by Kay Bigelow
“It’s not for sale.”
“That doesn’t matter. We’ll hang it with a ‘Sold’ sign on it,” Simone said and hurried to catch up with Lucia.
Lucia returned to Alex’s studio the Sunday before the showing, a few days before the movers would appear to pack and transport her paintings. One of Simone’s people would be there to supervise the process. Lucia had been effusive, almost as if she were more excited about the show than Alex. She stood before each of the chosen paintings and nodded her approval once again.
Lucia’s excitement appeared to die when she saw the painting of Alex and Lauren beneath a shower of water. Alex hadn’t wanted Lucia to see the painting, but didn’t want to draw attention to it by covering it, either. She’d put it in the middle of the group of paintings making the trip, hoping it would be lost there. But Lucia had been drawn to it like a cat to catnip. She didn’t say anything to Alex, not even to question who the other woman was. Lucia studied the work for several minutes before moving on to the other paintings. Not knowing what else to do, Alex concentrated on packing a few of the paintings she wouldn’t trust to the movers, including The Shower. It wasn’t hard work nor strenuous, just time consuming.
After they finished packing the paintings for transport, Alex took Lucia to Southern Panda for dinner. They’d eaten there before when Alex had purchased the studio, but hadn’t been back since. She and Lucia were both quiet. Alex knew she should ask Lucia if something was the matter, but she couldn’t bring herself to really care whether there was something wrong. Besides, she knew what the matter was—Lucia had seen the powerful emotions Alex had captured in the painting of her and Lauren. Lucia was not a stupid woman; a little self-absorbed perhaps, but even the most narcissistic person would recognize passion when she saw that painting.
After their dinner plates were removed and the coffee served, Alex took a deep breath.
“Lucia, I need to tell you something.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’ve fallen in love with someone. I want to be with her, but in order to do so, I can’t be with you.”
“Is it the woman in the painting with you?”
“Yes. Her name is Lauren.”
“Does she love you?”
“Yes.”
“So you want to end our relationship? Are you sure?” Lucia asked.
Alex was astounded to see tears in Lucia’s eyes.
“Yes. I am, but only the physical aspect of it. I very much want you to continue as my agent. Are you willing to do that?”
Lucia paused slightly. “I am. How will you survive?”
“I don’t really know. I’ll figure something out. I’ll get a part-time job if I need to.”
“You must love her a great deal.”
“I do,” Alex said quietly.
Lucia didn’t say anything for a few moments.
“I’d like to change the terms of our agreement. I’d like to continue to support you financially for two years. It will undoubtedly take that long for you to build a following large enough to support you into the future.”
Alex was stunned into silence. She had not expected that kind of generosity from Lucia. She felt tears welling in her eyes.
“Thank you, Lucia,” Alex said. She reached out and put her hand over the hand resting on the table.
“To be sure, Alex, I wish we were not at this point. I enjoyed our time together in bed. But if you’re in love, I understand the reasons.”
They sat looking into each other’s eyes. Finally, Lucia said, “There are no strings attached going forward. I have no expectations other than you continue to paint.”
“Thank you, Lucia,” Alex said softly.
When they returned to the studio, it was eleven. Alex was tired from the emotions of the day, from having the silent Lucia in her space, and from missing Lauren. When the time came for them to go to bed, Alex said, “I’ll sleep on the couch if you’d prefer.”
“I think that would be best,” Lucia said.
Alex wanted her to clarify why it would be best, but Lucia remained silent.
By the next morning, she and Lucia had become like strangers. They mumbled good mornings to one another, but little else. Alex had been up for a while before Lucia had risen. She handed Lucia a cup of coffee when she exited the bedroom.
Since they had nothing to say to one another, Lucia left Alex’s condo at ten thirty. “I’ll be back tomorrow,” Lucia said as she stood in the doorway.
Alex thought she saw a sadness in Lucia’s eyes, but didn’t ask about it. Lucia would automatically deny it. She always did.
“Sounds good. See you then,” Alex said, as she leaned in to kiss Lucia’s cheek.
Lucia closed the door behind her and was gone.
At nine o’clock the next morning, the truck and driver arrived, followed shortly by Simone’s assistant Julia, who was to supervise moving Alex’s paintings from her studio to the gallery. Lucia arrived in her own car. Alex and Julia supervised the loading of the truck while Lucia stood staring down at them from the window above. After the truck left for the gallery followed by Julia, she and Lucia drove there in Lucia’s chauffeured car. They didn’t talk much. Alex found it even more difficult to idly chat than usual because it seemed like too much of an effort to make. If I were less depressed, I’d be more gregarious.
Alex was glad to be away from her studio and in the City. She loved her small town on most days, but she also loved the vibrancy and anonymity of the City because no one knew her. No one stopped her on the streets to pass the time of day, talk about the weather, or to ask how her painting was going. And the best advantage of being in the City was that Lauren wasn’t there, and there was nothing there to remind her of Lauren.
Instead of staying in Lucia’s expensive apartment across the street from Central Park, after her paintings had been unloaded from the truck Alex went to her aunt’s apartment in Brooklyn. Cecilia and Alex’s mother, Abigail, were two-thirds of triplets. Beatrice was alive and well, too, having retired to a senior community in Florida a few years earlier.
