Art isn't paint, it's love. -- Philip Hicken.

The long-awaited day had finally arrived. 

Tara stared at her open wardrobe and her eyes skimmed through her clothes, looking for the right dress to wear. 

One dress after the other, Tara flung them on the bed as she ravaged through the closest. 

"Ugh!" she groaned. "Why is it so hard?" she muttered as she stared at the heap of clothes on the bed.

"Are you okay in there, dear?" came Dora's muffled voice. 

"No, mom. I don't know what to wear," she whined. 

The door squeaked open and Dora stepped into the room. She shook her head at the clothes that were strewn on the bed. 

"I am sure you have some beautiful dresses you can wear, dear," Dora said and moved closer to the bed. 

"I know. But which one would be perfect?" Tara's shoulders slumped and she frowned.

Dora moved closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, dear; we will figure something out." 

Tara sighed and crossed her arms. " I hope so."

Dora took a step back and surveyed the clothes. She looked at Tara and asked, "where are you going?"

Tara exhaled. "I don't know. He didn't tell me."

Dora grinned."That's great. It's going to be a surprise. And I am sure it will be a beautiful one." Her eyes sparkled. 

"It probably will." Tara smiled. Her stomach fluttered and she brimmed with nervousness. She wanted nothing to go wrong. 

"Yes!" Dora exclaimed as she moved to the bed. "What about these?" she questioned as she raised two dresses. "They are nice and you can wear them anywhere," she added. 

Tara's eyes flickered to the navy blue summer dress in her mother's right hand. "Hmmm, I don't know about this one. Isn't it too simple? He might take me to one of those expensive five-star restaurants."

"Hmm, that's possible." She dropped it. "Well, what about this one?" 

Tara's eyes lightened up. "Yes, this is it." She took the dress and spread her palm over the soft fabric of the peach high-low dress.

Dora clapped her hand and gave an elated smile. "Lovely! Get ready so that we can do your hair and makeup. Philip would be here in an hour. And it wouldn't be nice to keep him waiting."

Tara nodded and strutted into the bathroom.  

Dora went about putting the clothes back into the closet with a huge smile as her heart brimmed with joy. Her heart sang as she watched her daughter walk towards total healing. 

When Tara walked in, she had just put the last cloth in the closet.

"How do I look?" Tara beamed and twirled. 

"Oh, my God, you look beautiful," Dora gushed and her face lit up.

"Thank you." Tara smiled and headed to her dressing table and took a seat on the stool. Dora took her place behind her and picked up a comb. She gently combed her kinky tresses. 

Tara watched as her mother did a fashionable hairstyle for her.  

"All done." Dora beamed a few minutes later.

"Thank you, Mom," Tara said with tears of appreciation glistening in her eyes. "For everything," she added with a soft smile. 

Dora shook her head as unshed tears shone in her eyes. She squeezed her daughter's shoulder and said, "We should thank the Lord."

The ringing of the doorbell broke the euphoric moment. 

"That must be Philip," Dora declared with a grin. 

Tara nodded and stood up with shaking feet.

"Let me get it," Dora said and ambled out the door.

As the room grew silent, so did Tara's nervousness increase. She gasped as the inevitable dawned on her. 

She was going on a date for the first time. With that truth in her face, Tara fidgeted and paced about the room.

Her breathing came in short spasms. She plopped on the bed and clutched the sheets. 

"I can't do it," she muttered as she rocked back and forth. She felt beads of sweat form on her face.

Dora opened the door and met the panic-stricken face of her daughter. 

"What's wrong?" A frown marred her face.

"I can't go, Mom," Tara cried with wide eyes. She shot up from the bed and resumed pacing. 

Dora took a step toward Tara and turned her around. She looked straight into Tara's eyes and asserted, "Yes, you are going."

"No, I can not. Please make an excuse for me." Tara pleaded.

"I am doing nothing of the sort," Dora said sternly. She gripped her shoulder. "TaraOluwa Dumebi Bullocks, fear has no power over you. You are going on a date and you are going to have fun." 

