by Annie Jocoby
Relax. Easier said than done. I wondered how I would feel if I was a bajillionaire and some broke artist was dating my daughter. Not that Dalilah and I were dating. Crazy thing was, we were definitely in love, but I couldn’t bring myself to actually say that she was my girlfriend or even that I was dating her. But, whatever we were, I didn’t think that, if I were Dalilah’s dad, I would be very happy about a guy like me hanging around my daughter.
But, things did get much easier for me later on that day.
I got home, and laid down on my couch, dreaming of Dalilah. It was exceedingly difficult for me to be around her, especially since she was naked in front of me every morning. She was flawless. There was no other way to put it. Perfect skin, perfectly toned, not an ounce of fat on her, and perfect breasts. I dreamed of being with her night after night, so I also dreamed of being wealthy enough to deserve her.
Then, I saw that somebody was calling. I didn’t really recognize the number, but I picked it up anyhow.
“Luke Roberts,” I said.
“Hello, Mr. Roberts,” a vaguely familiar voice greeted me. “This is Blake Nottingham.”
“Oh, yes, of course. You probably are checking on the progress of the Dalilah portrait. It’s coming along well. You may see it if you like, but you’ll have to come to my apartment.”
“I’m quite sure that it is satisfactory. And, no, I don’t usually like to see my commissioned work before it’s completed. That’s not why I was calling.”
“Oh, sorry,” I said, feeling intimidated. This guy was so brusque and abrupt in his speech. He perpetually sounded pissed-off, which he probably was.
“I’m a partner in the Matthew Marks Gallery in Chelsea. I trust you’ve heard of it?”
Matthew Marks? Of course I had heard of it. That was one of the best galleries in the city, and it worked with established artists from all over the globe. There were four Matthew Marks galleries in the city, and one that just opened up in LA. So, yeah, I wouldn’t consider myself an artist if I had never heard of that gallery.
“Yes, of course,” I said, still feeling mystified on why he was calling me. He surely wasn’t calling me to invite me to have a showing there. That would be like some struggling bar musician getting a gig in the Madison Square Gardens. Never going to happen. “Of course, I know that gallery, I mean those galleries. Do you need me to be a cater waiter there or something for one of your galas?”
He snorted a little. “No, although I suppose you could do that. But, no, my partners and I would like to feature you in our upcoming show that centers around images from the music industry. I was quite impressed with your panels on ballerinas and musicians. I talked things over with my partners, and they’re all in agreement. I need approximately 10 of your paintings delivered to me immediately. Choose among any of your paintings that center around the theme."
I almost fainted dead away right there. I blinked my eyes rapidly. “I’m so sorry, I thought you said that you wanted me to have a showing there.”
“That’s exactly what I am saying. Deliver those paintings to me by Wednesday of next week, please. The show will be in December, so you have a little over a month. If you compose any other paintings that fit the theme before the show, then I would need those as well.”
And, just like that, he hung up.
I stood there, staring at the phone, feeling that I was dreaming. What? I was getting a showing at the best gallery in the city? Me? Goddamn, I never thought that something like that would happen for me. And just when I was ready to throw in the towel and head to Maine to work for my pop.
Shaking, I immediately called Dalilah. She picked up immediately. “Luke,” she said. “My parents are here. We were just talking about you. Here, let me put my dad on.”
“Oh, Dalilah, thanks, but can I talk to you for a few minutes first?”
“Of course. What’s up?”
“You will never believe what just happened. Never in eleventy-millions years.”
“What?” She sounded extremely eager to hear my news.
“Nottingham. He’s giving me a showing at the Matthew Marks! The Matthew Marks, Dalilah! I mean, every art critic in town will be there. Art critics from around the world. Not to mention patrons and benefactors. Oh my god, I think I got my big break!”
By now, I was breathing heavily as the news started to sink in. If this goes well, I would be on my way. On my way to getting established internationally and maybe even becoming successful enough to make Dalilah my wife.
