"Woman with a cold", oil on canvas

[Italiangirl]

Disclaimer:

This is the 1st story I write which is set in the 19th century and not in the present, so bear with me!

 

Introduction:

The main characters of this story are Finn Smith, an English painter, and Mary Miller, his dear friend and muse.

He often uses her as a model for his portraits.

For those who like descriptions, Finn is a slim white man in his 40s with a moustache and short, black hair.

Mary is a woman in her late 30s with long, brown and curly hair.

Her nose is quite long with small but well-shaped nostrils.

Let's go!

P.S.: This is meant to be a oneshot, so there will be no further parts I'm afraid...

 

"Woman with a cold", Oil on canvas:

It was a freezing and snowy winter day and a sharp, cold wind was blowing incessantly, shaking the branches of the trees of Finn's garden.

He was sitting on his armchair, reading a book.

He had already set up his easel, canvas and colour palette for his upcoming portrait in his studio, so now all he had to do was wait for Mary, his friend and muse.

It had been 4 days since he had last seen her and they had an appointment at 04:00 PM for a portrait sitting.

But it was 04:30 PM and she hadn't showed up yet...

And she was never late.

Finn was starting to get worried, what if something had happened to her?

His house wasn't too far away from hers, so it was easy for her to reach it.

And yet she was still nowhere to be seen...

But at one point, the doorbell rang and he immediately rushed to the door.

"Haaah... haaakksshoo!!" She sneezed as soon as Finn had opened the door.

She was holding up a handkerchief to her nose and she kept sneezing into it and sniffling wetly afterwards.

"Ugh, sssnff!! Haaah... haaakksshoo!! Haaassshoo!! Haaassh!!"

"Oh my goodness, Miss Miller! God bless you!"

He exclaimed.

"Thadg you, Fid... Ugh, I'b so sorry I'b late! Sssnff!! Gettig ready wasd't easy because I could't stop sdeezig! Haaakksshoo!! Haaah... haaaksshoo!!"

"God bless you again! Oh, poor you! Did you catch a catarrh?"

"I did! Ssnff! I visited by dear brother a few days ago... 

He wasd't feelig very well so I'b quite certaid I caught it frob hib... sssnff!!"

She said, her voice sounding very stuffy and also a bit muffled by the hankie she was still pressing to her poor cold-ridden nose.

Finn's face contorted in a sad, concerned expression.

"God bless you! I'm truly desolated to hear that you are not feeling very well...

Have you got a temperature too?"

He asked her.

"Do, do... ssnff!! I had ode at first but dow it's just by dose...

It wod't stop rudding ad tickling! Haakksshoo!! Haaakssshoo!! Haaah... haaakksshoo!!" 

She sneezed into the hankie and then slowly lowered the sodden cloth, revealing her terribly swollen nose and reddened, chapped nostrils.

She sighed congestedly and said: "I kndow I look terrible, I cad't believe I've caught a chill just id tibe for the portrait sitting...

Haaassshoo!! Haaassh!! Haaakkssh!! Haaakkssheww!! Ugh, ssnff!! Ssnff!!"

Mary pressed the hankie to her face and blew her nose as hard as she could, making her already aching head pound.

Finn felt so sorry for his ill friend, so he said: "Oh my! God bless you! It seems like you've caught quite a bad head cold! If you don't feel well we can postpone the sitting!"

Mary shook her head, still holding the hankie to her sore, crimson nose.

"Do, do! There is do deed to worry, I cad badage! Ssnff!

It's dot too bad, really...

It's just a mere case of the sdiffles after all!

Haaakksshoo!! Haasshhoo!!"

Finn nodded but added: "You should be in bed resting, but if you insist..."

He made a gesture with his hand signalling to follow him into his studio.

Mary sat on a chair and kept trying to sit still, but her nose was so itchy!

She kept rubbing it to avoid sneezing but the tickle was too strong, so at one point she had to succumb to it.

"Haaakksshoo!! Haaah... haaakksshoo!! Haaasssh!! Haaassshoo!! Haaaakkssh!! Aattsshoo!! Aaakkksshh!!

Uugh, ssnnff! Oh dear! I'b so sorry! I could't hold theb id ady longer!"

She unfolded her handkerchief, wrapped it around her red nose and blew it thoroughly.

Finn sighed: on the one hand, it wasn't easy to paint a portrait of a constantly sniffly, sneezy lady, as her face was always contorted as if she was about to sneeze! 

But on the other hand, the poor thing looked miserable!

It seemed like her bad cold had no intention of loosening its grip on her, making her nose stuffy, runny and tickly.

Her eyes were watery and an uncharacteristic tiredness replaced their usual vivacity...

She was exhausted by all the sneezing and her clogged sinuses were probably giving her a terrible headache, he thought.

And he was right.

In spite of the fact her fever was gone, Mary wasn't feeling well at all...

She sniffled wetly and then groaned: "Uugh, it seebs like this dreadful head cold just does dot wadt to leave be alode! Sssnff!! Haaakkssh!! Haaassshoo!!"

