Pieces of Truth

Chapter 13

Interpretations

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Thank goodness for Tess staying at the apartment. Things between Clint and I were icy cold when we returned home the previous night from the Garden Gala with Tess in tow. Clint left for work very early the following morning to catch up on a few things even though it was still the weekend. I lay in bed pretending to sleep thinking he would be very angry and distant with me, but I felt his lips brush against my forehead as he made his way out the door.

I arose a couple of hours later to find Tess already seated in our kitchen, sipping on a espresso. I moved my long black hair that was hiding my face behind my ears, and pulled up a stool next to her. I then, very purposely and dramatically, let my head flop onto the bench in between my two arms, moaning loudly as I did.

Tess laughed at me. “Soooooooooo,” she drew out the sound, as I lifted my head, knowing she was about to make some sarcastic comment. “Seems some things haven’t changed. I take it that was your ex-fiancé stirring the pot last night?”

I moaned again as I straightened my back. “Seriously what is wrong with me Tess? I just want to be normal, and have a normal life in a normal relationship. You know, nine to five work, movies, dinners, holidays at the parents’ house. You know all that regular stuff. And instead I’ve got a mafia ex-fiancé trying to come between me and my secret society affiliated boyfriend who spends his nights at a f*cking burlesque bar, being hit on by whores in a place that drugs its patrons.”

Tess convulsed forward, spitting out what espresso she had left in her mouth. “Whoa! Back up. I didn’t understand anything past burlesque bar, whores and drugs, although that does sound like a fun combination!”

“Tessssssssss!” I hissed, not pleased.

She tilted her head and shrugged. “What can I say? I get up to crazy things in Europe. But seriously, you lost me after boyfriend.”

I sighed heavily and then rested my head on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’ve got lots to fill you in about.”

Tess raised her eyebrows as she took another sip of her espresso. “Sounds like I turned up at the right time then.”

I did feel relief having Tess here with me. Since we met, our friendship had continued to grow and get deeper. I trusted her and I loved that she was so upfront with me. She wasn’t afraid to be honest, even if some of the things she said were inappropriate, I liked that about her. Actually, I loved it. I wanted the odd sense of humor, boldness and truth she brought to the friendship. It calmed me and could quickly make me smile. I shifted a little closer to Tess as she continued to pat my head. I was so happy she was finally here. Friendship is good for the soul. My soul then pinched me. I had been completely self-absorbed. “Damn I’m an awful friend. How was your flight? How is work? How long are you here for?”

I lifted my head up and off her shoulder, now wanting to hear anything and everything about her time in Europe.

“Whoa Norah, so many questions all at once. Hmmm, let’s see if I can do this. Well, work flew me here business class so it wasn’t that bad. My job is exciting and tiring, but I still find time to go out and mingle.” Tess smirked at that. “And I’m only here until Saturday morning.”

“So you’ll be here for my birthday Friday?” My face lit up. Clint and Josh had a party to attend on Friday night for the Lappell at Kyser Harkin’s penthouse and had arranged for us to come as guests. I couldn’t think of anything better than the four of us celebrating my birthday together. It felt like a dream come true. I was actually looking forward to the evening. It was more because of the company I would be keeping, and even though it was a Lappell party, it would still be drinks and dancing with my closest friends.

“Yes but I have to leave very early the next morning. I have to catch the red eye to London.”

I went round to where Tess was seated and put my arm around her shoulder. “I’m just happy you are here for my birthday. We will drink, dance and get up to mischief.”

Tess went quiet as she finished her espresso, not showing as much enthusiasm as I hoped she would about us all going out. When she finished, she got up and put the little espresso cup in the kitchen sink. She turned and looked around the apartment. “So Norah, you going to show me what you’ve been working on? You told me you’ve been preparing for your next show. I would love to see what you’ve put together.”

I smiled at Tess. She was always very supportive when it came to my art. She could see me in my art and I loved her feedback about what she saw. It was a way of showing her who I was inside, without having to talk about it. “I have a work space not too far from here. You want to come and see what pieces I’ve done so far?”

Tess nodded very enthusiastically, showing a lot more keenness than she did about going out on Friday night. We both showered and put on jeans and blouses and took a cab to a nearby building that housed various open-style work spaces. I had one of the top rooms that had large glass windows, allowing a lot of natural sunlight to come through. It had higher than normal ceilings which was one of the reasons I selected it as my work space. My canvases were each double in size from my last show, so I needed the extra height on the walls to put together my displays.

“Wow, this is your work space.” Tess looked around impressed by the size and layout of the room. It was a huge step-up from my paint room back in Morewell.

“Yep. As you can see, I still have a lot of drop sheets that are covering the place. Am still painting the same way - you know, naked.” Tess laughed. As we walked around the room, I also showed her my brush sets on another table. “I’ve also incorporated some brush strokes with some pieces to give it more dimension. I like incorporating the two styles. I feel it brings together my wild side versus my controlled one.”

Tess looked back and forth, and all around the room. “What, no music?” She looked at me puzzled.

I walked over to a table with a series of paint tubes and tins and picked up a small black remote. “I’m a little more high tech now. Got speakers set up in all corners of the space that are hooked up to a laptop in a small closed off room over there.” I pointed to a small office linked to the room. “I just hit a button, and I’m surrounded by the rock gods.”

