by JA Low
“Maybe not you, but I bet I could buy Emily.” Just hearing Emily’s name from her lips makes me splinter inside. I take a couple of steps toward her; fear quickly wipes that smug smile off her face.
“You fucking go near Emily and I will make your life a living hell, do you hear me?” She doesn’t flinch. “I mean it. It will become my life’s mission to make sure that Yves is behind bars and your career is in ruins, that you are shunned from the art community. I will make sure everyone knows how much of a piece of shit you and your toy boy are.” Elisabeth huffs.
“You don’t scare me, Louis Marchant. You are a washed-up has-been of an artist. Maybe in your tiny little mind you think you are still someone, but in reality no one could give a shit, especially against Yves. I made him. He has become even bigger than you ever could be. You never had the drive to be the richest, biggest, art superstar in the world. No, you wanted to have a family, the white picket fence, the mediocrity of suburban life. I was not made for that, Louis. You were not made for that. You could have been a master but you didn’t have the balls, unlike Yves. He is hungry. Hungry for it all.”
“Get the fuck out of my house, Elisabeth. Before I do something I am going to regret.” She smiles, knowing she’s getting to me.
“You have twenty-four hours to accept, Louis, otherwise I’ll take matters into my own hands.” And with that she walks out of my studio.
FUCK! I want to scream. I want to trash everything. I want to hurt something. I grab the bottle of tequila and bring it to my lips but stop. What the hell am I doing? I am not going to let that bitch destroy my life again. She has just proved to me that she is nothing but a gold digger, the fact she is okay that her boyfriend nearly raped someone confirms it all. There is only one person that can help me take down Elisabeth and I just pray that he will.
“Louis,” Victor greets me warmly.
“It’s so good to see you, old man.” I pat him on the back making him chuckle.
“I’m not that old.” He rolls his eyes at me. “Come in, come in. It’s been ages since we’ve seen you.”
“Is Eloise here?”
“I heard my name.” Eloise enters the foyer. My chest tightens because I know this is Emily’s mother. I see the resemblance, they could almost be twins, they look so similar. She pulls me into her arms and kisses my cheeks. “What do we owe the pleasure of your company?”
“I need your help.” They both look at each other concerned. “I’m going to need you to listen to me, I will answer questions when I’m finished. Do you trust me?” They both nod their head.
“Come, we’ll sit in the garden, maybe a bottle of wine is needed for this chat.”
We all take a seat outside on the terrace, Victor pours us all a glass of wine, then he sits back in his chair.
“Please start.” I take a sip of the wine hoping it will give me the courage to tell them the whole story. I sit there and begin to tell them all about Elisabeth and Yves, about the darkness I had been living in, how my art had taken on a darker feel, about the New York show. Then I begin to tell them about Emily, about how she took me from the darkness and back into the light, that she showed me how to appreciate colour again. Eloise pats my hand, giving me a warm smile as I talk about Emily, if only she knew. I tell them about the party in Monaco and Victor doesn’t look happy. I continue to talk about what happened in Paris, I can see he is fuming beside me, that he too wants to stand up and destroy something.
“Oh my,” Eloise gasps. I tell her that Emily had been assaulted previously, that this has brought back flashbacks and that she ran away back to London, that she blames me. And I don’t blame her; I brought him into her life. Eloise squeezes my hand. “This isn’t your fault,” she tells me. I give her a weak smile. I tell them that Elisabeth just came to see me, to buy me off so Emily would not press charges. This sets Victor off, he jumps off his chair and starts pacing around the garden. “There was always something about Elisabeth that I couldn’t put my finger on,” Eloise adds.
“Then why did you let her…” My eyes look up at Eloise. I don’t understand how she is okay with Victor having girlfriends, sharing the man that she loves with others.
“Not everyone is made for a monogamous life, Louis.” She pats my hand. “I don’t expect you to understand but Victor and I have an understanding, we are both artists, we both follow where the creativeness takes us, sometimes different people bring out different things in each of us. Doesn’t mean I don’t love him any less.” She looks up adoringly at Victor. “He just can’t always give me what I want and vice versa.” I guess if that is what makes them happy.
“I wish I had never introduced the two of you,” Victor adds, the strain of the conversation weighing on his shoulders. “Elisabeth pretended with me, there were glimpses of something but I just thought it was the age difference. Because when I saw her with you, she was different, not as guarded, freer, and I thought maybe you were the better fit, and you were for many years but…” Yeah, he doesn’t need to say any more.
“I never knew her. Not really. I think you’re right, I think she masks the real person behind whatever you want her to be, she’s cunning, conniving and manipulative. The blinders are off now and I see the true person she is.”
“I’m sorry you had to learn it the hard way, sweetheart.” Eloise smiles at me.
“Whatever you need from me, whatever contacts you need to put a stop to these two, I’ll help you,” Victor tells me. I thank him. That is exactly what I was hoping for.
“Can I see a photo of her?” Eloise asks. My stomach sinks. Should I? It would be strange if I didn’t show them. It’s been over twenty years since she saw her daughter. Would she even recognise her? I hand over my phone to Eloise, she pulls out her glasses and stares at the image. It’s the two of us in the sunflower field after our bike ride, she is carefree and happy. “Oh my God.” Eloise clutches her chest, she looks at me, her eyes wide. She knows.