"Oh dear! God bless you again! I believe it's time for a brief interruption...

I can see that you're getting tired from posing and I don't want to exhaust you!

Your catarrh is already bad enough!"

Finn exclaimed, with a concerned frown on his face.

Mary nodded and followed him into the dining room, where a nice cup of tea and biscuits were waiting for them.

Tanya, Finn's personal maid, could hear Mary's continuous sneezes and sniffles even before she walked into the room.

As she opened the door for them, Mary sneezed four times in a row into her hankie!

Tanya couldn't believe how sick and sneezy she was and she said: "Oh dear heavens! God bless you, Miss! Do you have a cold?"

"Yes, ssnff!! I'b so sorry but do batter what I do, the sdeezes keep cobing! Haaakkssh!! Haaakkssh!! See? Haaaasshoo!!"

She said, her voice muffled by the handkerchief she was holding up to her nose.

She blushed a little: her sneezes had never been quiet and ladylike, but she couldn't help it!

Whenever she had a cold, her sneezes were so forceful and there was no way she could stifle them!

"Here, drink this. It will be good for your cold, Miss!"

Said Tanya, handing Mary a cup of piping hot tea.

Mary thanked her and had her tea.

The steam coming from the cup made her nose like like crazy!

She unwrapped her now utterly sodden handkerchief and blew her nose into it.

When she got up from the table she said: "Oh Tadya, you were right! The tea bade by dose rud and dow I feel a bit less codgested thad I was! Thadg you!"

Tanya nodded and smiled at her: "You're welcome, miss! I'm glad the tea helped! I hope..."

"Haaaakkssshoo!! Haaaakkssh!!" 

Tanya was interrupted by Mary sneezing again.

"Bless you!" Said Finn and Tanya in unison.

"Thadg you, sssnff!!" Sniffled Mary.

"Oooh, poor miss! You've caught such a bad head cold! I hope you will feel better soon!" Said Tanya.

Mary thanked her as she made her way to the door, rubbing her nose with the back of her hand and then dabbing at it with her handkerchief.

Tanya noticed that poor cold-ridden Mary only had one hankie with her, so she offered: "If you wish, I have a pile of clean handkerchiefs for you, Miss! You can use them!"

Mary looked at Tanya with a grateful expression on her face: "Oh thadg you, Tadya... sssnff!! That's so kind of you!"

Tanya left the room with a smile and came back with a pile of soft, beautifully laced handkerchiefs in her hands.

Mary thanked her and immediately grabbed a clean hankie from the pile, to catch a series of forceful, wet sneezes into it.

"Haaaakkssshoo!! Haaakksshoo!! Haaaakkssh!! Haaakkssshoo!! Haaakkkssshoo!! Haaaakkcchoo!! Haaakkssh!! Ugh, I'b sorry! I really cad't stop sdeezig toda... haaaakksshh! Today... uugh, sssnff!!"

"Bless you, Miss Miller! You don't have to apologise! You're ill and you can't help it!" Exclaimed Finn.

"Mr. Smith is right, Miss! You don't have to worry! And bless you!" She exclaimed with a smile.

After that, Mary and Finn left the room and came back to Finn's studio.

It was in that moment that Finn had an idea...

Mary sat on her chair and blew her nose before resuming the sitting.

"I hope blowig by dose will stop the sdeezig! At least for a bit!"

She exclaimed, still holding the hankie to her nose and wiping it.

"Oh nonsense, Miss Miller! No more holding back!

Just sneeze, sniffle and blow your nose as much as you want!

I decided to paint something different!"

Finn's eyes looked bright with excitement.

"What? Ssnff..." Asked Mary, looking confused.

"I will depict you suffering from your cold! The painting's title will be: Woman with a cold.

What do you think?"

"Oh, that's such a dice idea! So origidal! Ssnff...

I'b sure you'll be the first painter to... haah... haaaakkssshoo!! Ugh, sorry! Sssnff... to do sobethig like that!" She said with a smile.

Finn was so glad that Mary liked his idea, so he immediately got to work.

Our poor sick woman kept sniffling, sneezing and blowing her nose, while Finn carefully depicted every aspect of her cold misery as realistically as he could.

As the sitting went on, one by one Mary had gone through almost all of the handkerchieves Tanya had given her!

"Haaaakksshoo!! Haah... haaakksshoo!! Haaassshoo!! Haaasssheeww!! Haaakkssshoo!! Haaakksshoo!! Haaah... haah... haaaassshoo!! Haaakksssheww!! Oh by God!"

Our poor Mary had no choice but to succumb to that overwhelming fit.

She was literally sneezing her head off at that point!

Finn noticed she was sneezing even more than she was at the start of the sitting and that her voice sounded even stuffier...

Her nose looked angry red from the rims of her nostrils until the bridge, to the point where its scarlet shade almost matched her burgundy dress.

Not only that, her beautiful blue eyes looked even more exhausted and lifeless than they looked before and Finn couldn't help but notice that they also had a feverish haze to them.