“Nice!” Tess said, taking note of the speakers on the walls. Her eyes returned to some of the canvases I had set up in three spots on the floor.

“So, tell me what your new show is all about?” she asked, walking over to the first set.

“Well I’ve really pushed myself for this show. I’m doing twelve supersized wall canvases and then grouping them into three groups of four. Each group of four canvases will be assembled like a box containing three walls and a roof so the person can experience all the movement of the paintings from all different angles. It will be like walking into a small room surrounded by art. I’ve created a three-dimensional emotional experience with three kinds of emotional journeys.”

“Looks incredible.” Tess walked back and forth between the three sets of canvases. “It’s interesting that you’ve created three collections Norah, each representing a different emotional connection to you.”

“I suppose,” I said, wondering why it was piquing her interest like that. I felt a double meaning was being thrown at me, but couldn’t pick it.

Tess stopped in front of the first collection. “Well, this collection has hues of orange, yellow and reds. The flow is calm, sedated and moves away from the eye. It’s like a calming good-bye, a serene farewell.”

She then walked over to the second group. “And this one with the green, black and gray. They are very chaotic, like a disturbed mind. Confusion. Worry. Uncertainty. They’re all over the place.”

I watched Tess as she then went over to the third lot of canvases. “Then there are these. Pink, blues, white and cream. They feel spirited and uplifting. The colors flow smoothly and passionately. It gives me a sense of hope, like the future.”

I stood next to Tess, thinking about her words, wondering what she was trying to get at, if she was in fact trying to imply something I hadn’t seen myself.

“Well, I do appreciate your interpretations and what each collection could mean Tess.”

“Or who they might each mean...” she slipped in under her breath, but I had heard it. No mistaking her implication now.

“Pardon?” I asked her.

“Oh nothing. Let’s talk about your birthday shall we?” Tess quickly changed the subject. She didn’t normally act so vague, so I was left wondering why she didn’t just say what she really meant. She looked distracted as she fiddled with a compartment inside her shoulder bag. When she finally found what she was looking for, she turned her attention back to me.

“What about it?” I asked, watching her hand as it remained buried in her bag.

“Well, I kind of brought your present with me. And I really want you to consider it Norah. I know it might seem too impulsive, even for you, but please think about it. I am being completely serious, so don’t laugh.” Tess’s serious face was not a face I had seen before, and I knew she wasn’t joking around right now. She pulled her hand out from inside her bag and handed the paper object to me. “Happy birthday,” she said.

I glanced down at the card in my hand.

It was an airline ticket.

“What’s this?” I knew what it was so perhaps I should have immediately asked why, but when your mind is confused, you can’t control stupid comments from coming out of your mouth. Tess knew what I was really asking though.

“I want you come with me Norah. First thing tomorrow morning. Come with me to Europe. We’ll have an adventure. Escape from all this.”

I examined the ticket, dumbfounded and taken back. Was this extravagance or something else? I couldn’t tell. I looked at Tess, whose eyes pleaded for me to take this seriously. I contemplated the idea for an impulsive moment before reality kicked back in.

“But Tess, I’m not running from anything. Why would I up and go to Europe?” Tess’s eyes darted away from me, conflicted. She pursed her lips together, sighed and then said, “For fun of course, silly. A holiday. Drinking and partying for your birthday on another continent. C’mon, you know you can. You can do freelance work wherever you go. Let’s do it.”

Two things felt really off in this conversation. One, Tess’s demeanor which almost seemed panicked not playful, and two, an airline ticket to leave the country.

Ummm?

“Tess, this seems too much, even for you. Everything alright?” Something was definitely up. Perhaps Tess was struggling with something or someone in Europe and needed my support. Perhaps she needed my friendship and advice as much as I needed hers. In any case, I wish she would explain her problem so I could try and help her out. This didn’t feel like a present, rather an escape, but for who - me or Tess?

“Norah, you are my best friend. You really are. I, I, I...just miss you. I thought that maybe you’d want a break from everything. We could meet some new people, get away from New York. You know, we can do shots in an ice castle in Sweden. Sweden Norah, Sweden!”

That did sound more like the Tess I knew. Maybe she needed a familiar face to have some fun. Maybe she was lonely and needed a wingman. Wait, wingwoman.

“But what about Clint, and my Dad, and Josh?”

“Leave them. It would only be for a short while. I think you need this.”

Did I need this? Would running away overseas to take a breather and have some fun really be that bad? The problems would still be waiting for me when I got back.

I looked at the ticket again, and the wild girl within licked her lips, ready to say yes, but saner thoughts eventually overcame the temptation.

“Tess, it’s a truly generous gift, and I might come soon, but not tomorrow. I just can’t drop everything and leave, right before my birthday. I have too much happening at the moment to do that. OK?”

Tess looked at the floor like she expected it to go down this way. She tried not to show the deep breath she took as she brought her head back up to smile, sweetly and as an understanding friend would. “Well, just think about it. It’s an open ticket so you can use it whenever you want. You might change your mind.”

“I don’t think so, but thank you. Thank you for being here and being such a good friend.”

Tess pulled me in for a hug and I let her. “I love you Norah. I really do. You are my best friend.”

“Oh, ah...I love you too, Tess.”