“Yes, Eloise. She’s your daughter.”
34
Emily
It’s Saturday night and the girls have come over for girls’ night, and to check up on me.
“So, I heard Daniel came over,” Ava fishes for information as she pours herself a wine. My eyes narrow, how the…?
“How would you know that?” I question her.
“Daniel told me,” she says quickly, not making eye contact.
“And why would he tell you that? It’s not like you are friends or anything, are you?” Her cheeks turn a little pink.
“We’ve spoken a couple of times since we got back. Basically he’s been worried about you. He just wanted to check in while giving you some space.”
“I never got a message from him?” Georgia smirks.
“Me either,” Rosie adds. Ava becomes flustered and gulps down her glass of wine quickly then pours herself another.
“Is something happening between the two of you?”
“What? No,” Ava answers too quickly.
“Do you want something to happen?” She doesn't look at us and we all smirk between us.
“He is pretty hot,” Georgia adds.
“His accent is delicious,” Rosie chimes in.
“Ugh, you guys.” Ava rolls her eyes at us, which makes us burst out laughing. I needed this. I think this is the first time in weeks since I have laughed. “I have a crush on him, okay?” she confesses. Ava never pursues a guy. Especially one that she has a crush on, so her pursuing Daniel is a little out of character.
“Ava has a crush,” Rosie teases, which makes us all fall into fits of laughter again.
“I know. What the hell is wrong with me?” Ava complains.
“He’s a sweetheart and that dimple…” I add. The girls are a little shocked at first at my comment then burst out laughing again.
“I’m glad my misfortune is a joke.” Ava pours herself another glass of wine.
“You were flirting with him in France, did anything happen?” Georgia asks.
“
I wish. He rebuffed all my advances,” Ava pouts.
“You made advances on a guy?” She flips me off.
“Is he the first guy to ever say no to you?” Rosie teases.
“Fuck you, guys.” She laughs. “But yes, he is.” She folds her arms in front of her, pretending to scowl at us all.
“Aw, there, there, Ava, welcome to the real world.” Rosie pats her on the head.
“So, what did Daniel want?” Georgia asks, changing the subject.
“Oh. Um. Yeah about that.” They all look at me with expectant eyes. “He wants me to join Louis in New York to showcase my art.” The girls are all a little shocked but once that bit of information settles in they all jump on me congratulating me. It takes me awhile to get them off me, but the smile on my face is wide. “Apparently, Louis asked Daniel about it before…” I don’t need to finish that sentence.
“And what do you think about that?” Georgia asks.
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I showed him my art in the studio and he loved it. He actually took a painting I did of Louis and I to give to him.”
“Aw, that’s nice of you,” Rosie adds. I shrug again not wanting to talk about that.
“I think you should do it,” Ava adds.
“That’s because it gives you an excuse to stay in touch with Daniel,” Georgia teases.
“Well of course, but also because I think you deserve this, Emmy. You are so ridiculously talented, and you haven’t really had many breaks over the years and if anyone deserves this you do,” Ava tells me.
“But I’m only getting it because I slept with Louis.”
“What? No you’re not. Do you seriously think Louis or Daniel would do you a favour because they know you?” Rosie asks. I don’t know. Maybe. Probably not.
“Why not take a chance,” Ava adds.
“We love you, babe, and we know that what happened over the past couple of weeks has been hard on you. But in all this bad maybe something good could come from it.” Georgia raises her eyebrows at me. Tears well in my eyes, which brings my girls closer to me.
“I want to take a chance, but I’m scared, guys.” They all hug me.
“You have us,” Rosie reassures me.
“We will help you get to where you need to be. If that means we have to get you coffees so you can work all night, or buy you paints, we’ll do it,” Ava tells me, making me cry. Far out, I am so lucky to have these girls beside me.
“I’m so sorry guys. So sorry that I said those horrible things to you all.”
“Hey. No. Don’t think like that. What happened was disgusting. You were in shock.” Rosie lifts my chin to look at her.
“But it wasn’t your fault. I took it out on you all.” Tears stream down my face as they do on my friends’ faces.
“You were in shock, you needed to blame someone to make sense of it all. We understand, we still love you, we know you were hurting. We are all just so worried about you,” Georgia tells me.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you all,” I tell them.
“You were processing. We understand that. You take all the time you need. We will always be here for you.” Ava squeezes my hand.
“I love you guys.” I hug them.
“We love you too.” The girls laugh.
“Just one day at a time. That’s the only way for me to move forward,” I tell them.
“Then we will be here every step of the way. One day at a time, right beside you.” Rosie hugs me. Fuck, I’m lucky.
“But I do have a question?” Ava asks. “What about, Louis?” My stomach sinks.
“Yeah. Every day he sends you sunflowers,” Rosie reminds me. I let out a heavy sigh.
“I am going to work on myself and I’m going to focus on my art.”
“But he’s going to be in New York?” Georgia adds.
