A MAZE OF GREED

A particular painting in Welby's home caught Ruth's attention. She could not move ahead without studying that beautiful piece of art.

Rees noticed that Ruth was not following them anymore. He turned to see her standing in the hallway facing a painting with her brows furrowed in curiosity and her lips slightly parted as if she was amazed by something.

"Ruth?"

She was hypnotised by that painting to register Rees's call.

"What is she looking at?" Thea murmured as they both walked in her direction.

Rees paused when he realised what had caught Ruth's attention.

It was that one painting.

"Ruth... Ruth!" Thea shook her shoulders and broken from the hypnotising stance, Ruth turned at them startled.

"What happened?" Thea asked.

Ruth blinked a couple of times, not knowing what had gotten into her. She again turned to the painting that witnessed her state with a haughty smirk.

"Rees, what is this painting?" Ruth asked the question that Rees did not want to answer.

Thea looked at the painting and her eyes widened in shock. She now knew why Rees tensed beside her.

It was a painting framed in a black wooden frame. What was portrayed in that painting was a giant black wolf with obsidian eyes that had electric blue streaks in them?

~"Is it...."~ Thea knew that Rees must be reading her thoughts so she asked that question in her mind.

Her heart skipped a beat when Rees nodded in response.

It was a painting of a werewolf- Edwin O'Dell!

"Rees?" Ruth prompted.

After sharing a look with Thea, Rees smiled at Ruth.

"It is just a random painting that my mother found interesting for some odd reason."

Rees made up a reason that first crossed his mind.

For some reason, Ruth did not seem convinced with it. She could not tear her gaze from that painting. Everything about it- the dark night sky, full moon, twinkling stars, the florescent magenta coloured flowers around the big black wolf- was enchanting, had clasped around her soul.

But what she could not resist was the obsidian eyes of that wolf. She keenly observed those electric blue streaks in them that told her a bunch of unspoken stories, as if they were meant only for her to listen.

Those florescent flowers were different from what she had seen in her life and this house.

"Which flowers are these?" She asked.

Rees cleared his throat. "They are the artist's creativity Ruth. You do not need to look for reality in it."

But deep down, he wanted her to believe that everything that she was aware of but had written in destiny.

"This is... beautiful!" She whispered as her fingers itched to touch the painting.

Before she felt that masterpiece under her fingers, someone brought her back to reality.

"Kids, dinner is ready."

Ruth turned to look at Mr Welby's large form standing some distance from them.

His eyes captured her stretched hand, and Rees knew that his father had sensed something.

"Yes, come on, Ruth. Let's have dinner first." Rees signalled Thea with his eyes.

Thea quickly took Ruth's hand in hers and moved her from her spot. They followed Mr Welby to the ground floor then into the dining room where others waited for them.

Mrs Welby had already served their plates. Ruth's mouth watered at the sight of the delicious food that lay in front of her.

"Ruth, did you like our house?" Mrs Welby asked after everyone settled in their chairs.

Ruth nodded her head with a smile. "Yes, Mrs Welby. Your house is very beautiful. It is not only big but it also has that homely feeling to it." She answered truthfully.

Hearing her response, Mrs Welby's face radiated with joy and pride. "thank you, dear. You are such a sweetheart!"

Ruth watched everyone around her. They were all happy and smiling. She had forgotten seeing smiling faces during Mr Payne's illness. All she saw was gloominess and worry etched on her and Mrs Payne's face.

Between those strings of words that fell on her ears, Ruth could not take her mind away from that painting.

Pushin' down the food in her mouth, she turned to Mrs Welby.

"Mrs Welby, your collection of flower paintings is great! Rees told me how much you love flowers."

The woman smiled at her. "Thank you dear. I do love flowers since my childhood."

Ruth nodded. "May I ask you something?" She asked hesitantly.

"Of couse."

"Where did you find that wolf painiting?"

Mrs Welby's face colour changed at Ruth's question. She glanced at her husband and son.

"Why are you asking about it?" Mrs Welby narrowed her eyes.

Thea sensed why she was angry. She was about to shot a warning glare at Ruth but it was late.

"That painting feels out of place amongst the others." Ruth told truthfully.

She was confused about Mrs Welby's reaction but what really bothered her was Mr Welby's unwavering stare at her face. As if he was trying to look past her eyes and into her soul.

Forcing a smile on her face, Mrs Welby asked, "You did not find anything interesting about that painting?"

Ruth paused for a moment and then replied. "I do find it more interesting than any other painting I have ever seen. Yes, the artist has done a splendid job at capturing the very details of it. But what intrigued me was the look in those obsidian eyes."

"Is that all you found interesting?" It was Mr Welby's deep voice asking her question.

Mr and Mrs Green did not know what the conversation was about and why the three people discussed a mere painting at lengths. But they kept quiet listening to their conversation.

Facing Mr Welby, Ruth answered confidently. "No, Mr Welby. For me what captured my attention was not only the beauty of the painting but I felt something beyond explainable. Those black eyes, those fathomless pits of the dark had stories to tell.

But what made them special is the electric blue streaks that are similar to the lightning in the dark sky. And…"

"And?"

"Those florescent magenta coloured flowers. What kind of flowers are they, Mrs Welby?"

The woman shrugged her tensed shoulders. "They are the incarnation of the artist's imagination, Ruth."

Ruth nodded her understanding but murmured under her breath, "I doubt it is just a result of imagination. The wolf looks like someone had drawn a real one."

She did not mean anyone to hear her. But she was surrounded by three werewolves, who heard her clearly.

"Sometimes fantasies do take a real form, young lady!"

She could not help but match Mr Welby's stare for a moment longer. But Rees cleared his throat and diverted the course of conversation the other way.

As everyone other chatted amongst themselves, Ruth found herself drifting away from their conversation. She was happy, there was no doubt about that. She liked Rees's parents even though they were a little different from Thea's.

But even then she could not find a place for herself in their family talks and that was the time when she realised how lonely she was.

Mr Payne's illness and her overtime working had not presented her any time for herself but now that no one disturbed her train of thoughts, she found herself thinking about many things.

She listened to the elders' excited talk about Thea and Rees's wedding. This time, they also contributed their share in the conversation instead of changing the topic altogether.

She watched silently how the two mothers had woven numerous dreams for their children over the years. Suddenly the loss of her mother twisted her heart painfully.

If her mother was alive, she would have seen dreams of Ruth's marriage. She would have scolded her to find a suitable man for herself or better she would have chosen one on her behalf. And Ruth would not have minded it. Her mother knew her better than anyone else in the world.

But the cruel face of reality was that her mother was not there with her, beside her, for her. She must be watching her from an unknown space like a twinkling star that felt near but was far away than she could fathom.

******

How much I miss the warmth of your lap

your fingers running in my hair

your tender pecks on my forehead

the world is nothing without you nowadays

your melodious lullaby I want to hear before I slip to slumber

It was your heart's cry, a blessing that helped me grow stronger

My hero, my friend and philosopher

I found that everything in you

but now only I realise that the whole universe was just a part of you

I cried, I failed

I stopped still excelled

my tears didn't go in vain

'cause your guiding light helped me walk through the rain

I see you standing right there at the corner

by the time I reach you

you are not there any longer

Destiny has played a dirty trick on me

ripping away my happiness,

leaving me abandoned

she is waiting for me to shed tears, abundant

Oh, mother, my dear sweet mother

I know you are watching me from up above there

I hope you are appeased, then how you were here

******