John Miller - The Last Family

“God, he’s gorgeous.” Lily had spotted him first and pointed him out. Laura had finally wandered over and stood beside him as he’d stared at the painting of St. Sebastian.

In the painting of Sebastian, the martyr had dark locks cascading over his shoulders, and a pale halo. His skin was translucent, the veins tracks of deep blue. Most of Sebastian’s blood had been leeched out by the five arrows, which were all heeled with purple fletches. The blood that dribbled from the arrow shafts was being licked away by a pair of ewes. In the darkness of the tree limbs above there were sinister black birds watching, obviously waiting for their turn at the saint-to-be. Despite the inconvenience of being lashed to a tree, despite the arrows and the birds waiting for his eyes and sweetmeats, Sebastian was smiling at the sheep who cleansed his body. What Laura had thought she was painting had altered itself as she’d worked-a move of the brush, a moment when something unexpected happened, something outside her control, and St. Sebastian was at peace. Reb’s comment had been, “I didn’t know sheeps ate blood.”

“Ouww, gross, Mother,” Erin had added. “Like someone would stand still for that!”

“It’s an amazing piece,” Reid had said even before he turned to look at Laura. “A truly unique interpretation… of the death… of St. Sebastian. The degree of pain a man can feel and remain at peace with his inner self… his God, or his soul. It touches me in a place I’ve never been touched.” Laura thought he was serious until he laughed. “Who did shoot St. Sebastian?”

“I should know,” she said. “Martyr makers, I’d imagine.”

“I am considering it for my house, but…”

“But?”

“It’s a lot of money,” he’d said. “Fourteen thousand for an unknown.”

She had looked him over. A solid-gold Cartier, a designer suit with the cuffs breaking on a pair of obviously expensive loafers.

“Come, now. I’ll bet you paid that much for your watch. What does any watch do but intrude on your thoughts and divide your day like a drill sergeant? ‘It’s ten-twenty-oh gosh, I have to go-it’s almost time to shower…’ A slave driver in eighteen-carat gold. Attractive slave driver, but, still, the ticking is merely the cracking of the whip.”

He had looked at her and studied her for a few seconds, his eyes crystal points of interest. “Maybe the artist would trade me for this watch?” He smiled. “I could kill two birds with one Cartier. I’d have the painting to keep me company, and I’d be free of this tyrant on my wrist.”

She studied him for a few long seconds. “You’d trade your watch for that canvas?”

“In a moment,” he said, smiling. “Do you work here?”

“No, but I know the owner.” She had looked around and caught the gallery owner’s eye. He walked over. “Arthur, this is…”

“Reid Dietrich,” Arthur said, smiling his wolfish smile. “Mr. Dietrich is newly arrived in New Orleans and a client of the gallery.”

“He wants to trade his watch for this painting,” she said.

“Well, it’s okay. But there’s the question of how you’d pay me the gallery’s commission.” He stretched up on his tiptoes and crossed his arms. “Possibly the band?”

Reid had blushed. “Your painting? Oh, you’re Laura Masterson? This is embarrassing.”

“No relation to Bat.”

“Dietrich. No relation to Marlene, either.”

They’d both laughed.

“I’ll just pay for the painting. Your husband must be terribly proud of you. Such work is truly amazing.”

“I’m divorced.”

“But the wedding band?”

“Keeps me from having to spend time being chased by men I’d rather avoid. Those awkward moments in the grocery store. I have two children.”

“I’m a widower.” He had fixed his eyes on hers and then touched her hand. “Please excuse me so I can conduct my business with Arthur before someone snatches my St. Sebastian from the wall.”

“I could always paint you another,” she’d said, surprising herself. She realized that she was flirting with Reid and was suddenly embarrassed. He had held her eyes for a few seconds longer and smiled what was, as far as she could discern, a perfect smile.

“Who was the model?” he had asked.

“My ex-husband,” she said.

“Have you considered the subliminal implications?”

“Believe it.”

Reid had written Arthur a check for the fourteen thousand dollars, and a red dot had appeared beside the title placard, signifying that the work had been purchased. Reid often commented that the painting had appreciated three hundred percent since he’d bought it, while the watch had not.

Laura had not been able to talk to him any more that evening because there were so many other people she had to greet and he had disappeared shortly after writing the check. Later in the week she had quizzed Arthur about him. He told her that Reid, a recent New York transplant, was a partner in a company that sold hightech, high-dollar diagnostic machines to hospitals. He was interested in Louisiana artists, came from an old Atlanta family, had a large sailboat on Lake Pontchartrain, and lived in the French Quarter. Most important, he wasn’t gay, though Arthur deemed that a shame.

Weeks later Arthur called her to ask if she would accompany him to Reid’s home and oversee the hanging of the painting, as Mr. Dietrich had requested. His house on Dumaine was four thousand square feet on three floors and filled with antiques and artwork. The house had a private courtyard protected by tall brick walls, and servants’ quarters that he used strictly for storage. The art movers hung St. Sebastian over the carved-marble fireplace in the living room.

She and Arthur had been met at the door by a casually dressed Reid.

In the living room there was a haunting egg-tempera portrait of a woman, painted in a style similar to that of Andrew Wyeth. Arthur said she was the dead wife. “Car wreck,” Arthur had whispered as they passed. “Decapitated,” he added, raising his blond eyebrows for emphasis.

Reid had insisted they stay for sandwiches, but Arthur begged off. Laura had needed to go, too, but when she looked at her watch with the intention of making an excuse, Reid had looked into her eyes and said, “Your drill sergeant?”

They had reclined on the Oriental, eaten pastrami sandwiches, and sipped dry red wine. They had struck up a friendship almost at once, and as if to make a wonderful dinner perfect, the clouds had opened and driving rain had covered the courtyard. He had built a fire below St. Sebastian to chase the damp chill from the room.

They had all but lived together for the past six months, each assuming that they would spend nights in each other’s company unless there was some reason not to. Reid, if not perfection, was as close as men came, to her way of thinking. And available just enough. And love grows.

Reid didn’t talk about the details of his wife’s death, and Laura didn’t ask. He had a way of changing the subject with unequaled grace when conversation strolled too close to something he didn’t care to discuss.

After five years of life without Paul she still dreamed sometimes that he was beside her in bed. She was very fond of Reid, but her soul had been pledged to Paul, and it remained with him despite her attempts to forget him and move forward. She knew she would never remarry strictly for love. Luckily there were enough other reasons so that she might decide to marry. But there was no hurry. Her life was full enough.

The Georgetown brownstone was smaller than many of the others on the tree-lined street. Paul smiled at the fact that there was nothing on the outside to offer evidence that the building was occupied by one of the most powerful men in America.