"Unfortunately, that's it—only there's no sleight of hand in painting. That's one field in which even practice doesn't automatically make perfect. Hungry?"
"Yes."
Two legs of bread split with pink.
"We forgot all about dinner last night."
"Yes." He thought guiltily of how he'd stopped for a sandwich, suddenly ravenous after he had left her.
"Ham sandwiches are my favorite. I get tired of almost everything else, but never of ham sandwiches, or strawberries. This is the best sandwich I ever ate. My dentist says every September he has patients who broke their teeth on French bread."
She yawned.
"Why don't you take a nap?"
The dense late-summer leaves stood discreetly still, each green leaf confined by its outline. Patches of sunlight lay here and there, like yellow paint in a forest scene on the stage. Only brighter. The merest slit in her left eye told her he was making a drawing of her and, as he looked up, she squeezed it shut so he would not see her peeking. She struggled to remain asleep, dreaming he was with her because if she opened her eyes she might see Clem sitting across the white cloth with the tumbled store fruit between them and she'd have to go all through those years again. She moved restlessly to free herself and heard his voice.
"Uncomfortable?"
"Sleepy. I went out last night after you left and didn't get in until five."
He placed his notebook in his pocket. The accusing specter of Simone harassed him with an image of their twilight drifting in one of the many little rowboats festooned with Japanese lanterns. That same day at noon a couple of years ago Simone and he had picnicked as today. Memory of what followed was enough to scare any man who wanted to paint from the additional problem of perpetual fealty to one woman.
"Round this bend we can get a boat and row to the end of the lagoon. Would you like that?"
She pulled on her stockings, slippers and, standing, teetered on the uneven earth and he moved into her outstretched arms. She placed her head on his breast.
"You're like the trunk of a tree, hold me close just once before we go so I can get my balance."