Cecilia opened her door and her arms to Alex. “What’s going on with you? Are you okay? You look like shit,” Cecilia asked.
“It’s a very long story CiCi. And one that’s too painful to sit around the kitchen table talking about.”
“Your heart is broken, isn’t it?”
“More like shattered.”
“What did you do?”
“Me? I didn’t do…” Alex started and stopped. “I couldn’t find a way to tell her about Lucia. And when I finally did, she refused to speak to me.”
“So in reality you managed to not only break her heart, but your own as well.”
“I guess I did,” Alex said miserably.
“And now you’ve run away to the City?”
“No. Yes. Kind of. I came to the City because I have a showing Thursday at a gallery in SoHo.”
“And you’re not staying with Lucia because…?”
“Because she saw a painting I did of Lauren and me. And she hasn’t had much to say to me since.”
“Lauren’s the name of the woman you love? How did Lucia see the painting?”
“Yes. The owner of the gallery insisted I show the piece even though I said it wasn’t for sale. I put it with the paintings and watercolors I am willing to sell. Lucia might as well have been a homing device when she walked in the door. She saw the painting immediately.”
“Let me see if I understand what’s going on. You lost the woman you love because you didn’t tell her about Lucia. You lost Lucia because you didn’t tell her about the woman you love. That about sum it up?”
“Yep.”
“You are royally screwed, aren’t you?”
“When you sum it up like that, yes I am.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“Nothing. I can’t think of anything to do to fix this and when I talked to April, she and Evita told me to do nothing and wait for Lauren to make th
e first move.”
“We’ll put our heads together later and see if we can improve on that.”
A ray of hope began to shine in Alex’s hope-darkened heart. If anyone could solve this problem, it would be CiCi and her friends.
Chapter Twenty-five
Lauren ran her nascent plan by Lindsey first. She thought it sounded solid. Then, she called Ciara and it went to voice mail. Her sister took her time getting back to her, but when she did, she thought it was a good idea, too.
“You know that buying one of her paintings and showing up at the opening isn’t enough, don’t you?” Ciara asked.
“I do know that, but I’ve got to start somewhere. I’ve been foolish for far too long where Alex is concerned.”
“Yes, you have. But what happens if she’s through with you? You were extremely unreasonable in not talking to her when she asked. I’m sure that wasn’t one of your more charming moves.”
“I have to try, Ciara. I’m aware I may not succeed. But to do nothing and wishing she was with me is more than stupid.”
“Maybe what’s-her-name, the patron, stepped up and soothed her hurt feelings and ruffled feathers. Maybe the patron told her in no uncertain terms that you couldn’t be a part of her life. What then? Will you offer to be her patron?”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“It would make me no better than Lucia.”
“Who’s Lucia?”
“The patron.”
“Oh yeah. What’s wrong with Lucia?”
“She’s paying Alex two thousand dollars a month to have sex with her.”
“Is that all she’s paying Alex for? To be her mistress?”
“Maybe not. I don’t know. I’m focused on the sex, I guess.”
“Alex must be dynamite in bed if you can’t see the forest for the trees.”
“She is. I am, however, trying not to dwell on more than I know. And I admit I know nothing other than Alex slept with the woman.”
Just before she hung up, Ciara said, “Lauren, I hope you figure out a way to get Alex back as much for your happiness as mine.”
“Your happiness?” She asked.
“Yeah. Who wouldn’t want to spend the next thirty years looking at Alex?” she said, laughing as she hung up.
Ciara had only seen Alex one time when they were in town and she’d caught Lauren looking up at Alex’s loft. Lauren was still smiling at Ciara’s comment as she fixed a mug of coffee and took it to her office. She was right, though. Who wouldn’t want to spend the next thirty years waking up next to Alex?
The next day Lauren got on the internet and found Bonnehomme & Penman’s website. She browsed through it, but didn’t find anything that spoke to her like the paintings Alex showed her in her loft. She decided she’d wait until the show to buy a painting. She called the gallery and asked for an owner. She told Simone Bonnehomme she wanted to purchase an Aoki painting and asked if the gallery had other paintings than the one on their website.
Simone Bonnehomme asked, “Are you familiar with this artist’s work? If you are, we’re having an opening of her one-woman show tomorrow evening. Perhaps you’d like to come to the opening to choose something from the show?”
She didn’t pause to let Lauren tell her she was familiar with Alex’s work, and instead let the gallery owner ramble. She’d already accomplished one of her two goals: to get an invitation to the opening.
“Would you mind my asking a few of my friends and colleagues to join me at the opening?” Lauren asked, knowing full well she’d be thrilled.
“I’d be delighted to entertain your friends,” she said, not disappointing Lauren in her assessment.
Lauren started calling friends and colleagues in the City inviting them to Bonnehomme’s for the one-woman show of a young artist she’d heard about. Many said they’d be able to drop by.
On Thursday afternoon, Lauren took the train into the City and a taxi to the Soho Grand Hotel near the gallery. After checking in, she went to her room and threw her bag onto the king-sized bed. She called Lindsey.