Slowly, each word settled into Tara's mind, and the tensions swelling within were erased. 

"Okay, mom. I will do it." She gave a slight smile, took her bag, and slipped out of the room.

The soft footfalls of her ballet flat shoes echoed as she walked down the hallway. 

Strutting into the living room, Philip's dazzling smile greeted her.

He looked dashing in dark tailored jeans and a button-down collar shirt with a navy blue sports jacket. 

He beamed at her as he rose to his feet. "You look beautiful, Tara."

Tara blushed and she fiddled with the straps of her gold bag. "Thank you," she muttered.

"You look nice as well," she remarked as her cheeks grew redder. 

Dora cleared her throat to announce her presence. Her eyes shimmered with happiness. 

Philip looked down at Tara with a smile and asked, "Are you ready to go?"

Tara nodded and turned back to smile at her mother. 

"Have fun," Dora advised, with mirth sparkling in her eyes.

They both nodded and their lips lifted into a smile.

Philip stepped back for Tara to pass and took his place beside her and they headed out. 

All buckled up and on their way to their destination, Tara posed a question that had been running through her head.  "Where are we going to?" She looked at Philip.

His eyes flickered to hers. "That's for me to know and for you to find out." He sent her a cheeky grin. 

Tara rolled her eyes at his cliche statements. "I dislike surprises," she huffed.

Philip gave a cheerful laugh. "I am sure you will like this one," he said and did a right turn.  "Sit back and relax."

Tara grunted and faced the window. She decided not to push for answers. For once, she wanted to live in the moment of not knowing about the future.

She watched as they flew past houses and buildings of different sizes. The Saturday sun shone on people who strolled along the sidewalks. 

Suddenly, the car turned into a gravel road and the car slowed down as it headed towards a three-story building with sides constructed with red bricks and frontage covered with glass. They were too far off for her to read the words inscribed on the building.

The car zoomed past a black gate that automatically swung open for them. Philip did a turn around a water fountain; the water gushed out into a pound that surrounded it. 

The car halted, and the sun glistened on the words written in gold: Omami's Art Gallery and museum. 

Tara gaped at the building in shock. An incident flashed in her head. 

#F#L#A#S#H#B#A#C#K#

Tara and Philip sat in a cafe five minutes away from the office. Philip convinced her to have lunch with him at a cafe with more varieties than the office cafeteria.

Tara munched on a slice of pepperoni pizza while Philip chewed on his pineapple pizza. 

Tara felt eyes on her. She looked up and found Philip looking at her with a thoughtful look. 

She raised a brow in questioning.

Philip dropped a question she didn't expect.

"What is the one place you have always wanted to visit?"

She blinked in surprise and searched her brain for a befitting answer. 

"An art gallery," she proclaimed with a huge grin. 

"Okay." He smiled and returned to his meal.

                         END

Tara swung to the side and faced Philip with wide eyes. 

"And how do you love my surprise?" He smirked. 

Tara swallowed as she struggled to find her words. 

A huge smile split on her face as she shrieked, "Oh my God, I love it! Thank you so much." 

Philip smiled and stepped out of the car. Tara's eyes followed him as he came round to her side and opened the door. 

"Shall we?" He stretched out his right hand and smiled. 

Tara placed her hand in his own and grinned as he helped her out of the car. 

They climbed up the marble steps. They stopped as they passed through the security check.

The glass sliding door opened for them.

Stepping into the building, they surveyed the environment. Patrons scattered around while examining various art pieces. 

A lady in a black pants suit met them. "Good morning." She smiled at both of them. "Have you bought a ticket?"

"Yes, we have. I booked it online," Philip said.

"Okay. Please give me your names and the exhibition you want to attend." 

"Tara Bullock and Philip Angelo. We would love to see the Nigerian artworks."

As Philip completed the formalities, Tara's eyes drifted to an artwork that hung on the wall directly behind the lady attendant.

