Getting Traveyn Whitelaw to agree to do an interview with me was only slightly easier than getting Jaide to agree. Next to Jaide, Traevyn is probably the most private man I have written, and he dislikes giving interviews or releasing personal information. However, because of the fact that he is a famous artist and takes care of his own PR, and because his disposition is less caustic than Jaide’s, I didn’t have to guilt trip him. But even so, his agreement to do this was not without its fair share of grumbling.
When I sit down with Traveyn, he is looking elegant and old-world, as always. He carries himself with an air of aristocratic grace that I rarely see in the modern world. He wears a gray button-down shirt and black slacks, and his long, shining ebony hair is free-flowing around his broad shoulders. I have never seen anyone as beautiful as Traveyn, and I take a moment to admire him, as I always have.
After a silent several seconds, he looks up at me expectantly. I smile and get down to the business at hand.
B: Hello, Traevyn. It’s good to see you again.
T: (He gives me a polite smile, but it reaches his eyes and warms up his fierce features.) Likewise.
B: It has been awhile since I’ve spoken with you. How are things with you and your family?
T: Things are well. Evie and I are busy with Julia and Brandon (his daughter and son) and Julia has discovered a love for painting, much like her parents, so we really spend most of our time cleaning up messes. (This brings a grin to his lips) Seth is living in San Francisco now with my brother’s friend, but he visits often.
B: For those who do not know of how you met your wife, give us a brief recap.
T: She was a Junior art student sent to be my apprentice for the summer. I was an ogre and she was a firecracker determined to whip me into shape. That about covers it.
B: (It is impossible for me to stifle my chuckle) I know you had been through some personal hardship in your life before meeting Evie. What was it about her that got past your defenses?
T: Her acceptance and understanding about my past and myself. Her compassion, empathy and nurturing personality. That and her spunk. That was so very sexy. (He grins) Still is.
B: I know you are a very private person. And at the time Evie came to stay with you, you were, more or less, a recluse. What made you decide to take on an apprentice?
T: I went to college at SOU and my Art professor guilted me into it, basically. I never would have agreed to it otherwise.
B: Was it strange having someone who admired you so much live in your home?”
T: Of course. It was completely awkward at first. I didn’t want anyone intruding on my solitude and Evie had this eye for symbolism. She could see straight through my art and straight through me. It was extremely disconcerting.
B: What was it like having a seventeen-year-old boy thrown in the mix?
T: (He chuckles) Annoying. But Seth grew on me. I love him like my own brother.
B: I know you designed the home you live in now. What made you design it the way you did? And why did you choose the location you did?
T: I have always been a fan of Gothic literature and art. I incorporated that in the décor and style of my home. As for the ocean, I have always felt like it’s the best representation of me. Unpredictable, strong, turbulent, boundless, dangerous, but beautiful and peaceful as well. It gives me more serenity than anything else. I create better with the waves crashing in the distance, and my soul feels at ease.
B: When did you first realize you had feelings for Evie?
T: The pine-needle boarding episode and having my brother’s roommate chase after her was what finally made me get a clue. That and Seth, who could see we cared for one another romantically before either one of us actually knew it. But falling in love with Evie was a gradual process. The more she showed me of herself, and the more she dug into my soul, the more lost I became.
B: Ok, finally, are there any other dreams you have left to accomplish in your life?
T: (The smile that graces his features is soft) I have already been granted my two greatest dreams. I make a living off of my greatest passion, and I have a family. A woman who understands every aspect of me, and two beautiful children. I would be selfish to ask for more. Anything else that comes my way is a gift.
I thank Traevyn for his time, and we spend a few moments catching up. When he leaves, he hugs me. No hand-shaking for us. He wishes me the best. I do the same. Then, I watch his tall, lean, magnificent figure stride out the door.
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