Chapter Seven
Wednesday had come again and Monica was more nervous than usual. Would Dennis pose? She had some things ready to be used for still life drawing just in case he decided he wasn't ready for that step. After the events of the previous week she thought he probably would, but wasn't sure. She looked at the semi-circle of chairs and easels she had arranged around her living room rug. She hoped she would see Dennis in the center of them this evening.
Finally, a car appeared and turned into her driveway. She recognized it as Dennis' immediately. After parking the car, Dennis got out, followed by Lenora. The two of them got everything they needed for the evening out of the backseat and started up Monica's front steps.
Monica opened the front door for them as they stepped on to the porch. "How are you both this week?" she asked cheerfully as she ushered them inside with her arm.
"We're fine," Lenora replied. After saying this her gaze quickly flew back from Monica to Dennis. She held onto his arm and smiled at him lovingly as they walked into the house.
Once inside, the couple turned their attention back to their host. "How are you today Monica?" Dennis asked. The smile on his face was just as beaming as the one on Lenora's.
"What is up with you two?" Monica asked, raising an eyebrow and laughing. "I'm fine by the way to answer your question, but what is with the huge grins on both your faces?"
"We'll say when everyone else is here." Lenora was still hanging onto Dennis' arm as she said this. Her face seemed to glow even more.
With Lenora's statement, Monica began to suspect what the announcement was. She smiled knowingly as Lenora took her seat and began to get ready. Dennis remained standing in front of Monica. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it before any words came out. Instead he pointed his thumb over his shoulder toward the guest bedroom. With him standing there, Monica was able to really appreciate how much better he looked in a shirt and dress pants than he ever had in his thug look clothing.
"I take it you've made your decision about tonight," Monica said with a slight laugh.
"Yeah," Dennis replied with a nod, "I think I'm ready to do it."
Walking a couple of steps forward, Monica gave him a hug. "I'm glad," she said as she gave him a peck on the cheek.
Dennis smiled as he turned and walked into the guest bedroom. The look he and Lenora gave each other seemed to confirm to Monica what their secret was. She couldn't wait for everyone else to show up so that she could find out if she was right or not.
Soon she got her wish as the rest of the class arrived in quick succession. Ellie and Mark were first, followed by Angel and then Shawn. Monica felt like a giddy schoolgirl as she stood on her porch watching Shawn step up toward her. When he was face to face with her he leaned forward and gave her a very quick kiss on the lips. Her heart fluttered when his lips touched her's.
After breaking contact, Shawn pulled back. His eyes had a twinkle in them as he kept staring into Monica's. Finally he moved into the house, only breaking eye contact when he was through the door and moving toward the semi-circle. Monica placed a hand over her chest and felt her heart hammer as she watched him get ready for the evening.
A few moments later Monica recovered her composure, closed the front door and walked toward the semi-circle. Of the faces sitting on the chairs Monica noted that Shawn and Ellie were the ones looking at her. Shawn had a loving expression on his face that caused Monica's heart to begin to flutter again. Ellie's eyebrows were scrunched as she turned her head back and forth, switching her gaze between Monica and Shawn. Of all her students, Monica should have known that Ellie would be the first to notice what was happening between her and Shawn.
There was silence around the room at that point. Monica stood in the center of the semi-circle, waiting for Lenora to make her announcement. The rest of the class sat there looking around at each other, not sure what was going on.
Shawn was the first to break the silence. "What's going on Monica?" he asked, looking around nervously. "Why the silent treatment?"
Monica crossed her arms and smirked. "I'm waiting for Lenora."
Lenora blushed and said, "I was waiting for Dennis to get back out here, but I guess if you insist."
She reached into her purse and retrieved a diamond engagement ring. Placing it on her finger, she stretched out her hand to present it to everyone. Monica was happy that her guess had been correct.
Ellie was the first to react. "Oh my God!" she yelled. She jumped up out of her seat and rushed over to hug Lenora, bouncing a couple of times and barely touching the floor as she moved.
It was then that Dennis leaning out of the doorway of the guest bedroom. He was wearing one of the white life model robes as he asked, "What's the yelling all about?"
Lenora broke away from Ellie's hug long enough to look over at Dennis. "You were supposed to come out right away so that we could make the announcement together!" she shouted at him. "What took you so long?"
Dennis' mouth dropped open. "You were going to come get me weren't you?"
"That's not what we decided on," Lenora replied, crossing her arms and frowning.
He seemed to realize right away the position he was in and backed down. "This is the point where I apologize as the man and hope for a victory at some other time isn't it?" he said, his face developing a deep blush.
"Yes," Lenora said, trying to look stern, but unsuccessfully fighting off her own laughter.
"Oh my God Dennis!" Ellie squealed as she dashed over to hug him.
Everyone else stood up at this point to offer their congratulations. Handshakes and hugs were offered as they all talked and laughed. Monica allowed them to enjoy the moment for awhile before she clapped her hands together to get their attention.
"As much as I'm enjoying this," she stated with as much authority as she could. "we really should be starting."
With nods and smiles, everyone took their seats. Dennis walked over to stand in the middle of the rug. He dropped the robe revealing his barrel chested and muscular body. Monica had seen him naked the previous week, but seeing him standing there, his back straight with his legs slightly spread; he was an impressive sight to behold. Dark, course hair covered his arms and legs.
He looked directly at Monica and asked, "What pose do you want me in?"
Walking over to him, Monica began to position him. She faced him away, back to the center of the semi-circle. His right arm stretched behind him to grab the back of his leg while his other arm went straight out to the side, the palm of his hand flat and pointing downward. His neck was turned so that he was looking directly to his right.
"Perfect," Monica said as she moved away from him and out of the semi-circle.
The usual routine of observation of her students' work with the occasional suggestion began and continued throughout the evening. When the time came to pack everything up Dennis took Lenora's hand, kissed it in a gentlemanly way and led her toward the guest bedroom. Lenora was giggling as they disappeared into the room.
While everyone else was packing up for the night Monica stood on the rug in the middle of the semi-circle and coughed loudly to get their attention. "I had a still life drawing week ready in case Dennis decided he wasn't prepared to pose. I might as well do that next week as a change of pace while the idea is still fresh in my mind. Ellie and Mark are now the only members of the class who haven't posed." She then turned her attention to the two students she had just named and asked, "Do either of you want to do so in two weeks?"
"I'll do it next," Ellie said as she was carefully placing her pencils in her backpack. She looked up at Monica with a sly smile on her face. "Thank you for the two week period Monica. That will allow a little extra time for Mark and me to get to know each other."
Monica chuckled, fully knowing what Ellie meant. "You're welcome," she said with a nod.
"Now that that's settled," Angel said, using her thumb to point toward the guest bedroom, "shouldn't we be joining Lenora and Dennis?"
Ellie moved over to embrace Mark. "We'll skip this week's action. All of this engagement stuff has me in the mood for some one on one time with my man."
Mark glanced downward at the floor in reaction to this. He blushed before bringing his head back up to look into Ellie's eyes. He smiled shyly and kissed her on the forehead. Ellie giggled at his response and deepened her hug. She then squeaked as Mark lifted her up and began to walk with her toward the door.
"Mark!" she cried out. "Put me down!"