Matt’s chuckles echo from below as I walk to the bathroom to wash away the pain in my chest. Ria’s gesture is fine and all, but I had my hopes up, which has made this ache worse, and I know that no amount of scrubbing will get rid of it.
After about two minutes in the shower, I give up and head straight to bed.
The stress, the heartbreak, the video, it’s all catching up, and I am exhausted.
My last thought before I close my eyes is I will at least have something to put my energy into, leaving less time to stew on Ria.
***
I wake with a clear plan.
I’m going to put all my energy and focus into my gallery.
Over the course of the week, I’ve been busy in my studio, painting and getting lost in the process. Alex has been great, giving me helpful tips and leaving me when I’m in the zone.
She kept busy as well, and now the gallery is an open space with light shining from all angles. It looks incredible, and just as Alex hoped, everything is ready for today’s opening.
I have to say, I’m more than a little nervous.
What if we’re open all day and no one comes in?
We purposely haven’t done excessive advertising, sticking to only a few flyers around the area for today’s opening. To be honest, I’m not expecting many people, if any, but Alex is more optimistic than I am.
I didn’t want a fanfare. Instead, I opted for a natural growth gallery. It’s important to me that my art speaks for itself, with little to no influence, so each sale is genuine.
I’m out the back in the studio while Alex is preparing the last-minute touches, and I’m putting some finishing strokes on a canvas when a gust of wind blows in from the window. It takes hold of the cloth covering the canvas and lifts it, exposing the almost-finished dove I was painting for Ria. The one I was going to gift her.
It immediately makes me think about how Ria should be here today to share in this moment.
The door swings open, and Alex rushes in. “I’m about to open the doors. I thought you might wanna be there when I do that for the first time?” she asks, then looks at the dove that’s previously been covered every other time she’s come in here. “Oh my God, Nate, that’s amazing. That needs to be put on the floor for sale.”
“It’s not for sale,” I snap.
She looks at me, tilting her head. “Okay, sassy pants… not for sale… got it. But recreate it and sell a second one ’cause that fucker’s awesome, Nate. No cap. Now get off your ass, it’s opening time!” She leans up on her toes and rushes back out into the gallery.
I stand and cover Ria’s dove before walking out into the gallery. It looks great. She’s done a fantastic job with everything. Alex walks up to the front door, turns the sign from ‘closed’ to ‘open,’ unlocks it, and pulls it open. I watch as she stands back and jumps on her toes.
“Ooh… ooh… someone’s coming. Act cool, Nate,” she whispers.
I grin, watching her as she straightens out her outfit, which is quite formal compared to the rest of her appearance. She looks from me back to whoever is coming and grins.
“Whoa, dude, this is trippy,” she says.
I furrow my brows, wondering what she means, until I notice it’s Matt walking through the door.
Alex gushes, smiling brightly, and pushes a flyer into his face. “Welcome to the gallery of Artist Anonymous. We hope you enjoy your time here today. I’m the curator, Alex. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask,” she says.
Matt looks at her, his eyebrows furrowed with confusion as he takes the flyer. He’s gazing at her like he is in a state of shock, and I tilt my head, studying him. There was a flicker of something in the way he looked at her, but it was gone in a flash. I doubt Alex even noticed.
“You’re Alex?” he asks.
She nods. “Mm-hmm.”
He shakes his head, a slight smirk playing on his lips. “But you’re not a dude?”
She chuckles as I furrow my brows, watching him. “Um… nope.” She places her hands on her tits, squeezing them, and nods. “Yep, definitely not a dude.”
Matt scoffs and shakes his head. “Nate, you said Alex was a dude.”