To my surprise, tears were streaking down my face, even though I rarely cried. When I found out that my mother was killed by a random mass shooter in a McDonald’s ten years ago, that was the last time that I cried. And now I was really crying again.
I couldn’t even hear Dalilah screaming, which she was, I soon found out. “Luke, I don’t believe it! I mean, I do believe it, because you so deserve it, but I can’t tell you how happy I am! Oh, my god, this is the greatest news that I have ever heard. Ever!”
Both of us started laughing wildly, and I started to dance around the room. I just couldn’t believe it. The gods were finally smiling upon me. Finally.
All at once, I couldn’t wait to meet Dalilah’s parents.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Dalilah delivered the suit to me by a courier, and I put it on. She was right. Her father and I were the exact same size. Weird, but that suit fit me like a glove. Of course, there was the issue of getting to the restaurant to meet them, and Dalilah insisted on sending a limo on her father’s dime.
“Dalilah, I don’t think that a limo will come here,” I had said.
“Don’t be silly. My father will pay that limo driver beaucoup, so trust me, the limo will come and get you. Be ready to meet the driver at 6.”
So, I got ready and anxiously went downstairs right at six and, sure enough, there was a black limo waiting for me there on the street. I looked around, seeing that the homeless people with their shopping carts were looking at the limo like they hadn’t quite seen anything like it before. One of them, Freddy, whistled when he saw me approaching.
“Ooooh, boy, Luke, you shine up like a brand new copper penny. Where you heading, boy?”
“Some fancy restaurant,” I said with a smile. I gave the guy the usual five bucks and patted him on the back. “Maybe I can sneak out a doggie bag for you, huh?”
“That would be great, but fancy restaurants don’t do that.”
I made a mental note to see if I could get something for Freddy, though. He was really a great guy, and he and I sometimes got into long discussions about our lives. Turns out that we had something in common – both of us had a parent who was murdered. Mine was in a mass shooting, while his dad was killed in a gang-related incident when he was only 2.
Shit like that can destroy a person. It didn’t me, but Freddy had a hard life on top of that as well. I felt for him. There, but for the grace of god go I.
The limo driver got out and opened the door, and I stepped into the limo and sat down in the back.
I nervously twiddled my thumbs as the limo took me to Eleven Madison. I tried very hard to remember that Dalilah had mentioned, more than once, that her parents were very down to earth. But I couldn’t help it. Nottingham – that was who I envisioned all rich men to be. Cold pricks. Of course, Dalilah had to be right when she said that her parents were different. After all, she had turned out pretty cool and down to earth herself. I doubted that she could have been as unpretentious as she was if her parents weren’t as well.
Finally, the limo pulled up to the restaurant, and I stepped out after the limo driver got out of the car and let me out. That was a strange thing for me, as well – having somebody escort me in and out of the car.
I stepped into the restaurant, which was gorgeous. Twenty foot tall ceilings, white walls, enormous windows, and cool hanging lanterns. Dalilah was already there with her parents, and she saw me immediately and came over to me. “Oh, Luke, you look so handsome. I mean, you alway
s do, but, wow, you do clean up nice.”
I smiled, knowing that she was right. Of course, it didn’t hurt that I was wearing an Armani suit that fit like a glove. Strange how much her father and I were alike in height and build.
She escorted me over to her table, where her father was apparently drinking Scotch and her mother was sipping on a dirty martini. Her mom and dad both stood up when I got to the table, and her dad shook my hand. “Nice to meet you, Luke. I’m Ryan, and this is my wife, Iris.” At that, her mom also stood up and shook my hand.
“Good to meet you, Luke.” I shook her hand and kissed her on the cheek. She giggled a little bit, and everybody sat down.
Dalilah excitedly put her hands on my shoulders. “Well, dad, you are looking at the next international sensation in the world of art, Luke Roberts.”
Dalilah’s handsome father smiled broadly, and I felt at ease almost immediately. He raised his glass. “Well, cheers to that,” he said, as we all clinked our glasses. “Tell me about the gig, Luke.”