“Fingers crossed I have my shit together by then and that he still wants me.” My girlfriends all give me sympathetic smiles. I need to become stronger, Louis deserves a woman that has her shit together.
35
Louis
Breaking News
Yves Blanc and Elisabeth Bernard are embroiled in a multimillion dollar art charity scandal. Their non-profit charity has been embezzling millions of dollars to support their lavish lifestyle. It has come to light that Yves is also embroiled in a sexual assault case, video footage has been obtained of him putting a date rape drug into a non-identified woman’s drink, then he is seen walking the unconscious woman from the club, into his car and then through the front gate of his apartment complex. Now that this information has come out, more women have come forward recounting their tales of sexual assault via Blanc.
With the mounting evidence against Blanc and Bernard, many people in the art industry have distanced themselves from the two of them and they have lost all their multimillion dollar endorsements. It also seems that Blanc and Bernard have parted ways with Bernard putting out a press release exclaiming her shock over the accusations about her boyfriend and that she no longer feels safe around him, which is evident in the video footage that was shown of Blanc screaming at a cowering Bernard outside their Paris apartment.
“Revenge is a dish served cold.” Daniel laughs as he reads out the latest report about Yves and Elisabeth.
“They got what they deserved.” I smile. Not that I like seeing the demise of people but they did deserve it.
“Everything she has is gone. All her assets are seized, everything. She’s going to have to declare bankruptcy and start again,” Daniel informs me.
“Apparently she’s in Moscow, the guest of some film producer. A girl like her always finds a way.” My stomach turns that she isn’t in jail with her lover.
“It’s good news that all these women are coming forward. But it sucks that he did all those things to them all.” My blood boils reading all the stories about what he has done, ex-employees who he terrorised. I hated that I had no idea about any of it.
“Have you heard from Emily?” I ask Daniel.
“Actually…hold on.” My heart begins to thump. What does he have planned? Daniel walks back in with a canvas in his hand. “Emily gave this to me weeks ago, but I wanted to wait.” He turns it around and I am blown away. I instantly realise it’s us, making love. “She thought you should have it. This was painted when she wasn’t in a great place. Before she said yes to New York.” I have shipped all of my paintings to New York, and I fly out in the next coming days. I haven’t spoken to Emily since that fateful night months ago. She needs time. If she hadn’t said yes to New York I would have gone to find her and make her see me, tell me face to face that she doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore. I would respect her wishes of course; my heart would be broken but I would understand.
I stare at the painting, the colours, the imagery. What was she thinking when she painted this? Did she remember the good times we had? Does she remember my feelings about her?
“Her other stuff is good,” Daniel tells me. “The gallery is so excited to have you both. The buzz surrounding your comeback and this debut artist’s work is intensifying.” I want to be excited about making my comeback, but in all honesty I just want to see Emily again.
“Is she? I mean how is she doing?” I hate that my brother has seen her multiple times, I hate that she is okay with him, but not me.
“She’s turned a corner, especially now that Yves is in custody, that the world knows what he has done. A great weight has been lifted off of her back.” I nod. I’m happy for her. I just wish the same weight I have could disappear so easily too. “She needed the time, Louis. She needed to rebuild herself again.” I nod, staring at the painting. I just wish she would have let me help her rebuild. I would have been there for her. “She’s excited about New York.” This gives me hope, that maybe there is a portion of excitement for seeing me, maybe? “The girls are all coming too, they have been planning, I don’t know, some kind of Sex in the City meets Gossip Girl tour. They lost me.” This makes me smile. I’
m glad she will have her friends there with her.
“I’m glad for her,” I tell Daniel. “I just hope she is ready to see me.”
“It will all work out, brother, I promise you.” He gives me a slap on the back and leaves me to stare at the painting.
36
Emily
New York
The girls and I flew in a couple of days before the event to have girl time in the Big Apple. We explored everywhere, we did photos at Times Square and we sailed along the Hudson past the Statue of Liberty. We checked out the sex museum and giggled like teenagers at all the penises. We re-enacted Sex and the City sipping cosmopolitans at some hipster bar, we ate lunch on the stairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as if we were some cool kids on the set of Gossip Girl, all while wearing our headbands like Blair. We took a carriage ride around Central Park, which reminded me of dickface and his American Barbie. I made sure I used the hashtags #soulsisters #betterthanbarbie #britsdoitbetter. Totally made me feel better. I left the girls shopping on Fifth Avenue because I don’t have any money to spend, not until I sell some paintings. I made my way back to the Met to lose myself in the art. Walking past the great masters humbled me because I can’t believe that my art is hanging in a gallery just like this, okay, maybe not like this one in the middle of everything, but it is in a very hipster part of Brooklyn and the space is nice, not as grand as this stone and marble, but anyway it’s still pretty awesome. A dream that I never thought would happen. I am so thankful my girls have come with me on this trip, they all lead such busy lives. Rosie works as a producer for a reality TV show, Ava works in communications for a high end boutique and Georgia works in PR for a top football team. So the fact they took time out of their busy lives to be with me during this time speaks volumes of what kind of friends they are.
