Page 14 of All That We Are Together
17
Leah
Over the next few weeks, I isolated myself and focused on my own issues. For days, I didn’t pick up the phone when Oliver called after finding out he knew Axel was going to the exhibition opening. He offered explanations, but I didn’t buy them. Still, he was my brother, and I wound up answering, and between the fourth and fifth apology, I growled at him that it was fine, I forgave him.
I was more focused than ever on painting.
The exhibition had gone well. The reviews weren’t glowing, but they weren’t bad either. The experience pushed me forward. It was the thing I needed to convince me to give myself more fully to my art up in the attic, where I had started spending the night. I didn’t tell anyone I was sleeping there, and I sometimes felt the urge to hit the brakes and return to normalcy, seeing Landon or hanging out with my friends.
When Linda asked me to meet her again during office hours, I wasn’t so nervous. That was a mistake, maybe. Because I didn’t see it coming. I just sat down in her office with an expectant smile on my face.
“I’ve got good news, Leah.” Her eyes were sparkling.
“Don’t make me beg…” I said, my voice trailing off.
She leaned back in her chair, visibly happy.
“Someone’s interested in representing you.”
“Me?” I blinked, amazed, trying to hold in my excitement.
I’d never imagined something like that, not even in my wildest dreams. To start with, I was just a beginner, trying out new techniques, refining my style. Plus, the art world was complicated, harsh, competitive. Not many people managed to make a living at it or find an agent.
“Yeah. He works at a gallery in Byron Bay…”
“What’s his name?” I felt suddenly stifled.
“Axel Nguyen. It’s an important gallery. Small, but the owner, Hans, has contacts all over Europe and collaborates with… Leah, are you okay?” I must have gone pale. She looked worried.
“I can’t.” I stood up. “Sorry.”
“Leah, wait! Didn’t you hear what I just said?”
“Yeah, but I’m not interested,” I managed to say, squeezing the strap of my purse in my hand. My knees were trembling. The office seemed to close in on me.
“This is a golden opportunity. Not just for you, but for the university too. The prestige of one of our students getting representation before even graduating…”
“I’m sorry, but it just can’t happen,” I interrupted her, hurrying out of the office.
18
Axel
Oliver came inside like a whirlwind. He didn’t bother saying hello; he just paced back and forth in my living room, then finally looked me in the eye with his hands on his hips and his face frozen in an incensed expression.
“What the fuck have you done? How could you? First of all, you told me you wouldn’t even see her. You said you wouldn’t fuck up her night. Now I find out you got in touch with the university to represent her? Are you serious? Did it not even pass through your head that you should tell me?”
“I was going to. I haven’t had time.”
“What the fuck is up with you?” he roared.
“What’s up is I’m tired of faking.”
I leaned on the kitchen counter trying to stay calm, because that was the only way I could imagine having this conversation without coming to blows, and I still wasn’t sure about that, because this was all too…mixed up. We were acting as if we’d already talked about Leah, but we never had, not really. Notwithout punching each other, anyway. That was the only time we ever tried to get any clarity about it, and it didn’t turn out well.
“What are you after, Axel?”
“I can’t ignore it anymore.”