“Well, let’s see. I apparently am going to get a showing at the Matthew Marks Gallery in Chelsea. Not entirely sure, but I understand that the gallery is featuring impressionistic portraits of musicians and ballerinas, and I happen to have many works centered on that theme, and I guess I’m going to be a part of that show.”
Ryan raised his eyebrows. “Matthew Marks. Wow. You really went from zero to hero, huh?” And then he smiled as Dalilah shot him a dirty look. “That came out wrong. At any rate, congratulations on that. That will be a tremendous boost to your career, no doubt.”
I looked down at my plate, which already had an appetizer on it. This place was one of those places where there were tiny portions of amazing things, and this appetizer was delicious. It was sweet bread, which I understood was some kind of pancreas of an animal. Dalilah also had one, and her parents, being vegan, opted for a small cup of corn chowder. “I hope you don’t mind,” Dalilah said. “I really wanted you to try this sweet bread. If you don’t like it, we can send it back.”
“No, actually, this is delicious,” I said, taking a bite. And, indeed it was.
“Dalilah tells me that you’re a fabulous artist,” her mother, Iris, was saying. “I’d love to see your work in person. I mean, I saw it on the website, and it is absolutely brilliant. It kinda reminds me, somewhat, of some of the stuff that Ryan did when he was young and bold.”
Ryan shrugged. “It’s a hobby now, but when I was your age, I really was quite serious about it. That’s where Dalilah gets her artistic bent. Well, that and the fact that my mother is also an artist in a way. I mean, she’s an opera singer, but she’s also very creative in the mind. She’s pretty left of center.”
I nodded, remembering Dalilah telling me that Maggie, her grandmother, was a schizophrenic who has it under control. Maggie apparently lived in Kansas City, although it was my understanding that she was going to possibly be moving to New York to stay in Dalilah’s parents’ guest house. Ryan apparently was worried that she might go off her meds again, which she did before, to disastrous consequences.
Throughout the evening, the parents asked me questions that weren’t too probing. I really did started to feel comfortable with them after a little while, especially after having a couple of scotches with her dad. At his insistence. I wasn’t much of a scotch guy. I really wasn’t a hard alcohol guy, period, preferring to stick to beer. But the scotch was smooth as silk, and went down well, so I didn’t mind having a couple of neat scotches with Ryan.
I ended up the evening really having enjoyed myself. I felt much more confident talking about myself, now that I finally had something to talk about. I had to admit that I was feeling validated. Completely validated by this offer that Nottingham had made out of the clear blue sky. I actually started to feel that I was somebody. That alone gave me confidence.
Finally, the evening was over, and there were hugs all around with everyone. The parents were going to Dalilah’s apartment to meet her there, but Dalilah wanted to go with me in the limo to make sure that I got home okay. I was more than willing to share my limo with her.
We ended up going to the Shake Shack for strawberry milkshakes on the way home, and I also ordered a burger and fries to go, as I had promised Freddy that I would bring him something, and there wasn’t anything on the Eleven Park tasting menu that was suitable for him. But I knew how much Freddy liked his burgers and fries.
Finally, I arrived home. I so wanted to invite her up, but I knew that she had to get home to see her parents, who would be waiting for her. So, I kissed her passionately in the limo, and her body responded eagerly.
“I think that things just might be turning around for me, Dalilah, At least, I hope so. I want to give you the world, and I hope to be able to through my art. That would be the dream.”
“You will be able to, Luke. This opportunity is huge. I mean, it couldn’t be bigger. Once the critics and the patrons see your work, you won’t be able to work fast enough to satisfy them. You’re going to get the attention and acclaim that you deserve. And at such a young age, too. I knew that you would, Luke. I had no doubt. I told you to believe in yourself, because I really believe in you.”
“I know you do, Dalilah. I love you, Dalilah. I really do.”
“I love you too, Luke.”
