He sat on the park bench hunched over. He felt the icy wind on his bald patch. A young woman walked towards him. The sunlight some fron behind her and showed her amazing body in silhouette. He looked away and as she came to sit down he looked at her and smiled, then got up. "No, don't" she said as she sat down. He was neatly dressed but felt ragged. "Sit down, please" she said. She then put on her earphones and crossed her legs. "Thank you," she said and smiled back. He sat down and opened a notepad and began to sketch. There was a young girl and her dog playing nearby and he quickly sketched them. He then began to sketch in the trees and the backdrop of parliament. "That's so good!" she exclaimed. He was surprised. "Is it?" he asked. "Wow! You are amazing!" she said. It was the first time he had ever heard someone say that about him. "Thank you very much," he said. "You're really good. Do you have more?" she asked. She looked through the sketchpad. Her eyes were that of a little child as they sparkled. "You have so many different styles," she said. "A few are people I tried teaching," he said. "Sketch me," she said almost lyrically cocking her head to one side and smiling. Her voice was crisp and soothing. He scratched his beard. "I'm not.. I prefer sketching when the person does not know it," he said. "Why?" she asked. "I was a press photographer. I like to capture things as they are or how I perceive it," he said. "I'm Alison," she said offering her hand to him. "I'm Luke," he said as he shook her hand. "You have such warm hands," she said. She an odd way of cocking her head at different angles, very subtly. He found it intriguing. "I'll just listen to my ebook and you can sketch me. Okay?" she asked. He could not refuse her. He looked the other way and began drawing. She was surprised but said nothing. Within five minutes he was done. He showed her the rough sketch. It was done in charcoal and he used a few strokes and then began blending it. She got up and looked at him drawing. It was only ten minutes and he was done. He tore it out of the book and gave it to her. She looked at it and began to tear. He noticed her tearing. "Is it that bad?" he asked. "No. I look just like my mother," she said. "She must be very beautiful," he said. "She was. She passed on a few years ago," Alison said. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said. "How much do I owe you for that?" she asked. "I don't....Your smile is enough," Luke said. She smiled. "You're very charming," she said. "I have to run. See you and thanks," she said as she ran away. He watched her run. Her short brown hair bobbed up and down. He sighed to himself but smiled. It had been a few weeks since he saw her. He was in better spirits and was miming whilst children looked on. They were cheering and laughing. One of the boys began to try and mimic his movement to much cheers. Luke sat down with the crowd and watched the boy. A policeman came over and asked "What's going on here?" The boy stopped and the other boys began to complain. "I'll arrest you all," he said. "Come on sir. They are just having fun," Luke said. A grumpy looking woman came over. "You know. These boys come here every single day. They make a racket and misbehave," she said. "You see. One more reason to sort them out," said the policeman. "Oh no you don't. This is the first day I have seen them behave. They may be making a noise but they are actually behaving. Just earlier on they were cleaning up the litter," she said. The police man said nothing and walked away. "Sir if anyone troubles you call me. Make sure you're here every day then," he said. The boys began whistling. Alison came up to him. "I see you're flirting with Gran," she said. "Hello Alison. Your grandmother is very sweet," he said. "She's a peach, isn't she?" Alison said. Alison was a few inches taller than her grandmother who must have been a looker in her younger days. The boys were now looking restless. Luke called one of them and whispered in his ear. Within a minute they had run off towards the museum. "Busy bunch," said Alison as they sped off. "Bored young boys. They just need a mission and they will be fine. I have been entertaining them the entire week," Luke said. "Now where did she go?" asked Alison. Her grandmother was chatting to a tourist about nasturtiums. A minute later she hooked her arm around him and began walking. "She likes young men," said Alison. "What brings you here?" asked Luke. "I came to see you actually," she said. "Oh dear!" Luke said. "Oh dear!" she asked. "I need you to draw me. Present for my fiancee," she said. Luke had seen the engagement ring. "Congratulations," he said. "Thank you," she said. Just then one of the boys came back with a carnation. "That's a carnation, not a rose," said Luke. The boy gave it to Alison and ran off. "Cheeky boy," said Alison. "I sent them off to check for black roses," Luke said. "Poor boys," said Alison. She gave him a card. "Call me," she said as she got up to go. He met her two weeks later. Her flat overlooked the park. She lay on a sunbed and rested her head on one hand as Luke sketched her. She got up after a while as he sketched the mountain. He put a lot of detail into the mountain. "Luke, I want you to sketch me nude," she said. He looked at her. "In the nude?" he asked. "Yes," she said. "Look, I don't do that kind of thing," he said. "Why not?" she asked. "I just can't," he said. "Please!" she begged. "I can't. I'm sorry," he said. She looked disappointed. She stood up and looked at the mountain. He could see her silhouette again and began to sketch. "Okay, leave it then," she said. He was busy sketching. She sat down next to him. He was done in half an hour. He had sketched her silhouette as she stood against the backdrop of the majestic mountain. Luke handed her the sketch, and she looked at it in awe. "It's beautiful," she whispered, tracing her fingers over the lines of the drawing. "You captured the essence of the moment." Luke smiled, grateful for her appreciation. "Thank you," he said softly. "I'm glad you like it." They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the wind gently rustling the leaves around them. Alison broke the silence, her voice filled with a mixture of vulnerability and curiosity. "Luke, can I ask you something?" He turned to face her, meeting her gaze. "Of course, Alison. What is it?" She hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. "Why did you refuse to sketch me nude? Is it because you don't find me attractive?" Luke's eyes widened in surprise, realizing the depth of her vulnerability. He reached out and gently took her hand in his, offering reassurance. "No, Alison, that's not it at all," he said, his voice filled with sincerity. "You're incredibly beautiful, but it's a personal choice for me. I prefer to capture the natural moments, the essence of a person, without adding any artificial elements." She looked at him, her eyes shining with understanding. "I see. That makes sense." Luke continued, his voice tender. "I want to depict the beauty that lies within, the beauty that shines through your spirit and your soul. That's what truly captivates me." A smile played on Alison's lips, and she squeezed his hand gently. "Thank you, Luke. I appreciate your honesty and your unique perspective." They sat there, immersed in the tranquility of the park, their connection growing stronger with each passing moment. Luke couldn't help but feel a sense of joy and fulfillment that he hadn't experienced in a long time. From that day on, Luke and Alison embarked on a beautiful journey together. Their shared love for art and their deep understanding of each other's passions formed the foundation of their relationship. Luke continued to sketch and capture the world around him, while Alison became his muse, his source of inspiration. Their love grew deeper with every passing day, as they discovered new dimensions of each other's souls through art, conversation, and shared experiences. They supported and encouraged one another in their individual pursuits, while cherishing the moments they spent together, creating memories that would last a lifetime. And so, sitting on that park bench, hunched over with the icy wind on his bald patch, Luke found not only inspiration but also a deep and profound connection with Alison. Their shared love for art and their genuine appreciation for each other's uniqueness had brought them together, and it was through their journey that they discovered the true beauty that lies within the simplest of moments.