“Maybe, I don’t know. I was told not to worry about it, but still. My most popular artist had a nightmare trip here. Her personal assistant said that she had one plane change after another. That she ended up spending almost thirty hours at different airports to try to get here. Gypsy, Willow’s assistant, assured me that she would be here. I guess I’ll find out when I introduce her. Right now, her stuff is selling like hot cakes.”
“How so?” Christopher played along.
“See these.” She pointed to two huge urns. “Willow Raintree, the artist shipped these at the last minute. She said that this is something she’s been thinking about making for the last few months. She sent them to see if there would be any interest.”
“Is there?”
“Absolutely. The first two sold in the first fifteen minutes. Unfortunately, only two were sent. I can’t wait to meet Ms. Raintree. I have a feeling this is going to be a hot item.”
“What are they?” Christopher walked around them and frowned. “I can see a couple uses for them in my own condo.”
“What would you use them for?” Wanda frowned at him.
“If I had two, I’d put one on each side of my fireplace. If I only had one, I’d put it just inside the front door as an umbrella stand.”
“Wow, I never thought of that.” Wanda frowned at them and stepped back to take a look. “I can see it. I would use them as vases.”
“Naw, too big, you’d want to display them prominently by a fireplace.” Christopher winked at her.
“I personally like the idea of a vase,” Trish said. “Don’t know what type of flowers you’d put in them, but I see a vase.”
“Okay, but what about beside the fireplace with something like cattails and maybe peacock feathers in them?”
“I can see that.” Wanda nodded. “You?” Wanda turned to ask Trish’s opinion on her work.
“I can,” Trish said, and looked up when she heard her name called. “If you’ll excuse me.” She hurried away, and Wanda saw her talking to a very classy woman.
“When did you think of making these?” Christopher asked as he joined her. “I really like them, and they would look good next to my fireplace.”
“I only made them at the last minute. I was thinking along the lines of an umbrella stand. I knew I was coming here for a few days and I didn’t want to have any leftover clay, so I threw these together. I only had enough clay for two of them.” She looked at him with a grin. “I have a gigantic delivery coming on Tuesday. I plan to organize all my orders on Monday, unpack, and unwind from this trip, and hit the road running onTuesday once the clay arrives. Thank goodness I get my deliveries by ten in the morning.”
“Well, I personally think they’re beautiful,” Christopher said, and they went to the next display. “I take it Trish still hasn’t met you yet?”
“Nope.” She giggled and told him how she described her. They were laughing when they were joined by their families. They exchanged hugs and kisses and were standing talking.
“Oh my god, Wanda. Remember that vase and bowl you sent me? Said you found it in a shop then gave me the website for the artist? Willow Raintree, she’s supposed to be here. I can’t wait to meet her. I just love her work. It’s rustic, but classy at the same time. I’ll have to drag you with me to talk to her,” Fern gushed. “I’m going to be such a fangirl with her, I hope I won’t embarrass myself.”
“Okay,” Wanda said, and leaned into the arm that Christopher had wrapped around her, but just then the classy woman Trish had hurried over to talk to, clapped her hands and asked for everyone’s attention. It quieted down, and Douglas picked up their niece so she could see what was going on around them.
“I’d like to thank everyone for coming tonight. This is the grand opening for the SoHo Gallery. I’m Gabby and the curator of the gallery. As you can all see, tonight’s theme is The Southwest. The agency representing each artist tonight is The Bower Agency, based out of Seattle, Washington. I’d like to tell everyone here that Trish Bower, owner of the Bower Agency will be introducing each artist individually. Afterward, feel free to talk to the artist and ask any questions, and you can even place orders with them.Beside each display are some paper and pens. If you don’t get a chance to talk to the artist. Write down what you’d be interested in purchasing along with your contact information, and we can get that information to the artist. Now I’d like to turn the floor over to Trish.”
Everyone clapped, and Trish gave her speech and introduced each artist in front of their own display. Wanda smirked at her mother when it looked like she was going to be last.
“Now, for the last artist. That is Willow Raintree. She’s the artist that does the pottery. Several people have asked me questions already tonight about her work. A little history is that Willow was my first client. That was over three years ago. I talk to her every week and e-mail her every day. I’m only admitting this because I’ve never once in all that time met her face to face. She has a personal assistant that assured me she’s here tonight. I can only hope so. If everyone would please put your hands together for Willow Raintree and Willow, if you really are here, please come on down.” She laughed and started clapping.
Wanda waited for fifteen seconds, then handed her glass to Christopher and started weaving her way through the crowd. “Where’s Aunt Wanda going?” She heard her nephew Brian ask his father.
“I don’t know.”
“No,” Fern said as she stared at her sister, and then at her mother in shock. “Really?” Then she started clapping harder, and she even whistled. Wanda wove her way to the front and stepped out into the clearing in front of Trish.
“I’m Willow Raintree.”
“Oh my god.” Trish laughed and hugged her. She looked around and grinned at Gypsy. “Oops.” She admitted and said how she thought of Willow. “Guess you can’t judge a person by her voice. I could have sworn you smoked three packs of cigarettes a day.”
Willow laughed and said she’d never smoked a day in her life. Her family had mentioned that several times in the past, but she only noticed the change in her voice ever since she’d been taking the anti-rejection medication. She turned to the crowd and introduced herself. After she gave her speech, she was immediately surrounded. An hour later, she looked up and smiled gratefully when Christopher handed her a full glass of ice water with lime. He stayed with her for several minutes then wandered away, but not too far away.
“So, how do you know the hot blonde?” Sean asked from his side.