I kissed her again, wanting the kiss to go on forever. I wanted to do so much more with her, and I might have, if she didn’t have to get home.
For once, I was starting to see a glimmer of hope that I might be good enough for her. Everything was finally coming together. I was going to get a huge platform to show myself to the world, and Dalilah was going to be mine. I could feel it.
We were going to be together.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Dalilah
I was so excited for Luke, I was practically bouncing off the walls. I just couldn’t believe that Nottingham decided, all on his own, to give Luke a gig. It just goes to show that I probably should have had more faith and patience, instead of trying to meddle the way that I was.
And Luke…my parents loved him, that was plain. My mom was giggling like a schoolgirl about the jokes that Luke was telling, and he and my dad really did have a ton in common. Not just the fact that they are both artistic, but they also seemed to see the world in much the same way. Luke surprisingly knew a lot about my father’s passion, animal rights, and was able to engage him at length about different aspects of animal treatment. And, of course, my mom has the same passion, so the three of them talking about this topic took up much of the conversation. But I could tell that all three of them were getting along quite well.
When he kissed me in the limo, one thing was for sure – I didn’t want to stop. I wanted, so badly, for him to invite me up to his apartment and ravage me. And I think that is exactly what would have happened if I didn’t have to get back home to see my parents. They had a hotel room again, as the house in Montauk wouldn’t be ready to move into until Sunday. But I knew that they wanted to talk to me one on one some more. Especially after meeting Luke – I suppose that they really needed a post-mortem, so to speak.
I got back into my apartment, and my parents were both sitting on the floor, teasing each other. My dad was tickling my mom, and she was on the floor giggling and yelling at him to stop.
“Huh, Iris, you want me to stop, do you? Well, you know the magic word.”
She was laughing so hard that she could barely get the word out – Amsterdam. Then he stopped, as that word apparently meant something to the two of them. But he was still laughing, and so was she.
They saw me and both of them stood up, a look of mirth still on both of their faces. “Dalilah,” my mother said. “Ryan and I were talking about that wonderful boy. Where did you find him?”
“He’s doing an art project. A portrait of me.” I didn’t mention that it was a nude. My parents didn’t quite know that I did that, unless blabbermouth Nick clued them in, as he no doubt knew about my nude modeling from Nottin
gham. I kind of wanted to keep that part of my life from my parents.
“Well, he has a real future,” my father was saying. “Especially if he’s getting a major gig this early in his career. Anyhow, your mom and I are very happy that you have finally found somebody. We were getting very worried about you.”
Then he paused, and I knew what was coming next.
I was right.
“That said, Dalilah,” dad was saying. “Nick told me that you are also dating an older man whom he considers to be somewhat dangerous for you. I’m not one to judge others’ lifestyles, but I really hope, Dalilah, that you aren’t getting into BDSM. That can be very destructive if you don’t know what you’re doing and you don’t understand that way of life.”
Both my mom and dad were just staring at me, hoping for me to reassure them that I hadn’t gone that route.
I didn’t really know what to say. So, I told them the truth. As shitty as the truth was.
“Oh, god. Now, I know what you’re going to say after I tell you this. ‘Dalilah, we raised you better than this. You shouldn’t use people.’ So, I already know that I shouldn’t use others, so, please, spare me the inevitable lecture.”
My mother raised an eyebrow. “Not liking where this is going. But go ahead.”
So, I told them the entire story.
My dad took a deep breath and said “so you’re only dating Nottingham because you want him to help Luke. Sounds like that was unnecessary, if you didn’t really have to talk him into featuring Luke. Nottingham evidently came up with that on his own.”
“Yes, that’s ironic. But, it means that I can stop seeing Nottingham now. That’s good, right?”
My mom shook her head. “Dalilah, Dalilah, Dalilah. I know you don’t want to hear it, but what are you thinking? People are not on this earth for you to manipulate as you wish. This is a fine kettle of fish that you have gotten yourself into. A fine kettle of fish.”