It was an abstract painting of two flowers. The blue of the first flower contrasted with the purple of the other flower. They both brought a splash of color to the shining white walls. 

"Thank you. You can please proceed. Take the elevator to the next level. Your guide is Yinka and she is waiting for you." Tara's attention returned to the lady.  

The lady smiled and handed them a pamphlet about the artwork and their information. 

"Thank you," Philip said and placed a hand on Tara's back, and guided her towards the elevator. 

As they walked across the room, Tara stared at the art pieces like a child seeing candies. Tara's eyes touched each artwork that they walked passed. She didn't want to miss anything. 

The elevator pinged as it opened up for them and they stepped in. Thankfully, it was empty and they had all the space to themselves. The elevator slid open, and they slipped out.

Tara stifled a squeal as she stared at the rows of artwork in amazement. 

"Our guide is over there." Philip pointed at a dark-skinned woman whose radiant smile beckoned them over. They met her and exchanged pleasantries. And then the tour began.

Their first stop was at the painting of a woman. Philip and Tara flipped through the handout as the guide recited the information. 

"This is the painting of a Yoruba princess in Ile-Ife, Osun State, in Nigeria. They dubbed it Africa's Mona Lisa. An Ibo painter, Ben Enwonwu, painted it in 1974."

They stared at the painting for a few seconds more before they moved to the next one. They moved down the line and examined the paintings and artworks of Nigerian artists of both the past and present. 

Getting to the middle of the line, they stopped at a group of sculptures that were enclosed in a glass case. 

The light from the chandelier above shone on them and projected their beauty. 

Philip read the description of one sculpture.

"The head of an Oba of Benin. The people of Edo State made from brass in Nigeria."

Tara smiled and traced her eyes over them. She wished she could touch them and feel the coarseness beneath her palm. However, the gallery rules forbade them.

"What's that one about?" she asked, pointing to the sculpture on the left side. 

Philip flipped through the pages and read out loud, "It is a brass figure of an Oni (King) of Ife in the 14th century Osun State, Nigeria."

They came to the end of the line on the left side and they crossed to the other side and started the second part of their tour. They passed oil paintings and charcoal-drawn paintings of different things and people. 

A painting, in particular, drew their attention, and they made a stop. 

Tara did the honor of reading out the information.

 "A Warri coronation regatta of the Itsekiri tribe of Nigeria. It was painted by Etemi."

Tara stared at it long before they continued their journey. 

They slowed down and came to a stop in front of the last painting on the line.

Philip and Tara, we're too enthralled by it to read out the information. 

The guide spoke up. "A painting of African dancers. Ben Enwonwu painted it in 1990."

Tara heaved a sigh as she stared longingly at the other breathtaking art pieces that hung proudly on the wall. Her legs itched to divert to explore their beauty but alas, it was time to head out.

Outside in the open air, Tara heard Philip say with an upbeat voice. "I feel like I need to take another trip here in the future." He smiled and looked at her. "Don't you think that would be a great idea?"

A huge smile spread across her face.  "Yes, that would be great." 

"Good." He beamed. "I guess we have another date coming up." He winked with a smirk. 

Red splashed across Tara's cheeks and her eyes darted down.

"Anyway, what would you like to do next?" He asked.

Tara surveyed the area. She grinned as she sighted a building not too far from where they stood. "I want to get a souvenir for Mom and Alice."

"Gift shopping it is. Let's go." He smiled and led the way to the wooden structure that housed different colorful articles ranging from mugs, and podcasts to silk scarfs. 

Stepping into the shop covered in gold wallpapers, the attendant sent them a smile which they returned.

Tara and Philip walked side by side down the aisle of the shop while they examined the artful articles. 

A flowery material caught Tara's attention. She moved over and pulled it out. It was a silk scarf dotted with yellow and white daisies. 

"Seen something you like?" Philip asked as he came up beside her. 

"Yes." She smiled up at him. "I believe Mom would like this."

"Well, I guess we should take it," he asserted with a smile. 