“Hey, girlfriend,” Lindsey said when she answered.
“What are you doing?”
“Hopefully having dinner with you. You are in the City, yes?” Lindsey asked.
“Yes.”
“But what?” Lindsey asked.
“But nothing. Where do you want to go?”
“Depends on what you want to eat.”
“I was thinking about that on the train. I think I like living in a town where the options of where to eat are not limitless,” Lauren said.
“Not only are the options not limitless, they are non-existent.”
“Hey, we have two options. That’s not non-existent.”
“No, but they are miniscule. Where are you staying?”
“The Soho Grand on Broadway.”
“Good Lord, could you get any further away?”
“Stop being such a snob.”
“Just pulling your leg. Hey, didn’t we go to a rather good Italian place near there shortly before you moved away?” Lindsey asked.
“You’re right. What was its name?”
“I can’t remember, either. Tell you what, you figure out the options near the hotel while I shower, and I’ll meet you in your lobby in an hour.”
“I can do both of those,” Lauren said.
After Lindsey cut the connection, Lauren used the room phone to call down to the front desk seeking a decent restaurant.
“What’s the best nearby restaurant?” Lauren asked.
“That would be Jossepha’s. The best Italian food in the City.”
Lauren doubted that was true, but she was pretty sure that was the name she and Lindsey had been searching for. She thanked the man and hung up.
She took a quick shower and dressed in a navy-blue suit with a pale coral shirt. She looked at herself in the mirror. What if Alex won’t talk to me? What if she simply walks away? What if Lucia doesn’t leave her side? Stop that! She’s going to be there, she’s going to at least hear you out, and you will be eloquent and convincing. She wasn’t really sure about the last, but she had to try to convince Alex to take her back. She stepped into her shoes and was in the lobby waiting for Lindsey forty-five minutes later. When Lindsey walked in, Lauren went to meet her.
“Jossepha’s.”
“That’s it,” Lindsey said. “Want to go there?”
“We both remember it was really good. Let’s give it another try. It can’t be awful.”
“Isn’t that what we said about that Mexican place near the library? And it turned out to be worse than awful,” Lindsey said.
Lauren laughed. They’d ended up walking out without finishing their dinners.
The man at the front desk had given Lauren directions and had assured her it was within walking distance. The restaurant was only a half dozen blocks away from the hotel. They were lucky because they only had to wait ten minutes to be seated. Of course, most City dwellers didn’t eat until after eight and they were there at seven.
****
Lindsey and Lauren took their time over dinner. After they finished eating, they ordered coffee. “How are you feeling?” Lindsey asked.
“My butterflies have butterflies. What if Alex doesn’t want to have anything to do with me?”
“Do you really think that’s possible?”
“Yes, it’s possible. I was a real ass. I didn’t give her a chance to explain anything,” Lauren said, not happy at having to admit, even to Lindsey, that she’d been a dunce. She had overreacted by talking without first finding out what the facts were, something she’d never done before in her life. She was trained to find the facts first and then react, and had been doing so for twenty-five years.
“You’ll have your answer in about two hours, won’t you?” Lindsey asked.
“I guess.”
“You don’t sound very positive.”
“If someone you loved accused you of being a prostitute, would
you ever forgive her?” Lauren asked.
“You know, you can fool lots of people most of the time, but you can’t fool me any of the time,” Lindsey said with a grin.
Lauren laughed. “If that’s what you tell yourself, you should get a better story.”
“Can we talk about April and Evita’s offer for a minute?” Lindsey asked.
“Of course, Linds. I’m sorry I’ve been so wrapped up in my own problems.”
“When I told you I loved Jane, it was the truth. I do love her beyond anything I’ve known. We want to move in together, but she just opened her practice out there, and my restaurant is here in the City.”
Lauren suspected Lindsey had written all this down because if she had a set script it would be easier to tell Lauren what she needed to say. So she didn’t interrupt Lindsey’s narrative.
“The bottom line is that I put the restaurant on the market last week, and I’ve already got a very good offer for it. At the same time, I put my condo on the market and it, too, has sold. I didn’t get what I asked for it, but I did get a good offer. I accepted both this morning. I’ll be moving out to the boonies very soon,” Lindsey said in a rush. “What do you think?”
“What do I think? Are you sure you want to leave the City?”
“I am. You’re there, Jane’s there, so what’s not to like about being there?”
“And April and Evita’s offer?”
“They came into the City a week ago and we talked and talked and talked about the new restaurant. I’ve accepted their offer. I’ll be the front person, they’ll be the power behind the throne.”
“Oh my God, Linds, that’s the best news I’ve heard in forever. I’m so happy for you and Jane.”
Lindsey blushed. “I’m ecstatic you approve. If you hadn’t put your seal of approval on my plans, I would have been devastated.”
“Linds, I’ve never seen you this…this happy, contented, this in love. I do have one complaint, however.”
Lindsey’s eyes widened as if she was afraid Lauren wasn’t entirely pleased with what she’d done.
“What is it?”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me about all this before it was a done deal?”
