To You Who Taught Me Warmth

Short story by Roshann Aimielle S Uba

There was once an eccentric but very talented artist named Nikolas. His dark brown hair and pale skin were his most defining physical features, but there was something else he was acclaimed for. Nikolas was a well-renowned artist for his paintings of scenery and architecture with extreme detail and precision He was also known for being a recluse, a modern hermit despite his high social standing Despite all the fame and fortune Nikolas had garnered, he began to develop a feeling of emptiness and greyness in his chest. He felt as if his heart was slowly being pulverized to dust.

One day, he went to a gallery that was displaying several of his works. There, he saw a woman staring at his painting for an unusually long time. Confused, Nikolas approached and asked the woman, “I’m sorry if I’m bothering you miss, but is there something wrong? I noticed you haven’t moved a single inch and were only staring at the painting for what seems to be quite a long time now.”

“It’s empty.” replied the woman.

“I’m not sure that I follow. What’s empty, miss?”

“The painting, it’s empty,” replied the woman in a sorry tone. It was a confusing remark, but Nikolas knew what the woman meant.

He suddenly laughed with joy and delight, which echoed throughout the gallery. The woman nearly jumped from Nikolas’s sudden laughter. People around the gallery immediately recognized him and were confused as to why such a cold, quiet, and reclusive man was now boisterously laughing

“My apologies for the sudden burst of laughter, I realized I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Nikolas, the artist of the artwork you just criticized, and yes, you are right madam, my artwork could not be more empty.” he stated.

Although embarrassed and confused, the woman still replied “My name is Emilia,” she said as she shook hands with him and smiled cheekily, “it’s nice to meet you, Nikolas.” Nikolas’s only thought at that time was how radiant Emilia’s smile was, and how he wished to see it again and again.

Many years passed since Nikolas had disappeared from the art scene. Many wondered where he went. Suddenly, an unusual piece of news spread around the art community. Nikolas resurfaced and announced that after several years, he was going to exhibit a new painting. On the day of the event, many went to the gallery where he announced that he will be showing his new work. Nikolas, now an elderly man with wrinkles on his face and white hair, walked up the stage where his new painting was covered with a white cloth.

“Thank you all for coming here today,” Nikolas said. Although having grown a bit older, it seemed as if he has more life compared to back then.

“Years ago, before I took a break from painting, a woman called one of my works empty. I realized immediately that what she said was true. My works were merely visually pleasing, but held no deeper emotion. All my works were as empty as I was.”

Reporters and visitors from all around the globe listened to the man’s words with their full attention

“However, I wanted to change that. I yearned to fill the emptiness inside me and my art with warmth rather than a cold and freezing greyness. Luckily, there was someone to show me the way.” He said with a smile on his face before pulling the cloth and revealing his painting to the world.

Everyone was astounded, not for the artistic prowess that Nikolas had shown again, but rather because of the subject of the painting. For the first time, instead of the usual architectural or scenery painting, the artist had drawn a person. Nikolas painted a woman, one with auburn hair and green eyes with a smile that could melt ice because of its radiance.

“To my Emilia, my wife, thank you for showing me that greyness is something I can escape, and teaching me that warmth is found in other people,” Nikolas said with teary eyes that he quickly wiped with a handkerchief. People were surprised that the artist was never seen because he was busy with married life.

What the people did not know was that Emilia had just recently passed away from a terminal disease. From their first meeting, the two of them quickly developed feelings for each other, and eventually got married. They spent all of their time together until Emilia’s passing, with Emilia always filling the void of greyness that Nikolas had felt. The portrait was his final piece, a dedication of thankfulness to his late wife.

“To you my dear Emilia, who taught me warmth.”