Tara nodded and placed it in the basket she carried. They continued down the line. Tara came to a stop as her eyes lightened up with glee as she gazed at a golden sunflower pendant. However, she resumed her walk. Even though she didn't want to depart from it.

Finally, they came face to face with a rack of mugs with different colorful inscriptions on them. Tara's eyes landed on a mug with an born to shop written on it. 

"Oh my word, Alice is going to love it." Tara giggled and took it off the rack. 

They headed to the cashing point, paid for their purchases, and they headed out.

Philip decided that they should have lunch in the restaurant a few minutes away from the gallery. 

A few minutes later, they sat comfortably with a steaming plate of seafood rigatoni. 

Tara had to say it was the most delicious pasta she had eaten in a while. The combination of the spices was tantalizing to her taste buds. 

Tara stared at Philip, who was engrossed in his food, to notice. 

"I know little about you," she stated after minutes of silence. 

Philip with raised brows. He dropped his cutlery and sat up fully. "That's because you don't ask me questions," he remarked. 

Tara nodded in agreement. She had never felt comfortable enough to ask him questions. 

"Do you want to ask me questions?" He folded his hands. "You are free to ask."

Tara nodded and swallowed. She opened her mouth to speak. 

"Who is in your family?"

"My mom, my dad, and siblings."

"How many siblings do you have?"

"Two." He shifted in his seat. "A brother and a sister." 

"That's nice." She grinned. "How old are they?" 

"Sofia is 19 and—" he paused as he made a fist. "And Nico would have been 23," he mumbled as his eyes became moist. 

Tara tilted her head to the side as a faraway look appeared in his eyes.  She wondered why the talk about his brother made his behavior change.   

"Are you okay, Philip?" She asked with furrowed brows. 

Philip blinked as he looked at her. His eyes cleared and he forced a smile. "I am okay." 

Tara didn't believe him but decided not to pry. 

"I am satisfied." She pushed her half-eaten food to the side. 

"I am satisfied as well." He signaled for the server to bring their bill. 

After completing the payment, he drove Tara home. 

The vehicle was quiet as the duo was deep in thought. 

Tara spied a look at Philip, who seemed tensed as he clenched and unclenched the wheel. 

However, as the car screeched to a halt in front of the house, Philip faced her with a charming smile. He came round and opened the door for her. And walked her to the front door. 

They faced each other. The setting sun made a canopy over them. They gazed at each other in silence. 

"Thank you so much for spending the day with me." He smiled with sparkling eyes.

"Thank you for the surprise. It was terrific," Tara said, with appreciation brimming in her eyes. 

Philip nodded and took a step closer. Leaving only a hair's breadth between them. 

Tara's breath caught and her eyes widened.

Slowly, he bent his head down and pressed a kiss on her forehead. A thrill ran through her body and she gulped. Still too stunned, she hardly felt him press a box into her palm. 

"Good night, Tara. Sweet dreams." He tipped his head, entered his car, and drove off. 

Tara entered the quiet, dark house. With the excitement of the day, she forgot her mother had a women's fellowship in the church. 

Strolling into her room, she turned on the lights, dropped her bags, and proceeded to the bed. 

She stared down at the maroon box in her hands. Her hands shook as she gingerly opened it. She gasped as she looked at the gold sunflower pendant from the gift store. 

She smiled as she traced her hand over the cold metal. After minutes of admiration, Tara shut the box and placed it in her bedside drawer.

Not bothering to change, she crawled into bed and slipped into a peaceful sleep. 

She dreamt of artworks and familiar blue eyes. 

                             ★★★★★

Phew! I felt like I was in the gallery with them. It took a lot of research, but it was worth it 😁

And they finally had their first date. How do you feel about it?

And who raised a brow when Philip acted weird? 🤷‍♀️🤔

So moving on to our official Question of the chapter: What places have you wanted to visit? It could be a zoo, a library, etc.

Well, ironically, I have always wanted to visit an art gallery and museum. 😁

Thank you for reading ❤

I always welcome votes and comments. 

Until next time, have fun.