He was about to ask more, when she held out the gift. He took it, sat on one of the beanbags with the large, somewhat awkward object balanced on his knee and began delicately removing the paper – Jack of all people recognized a wrapped-up painting when he saw one, and he knew the need to be very careful in unwrapping it.
When he saw what was inside, he gasped.
“K-K-Katelynn …” For a moment, he just gaped. A da Vinci? An authentic one? The Renaissance painter was one of Jack’s heroes not only in terms of art, but when it came to creativity in general. His works were considered treasures. “H-how did you get this?” He hardly dared even touch it.
Her heart was pounding rather loudly in her ears and she wasn’t sure why, walking over to sit next to him with her ever present smile. “A friend gave it to me when I was out one day..he’s um..a demon but he’s really kind,” she tried explaining, nibbling on her bottom lip nervously in case he immediately jumped at the word to think the man a villain.
“He..He told me Da Vinci had painted him in his female form..being a demon and all..he’s genderless. I told him you loved paintings and had it lying around..so..he gave it to me to give to you..”
Jack’s smile instantly faded. Some of the color drained from his face as he turned to look at Katelynn, still holding the painting. “A d-demon?” That would definitely explain how this person would have gotten hold of a painting that would probably be worth a fortune, if it were known who had painted it. But having it in his possession now made him nervous.
Jack Maple 