was a child.”

“And yet, you have a basket.”

“It never left this place,” he informed me with a strain to his voice. “Everything has been kept intact. Entirely the same.”

“And why should it ever change?” I asked him in a peppy voice. “When the house is so beautiful.”

“Fond of that word,” he observed in a low tenor. “You will say the same thing when I show you the portrait I completed.”

“Will I?”

“Yes, once we sit down I will show it to you.” His eyes were focused on the changing shoreline, almost captivated by the ripples and waves that leaped over each other. “We won’t wander that far.”

“This place stretches out for miles on end.”

“There is a sense of seclusion.”

“Does all of this land belong to you?”

“This portion really doesn’t belong to anyone. I suppose if I ever found myself with neighbours I would build a wooden fence, or be like the olden days and build a wall full of rocks.” He caught my growing smile. “I would like to improve this place and make it feel like a home. The only problem is, it can never be truly mine. It is haunted with memories.” He looked downwards at his feet. “But that is to be expected. I should have gone insane by now, but you see I haven’t.” He turned his gaze to my side profile. “At least, you do not see me that way.”

“I don’t.”

“Thank you for that,” he muttered. Eyes closed somberly, he eventually turned his head to the left to look at the sea. Teddy seemed to gain strength at its presence, a sense of calmness at the pale blue sky and vibrant hued sea. It was not long until he picked out a flat patch of land, and placed the straw basket down neatly. The small blanket I was carrying under my left arm was unearthed, and I laid it out flat so that we could have a seat. Teddy sat first, immediately stretching out his legs with exhaustion.

I became busy opening up the straw basket, and gasped out loud once I saw what was on the very top. “Is this it?” I asked with excitement. There was something wrapped in crimson red tissue paper that squished under my finger when I pressed upon the surface. “Could I-”

“go ahead.”

I sat down beside him and happily tore at the decorative paper. Teddy took the wrappings so it would not fly away in the wind, and soon enough I saw a glossy white frame securing the portrait of myself. My grin stretched from ear to ear, and then I laughed in ecstasy at the image. “It looks just like me,” I childishly pointed out. “And you added some colour.”

The man beside me was blushing with embarrassment once I turned to look at him. “A little.”

“It’s beautiful,” I unknowingly said. “Brilliant, really. I wonder where I should put it. Maybe in the living room, so when someone comes over they can see it. I must show this to my parents. This is so…” I stopped myself short, once I realized how much I had been raving about the portrait. I lowered it over my lap, but the smile could not fade away from my face. A hand was lightly pressed against the top of my arm, and when I looked up I realized how close Teddy’s face was to mine.

“I’ve never seen you smile so much before,” he related in a low tenor.

“I can’t help it.” I lowered my gaze from his. “You make me look like some great beauty.” My smile grew even more at the sight of it. “You must give me one of yours as well. Oh, but not one where you are looking sad. I would like it to look just like this! Could you, Teddy?”

“Could I… what?”

“Give me your self-portrait where you look like this?”

“I will give you anything you want.”

“You don’t look so haunted here.” My thumb rubbed the side of the picture frame affectionately. “You almost look happy.”

“I hardly know that feeling.”

“Oh, Teddy,” I laughed. “You know that’s not true.” I leaned forwards and examined the contents of the straw basket. “I must put this portrait somewhere special. Could you hold it for a moment? I will get out our lunch. This is a great idea.” I was hardly aware how much I was rambling in front of him. “I don’t know why I was wavering so much with the idea. After all, we are friends.” I instantly regretted the word, and the silence on Teddy’s end made me think he felt adverse to the idea as well. “It is nice that we get along so well,” I said as a way of an excuse. “And I don’t bother you.”

“No, Sela.”

“I haven’t upset your nerves?”

“No, you haven’t.”

“It is a pity that I won’t be working here anymore.” I pulled out a container full of potato salad. “But you will get more work done that way.” Bean salad was gathered next, and then I set out to find the bowl of fruits that I had cut up this morning. “You are quiet.”

“I was watching you.”

“I am not doing anything interesting,” I complained. The wrapped up sandwiches were gathered next, and then I settled it down in the small space between us. “Just getting our lunch ready.”

“Maybe dinner too,” he suggested with a cunning look to his eyes. An eyebrow arched upwards, once he caught a certain expression flash across my face. “Another time then.”

“You wish to spend so much time with me.”

“Is that so hard to comprehend?”

I sucked in my bottom lip, vainly trying to distract myself by gathering plates. Teddy placed a hand over the top of my back, forcing me to look up at him. His face softened before me, full of emotion. “No,” I whispered soft enough for only him to hear it.

“Stay,” he entreated. “I am not asking you to stay the night, only the evening.”

I nodded my head in ascension, even though a small part of me feared the consequences of such actions.

He removed his hand from behind my back and let it fall upon the navy-blue blanket. I took that opportunity to prepare the last of our lunch. In time our plates were full with food, and we sat together by the high precipice to look out at the water. A seldom boat would cross over the horizon, skirting the azure blue sea at an easy pace. There was peace all around us, a comfortable feeling that was shared between two friends. I knew that Teddy wanted more than that, perhaps, more than I could possibly ever imagine. I had to heed the advice of my friend and employer though, and take things incredibly slow with him.

“You will miss me when I am gone,” I pointed out in between bites of food.

“Are you going somewhere?”

I smirked at him, which earned a naughty shake of his head. “Sela,” he warned. “Tell me.”

“I won’t be here starting next week.”

“You could still come,” he replied with a smug smile. “Just not be out working in the garden.”

“What would you have me do here?”

“We could go on picnics like this one,” he suggested. “I could drive you around the countryside. Go on long walks or trails. Bike rides.” He paused to eat a mouthful of food. “You could sit with me in my study room, or watch me paint in my studio. It would be nice for Luna and myself to have a companion.”

I elbowed him at the side in annoyance, not because I did not like the idea. It was a good one, and I feared that small part of me that was too eager to accept his offer.