Her cheeks also suggested that she was running a fever again, as they were slightly flushed.

"Sssnff... Aaah... Aaaakkksssshoo!! Aaaakksshoo!! Ugh, bbrrr!! Why is it so cold id here?" She asked, shivering uncontrollably.

"Oh, it's not cold, but you are cold because I think you've got a temperature!

Your head cold must be getting worse!" 

Finn put down his brush and rushed to his sneezy, sniffly friend.

"I think it's time to stop. Today's sitting is over.

You need to rest or your catarrh will get even more severe!"

"Ssnff... yeah, I thidk that's a good idea...

haaah... haaaakksshoo!! Haaasshoo!! Haaakkssheww!! Haaakksshoo!! Ssnff! Ugh, this head cold is so bad!

I'b awfully sorry but it's true, I thindk we have to end it here for today..." 

Finn told her not to worry and said: "You poor thing, your nose is bright red! And you're still shivering!

Just wait a minute..."

He took off his jacket and wrapped it around Mary, whose visibly worsening cold was making her feel chilled to the bone.

"Thadg you... sssnff!!" Muttered Mary, sniffling wetly.

"Ugh, I do dot feel well at all! By head is poundig, by dose is blocked, I feel like I have a temperature and I cad't stop sdee... haaaakkksshoo!! Haaah... haaakksshoo!! Haaassheww!! Ugh, sdeezig... ssnff!!"

"Oh, I'm desolated! I didn't want to make your catarrh worse by making you pose for too long!" Finn said, looking worried.

"Do, dod't worry... ssnff!!

It's by fault, I should've stayed at home id bed, I was the ode who decided to cobe adyway... haaakksshoo!! Haaakksshoo!! Ugh, sssnnff!!"

"God bless you again! I think you'd better stay in bed and rest.

But please don't go back to your house!

If you go out there in the freezing cold you're going to feel even worse!

I will ask Tanya to prepare a room for you."

Mary thanked him and sneezed again into her last hankie.

Finn looked at the cloth and said: "And I will tell her to get more handkerchiefs too!"

 

3 hours later:

It was almost time to go to sleep and Mary was now tucked up in bed, nursing her bad cold and fever.

Finn knocked and Mary told him to come in.

He sat on a chair beside her bed and asked her how she was feeling.

Finn looked at his friend and felt something he had never felt before: she looked so vulnerable and sick and yet, somehow, she still looked so beautiful...

"You look so beautiful, my dear Mary..."

He whispered in her ear.

Mary looked surprised, but also flattered and grateful.

He had never called her by her first name, always "Miss Miller".

"Oh, thadg you! Eved with by cold?"

Finn nodded and said: "Of course! 

Oh, Mary... may I kiss you?"

Mary looked at him, surprise written all over her face.

"Oh, Fid... ssnff!! I would love to kiss you but... haaaakksssheww!! Haaakkssshoo!! I'b afraid I'b very codtagious right dow...

Haaasshoo!!"

"I don't care, my dear Mary..."

He said as his lips touched hers and the two lovers exchanged a passionate kiss.

"I love you, Mary..."

"I love you too, Fid..."

Edited March 10 by Italiangirl

[ShamanBodyan]

Oh my god, this is so cute. Even though this is a one-shot, I hope we see them again someday.

[launderedlace]

Sneezing into a series of beautiful lace handkerchiefs? - you'd grab my attention solely because of that! But there's so much more excellent writing here - thank you for sharing it 

If Mary was constantly changing handkerchiefs, I wonder how Finn would depict that in the portrait? ... doubtless he was skilled enough to come up with a realistic solution 

[Its All Sternutation]

Wow, this is an amazing story. I know this is a one shot, but I legitimately think this would make an amazing multi-part fic

[kiku]

@Italiangirl Aaawwwwwwwww! What a sneezy cold!! And how sweet of Finn to take care of his lovely sneezy lady like that... ❤️👃❤️

I totally loved the sweet, romantic interaction between Mary and Finn. And I would *really* like to see that painting!
The maid Tanya was a lovely character too. 😊

Wonderful job! 👍

[Italiangirl]

1 minute ago, kiku said:

@Italiangirl Aaawwwwwwwww! What a sneezy cold!! And how sweet of Finn to take care of his lovely sneezy lady like that... ❤️👃❤️

I totally loved the sweet, romantic interaction between Mary and Finn. And I would *really* like to see that painting!
The maid Tanya was a lovely character too. 😊

Wonderful job! 👍

Thank you, @kiku! 😄😄🥰🥰

I'm so glad you enjoyed this story! 😄😄

[HPG]

Love the idea and the title! It made me long to go to an art museum and find "Woman with a cold", oil on canvas.

[Italiangirl]

Thank you everyone for your nice comments! I'm so glad you enjoyed reading this! 😄😄

[Katzoo12]

This was a great story! The sneezing was very well depicted, she must’ve been feeling miserable.