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at 1 PM, Paul was the first person to enter and asked the guard which way was the gallery. The old gentleman pointed and said "just straight through that large archway". Paul rushed down the long hallway and entered the gallery. There were more than a hundred paintings hanging up and down the length of the gallery and within the smaller alcoves off the main hallway. He immediately eliminated all the landscapes and subjects that did not contain a woman. He viewed the likely candidates and his heart rate began to accelerate as he looked at his watch and it was 1:55 PM.

He stared at the lady sitting by the fountain and it just did not feel right. Then an image flashed in his mind of a painting he had saw earlier and he then knew yes that indeed that was the painting that resembled Petunia. He did a hurried pace as other patrons looked at him wondering the need to almost jog across the gallery. There in the alcove he looked and knew it was the one. He glanced at his watch and it said 1:59 PM. He took a deep breath and looked about but there was no one near. Fear began to creep in had he made the wrong choice. He glanced back at the painting and knew he was right as he then heard a soft voice "Paul?"

Paul turned and there she was. Everything and more than he could ever imagine she would be. The word almost stuck in his throat "yes". A wide smile broke across her face and she gave him a quick hug. She stepped back and asked "what made you think that the painting looked like me?" He said there was a serenity and peace about it while the young lady sat for the artist while reading a book by an open window on a spring day. Petunia quickly agreed and asked "do you want to take me to lunch I am starved?" They both chuckled and Paul replied "sure". Petunia thrust her arm trough Paul's arm and said "by the way my name is not Petunia it is Marie". Paul laughed loudly and Marie asked "what is so funny?" Paul replied "boy I am so glad your name is Marie. The only Petunia I ever knew of was that little skunk in that children's cartoon". They both broke out in gales of laughter as the other patrons looked on in scorn and they quickly made their way to the door.

Learn more about this author, Richard Bramante.
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