Nina

“STOP MOVING AROUND I cannot paint if you keep changing position all the time!” screamed Carlo Enzo at his less than perfect model for the commissioned work he was attempting to complete for his patron. His oil work on canvas was well renowned within the local area and unfortunately for him his assistant Paolo had asked a young girl to sit for his best friend and she was proving to be a handful and this was making work for the day extremely difficult for Carlo who demanded his models sit perfectly still.

This young lass could not stay still and in so doing created a quandary for Carlo. Should he just stop work and let her go for the day and hope that when the sun rose the following day things would be better or should he just look for a model that would do his painting justice and one that would sit still long enough for Carlo to complete his work?

Eventually he gave up and threw his paint brushes at the floor and walked up to the model gave her some money and asked her to leave.

“PAOLO!” yelled Carlo into the air of his dusty studio and in the distance he heard his friend come running at fast pace to his friends side.

“Yes Carlo...what do you need?” panted Paolo looking at the model getting dressed and back to his friend with wide open eyes in shock and bemusement.

“I need a model that will sit still for a long time and who is just a bit more feminine than this young lady who is only starting to develop the figure that a woman should have... understood...this one looks like a tall skinny boy are we clear on this?” said Carlo as he cleaned his brushes and work area in a huff.

“Certainly my friend I will leave directly and search for another model for you...don’t panic I will find someone for you” said Paolo hurrying off out of the house and its front door while back in the studio the model now dressed huffed off in disgust at being called a skinny boy. Carlo sat drinking wine from a huge goblet to take away the anger he was feeling at not being able to get some serious work done. He had a patron who was going to pay a generous sum for three beautiful portraits for his home and Carlo didn’t want to disappoint him but he couldn’t get the work done if the model wasn’t right.

The wine was taking affect on him and he found himself sliding into a deep sleep while outside Paolo was frantically going from home to home asking everyone he met if they had a daughter that could pose for the towns famous artist and cement their place in the history books...all to no avail. Paolo walked away from the last house in town with another rejection firmly lodged in his ears and sat in the long grass wondering how he would break the news to his friend. No one wanted their daughters to pose for his friend Carlo. Paolo reached for his mobile phone to text his friend and a delicate female voice came from behind him....

“Excuse me sir...but are you alright...do you need help?”

Paolo lowered his arm holding the mobile phone and turned into the setting sun to see the silhouetted figure of a young woman about twenty five years old carrying two bags of groceries. The sun travelled right through the dress she was wearing and Paolo held his breath at the vision that stood before him because he could see she was definitely female.

“Yes I do need help and no I am alright but my friend back in town isn’t”

“What’s wrong is he sick?” asked the young lass.

“No...he needs a model for some artwork that his patron has commissioned him to create and all the models we have had were terrible and jumped around a lot so he sent me to find a new one so he could keep working and finish so we could get paid”

“Whats his name?”

“Carlo Enzo” said Paolo trying not to stare at the shape of the young woman’s body through her dress with the sun behind her but he was losing that fight.

“I’ve heard of him and seen his work he is really good...how much does it pay?” enquired the lady putting her bags down and folding her arms with an aggressive confidant body language.

“I really couldn’t say but if you came to the studio tomorrow you could ask him yourself I’m sure he would like to meet you and he would also feed you as well...er...your name is?”

“Nina....Nina Rosaletta” I live out of town and rarely come in unless it’s really important or my stock need medicine for something”

“Oh ok...pleased to meet you Nina I’m glad we bumped into each other”

“So am I..the money would come in handy right about now” said Nina looking at her bags while Paolo asked her for her phone number and address delicately.

“If I could have your details I can tell Carlo that you will be coming at...what time?”

“Make it lunch time because I have animals to feed and a farm to run and I also have to walk into town so what is the address Paolo and I will be there on time?” said Nina smiling at Paolo as he told her the address.

“I know that building...ok...I will be there at 12 pm see you then...nice to meet you Paolo” and Nina walked off up the road carrying her groceries and medicines back to her farm with Paolo watching her body walk completely out of site. Then he lifted up his mobile phone, dialled it and spoke to Carlo waking him from a deep slumber...

“Listen Carlo I have found someone and she is perfect...she will be at the studio at 12 tomorrow so don’t panic ok”

“You sure Paolo?”

“Yes Carlo she is a goddess”

“Good thank you friend for doing your best and I will see you when you get back here ok?”

“On my way!” and Paolo hung up the phone smiling looking back up the country road towards Nina who was almost out of sight then standing up smiling to himself. He was happy he had found someone for his friend and he started back into town at a relaxed walking pace now that the stress of finding someone to pose was gone.

Nina was perfect.....