Arthur sighed, “Can I move yet? I'm getting tired.”

“Just a little bit more,” Sophie called from behind her canvas.

“You've been saying that for the last forty-five minutes. Hurry it up will you? I'm cold, tired, and my body is beginning to cramp up on me.”

“You can't rush art,” Sophie protestingly pouted. “I'll treat you to a massage when you are done, okay?”

“It's the least you owe me. You didn't tell me this would take all day when you recruited me you know. You said it would just be a quick sketch.”

“Yeah well, I'm sorry, but can I help it that you inspire me to greater heights?” lilted Sophie.

“You also didn't mention anything about contorting into a ridiculous pose and holding it for hours on end.”

“It hasn't been hours, now hush and let me finish this, I'm nearly done.”

“I've heard that before,” Arthur muttered.

It was two years ago that Arthur's wife Sophie took an art class at their community college. Over their five years of marriage Sophie would drag Arthur to art shows, exclaiming in joy at the paintings, and always expressing her dream to one day be a painter herself. For their third anniversary Arthur surprised Sophie with an art lesson from a local painter. Soon after she was enrolled in a couple of night classes and had convinced Arthur to convert their daylight basement into a studio.

Since that day Sophie flitted about the house in a near-constant state of joy and elation. Thus far Sophie's little studio, her atelier as she called it, hadn't intruded into his life, though he reaped their rewards. Today Sophie made a request of him he could not refuse, and while he was tired and cramped, he was secretly thrilled to have Sophie use him as her model.

“Finished,” Sophie exclaimed. “Come on over and take a look.”

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed his pose. He reached for his robe and slowly walked over to Sophie coaxing his limbs to work again. His first glimpse of the canvas made his jaw drop. “Wha -- Where -- That looks nothing like me!” Arthur exploded. “Where am I? What is this?”

“Do you like it?”

“Like it? Do I like it? I don't even know what it is!”

“Why it's a picture of my atelier, silly. Can't you tell?”

“But where am I in this picture?”

“You aren't in it. You hardly come down here, so it wouldn't be fitting to put you in it.”

“Then why did you put me in that ridiculous pose?” Arthur exclaimed.

A mischievous grin blossomed on Sophie's face. “I just wanted to see if you'd do it, and how long you would put up with me.”

Arthur's jaw dropped a second time and a stunned silence filled the air. Narrowing his eyes he flatly stated, “I'm going to get you.”

Winking seductively at Arthur Sophie purred, “I was counting on it,” and sprang off toward the door.