Chapter 35
Sky
With two cups of coffee in hand, I stand outside Kahlo's studio. I would enter any other room without hesitation by now, but not here.
I clear my throat, take a deep breath, and close my eyes. Immediately, Kjell enters my thoughts. He smiles at me, too gently, much too gently.Get out of my mind; I need to focus, I silently admonish him.
Since our visit to my mother's yesterday, I've been trying to figure out if I've wrongly trusted him or not. Hopefully, I'll find the answer soon. But for now, I have to shake Kjell out of my head, as difficult as that is.
I cautiously tap my boot on the door.
"Yes?" Kahlo's voice comes from inside, so I awkwardly push the door handle down with my elbow and step in.
Smile, Sky, everything is fine. You can be friends; just act normal around him. It works with the other employees, after all.
His gaze shifts back and forth between me and the two coffee cups in my hands. He rises from his leather chair and rests his fingertips on the glass table. "What's up?"
"I thought we could have coffee together." I place the cups on his empty desk and look around. Three of the four walls are covered with floor-to-ceiling magnetic boards filled with designs and notes. In the midst of his studio stands a clothing rack with half-finished designs and a table overloaded with fabrics, beads, and appliqués.
It smells like fashion, pulsating with inspiration.
As a child, I loved this place almost more than my father's office. The walls here tell stories, the materials are full of potential, and on the clothing rack hangs what definesTouch av lyxfrom the inside.
"Is this a checkup?" I hear Kahlo grumble amid my daydreaming.
I quickly shake my head. "Don't be silly," I reply in a reconciliatory tone and gesture to the visitor's seat. "May I sit?"
He sighs and sinks into his chair. "If you want."
I slide his cup across the table. "Black with three spoons of sugar."
For a moment, his expression softens, then it becomes guarded again. At least he wraps his fingers around the handle and pulls the cup closer. "So?"
My palms are sweaty, and my stomach is queasy. "It wasn't easy for me to come here," I admit openly.
He raises an eyebrow. "Oh really?"
"Yes." I try to find a comfortable position on my chair, which I fail to do. "Because I know you can't forgive me." I quickly raise my hands. "And I understand that."
With an impassive face, he watches me struggle with myself.
Showing vulnerability to him is difficult for me, even though in the past two weeks, I've experienced multiple times how good it feels for me and everyone else when I'm just being myself. I owe that solely to Kjell.
"I won't pressure you into anything," I continue with a trembling voice. "But I would be happy if we could find a way to work together."
"Work together?" He crosses his arms over his chest. "For what? So you can embarrass me again?"
"For what we both love the most," I reply with all the conviction that resides within me. "For Touch av lyx."
He shakes his head imperceptibly. "If Gustav knew what you're doing here... he would..."
No, I don't want to know. My worry about not living up to his wishes is already great enough without Kahlo's threats. "Let's let him decide when he wakes up," I suggest. "Both of us can only try to keep things running for now."
Once again, he falls silent, and his expression reminds me of a spoiled child who isn't getting what he wants.
"We're doing this for Father," I add insistently, hoping it will change his mind.
That, and the knowledge of what I'm sacrificing just to be here. The fact that I hide at home in my spare time. That I even disguise myself when driving, even though no one can see my face through the tinted windows.
