25. Cassie
25
CASSIE
“ C assie, please. I’m sorry for not telling you about Olivia. About my past. It was just too painful,” Audrey protested for the tenth time since her visit to the vet’s office. She jogged, struggling to keep up with me, as I speed-walked nearly half a block away.
Audrey came home from her encounter with Matthew and had confessed all her secrets to me. She also divulged who she told before me. I had been giving Audrey the silent treatment ever since. Was it childish? Sure, but I was pissed.
I needed space from Audrey but I also needed help setting up for my first opening, so Audrey agreed despite our feud.
“Cassie, is this because I told someone my story who wasn’t you? Or is it because of who I told?” Audrey barked out her questions, finally catching up to me. She grabbed my art portfolio in an attempt to stop me.
I rolled my eyes and wrangled free from Audrey’s surprisingly strong grasp. I met Audrey’s expectant eyes and then cast my gaze to the floor.
Audrey crossed her arms, adding, “This is because of Matthew, right? It all leads back to him?”
The past week had been hell. Not only was I constantly reminded of my past with Matthew, but now Audrey was confiding in him. Confessing I wasn’t over Matthew to Aiden really messed with my head. And then seeing Matthew’s tattoos challenged my resolve to stay away from him. I was questioning my decision to lie to him. I did love him. But I was terrified of getting hurt again.
I shrugged my shoulders, making a move to cross the street. Audrey grabbed the bag that hung on my shoulder again. “Yeah that’s what I thought. Cassie, you love him. Why not just try to work it out?”
I shook my head, not wanting to discuss him any longer. I simply couldn’t. This was supposed to be my day, and I wouldn’t have it ruined by reminders of the past.
“Do you even still want me to come to your art show?” Audrey murmured softly.
I leaned in to wrap my arms around Audrey. “Of course I want you to come, Audrey. I love you.” I chuckled and added, “I just don’t like you right now.”
It was Audrey’s turn to roll her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Just wait until you get home and I put Oreo in your bed.”
“Do you think the canvas came out, okay?” I leaned back, gauging Audrey’s candid opinion.
“Yes, you worked so hard. Even after the debacle at the restaurant.”
I nodded, thinking back to when I went to Sonny's to retrieve my painting that hung in the hallway by the bathroom.
The day after Matthew revealed his tattoos to me, I was still reeling and decided to focus on my art showcase to take my mind off things. I’d finally gotten my first big break. This was a moment I dreamed of my whole life. The only thing missing was the person who I thought would be standing by me when I finally achieved success.
Shaking off nostalgia, I walked down the corridor that led to the bathrooms and Bridget’s office. I looked up to where my childhood-inspired painting hung just yesterday when I had walked past to pick up my check. The wall opposite the bathroom was now completely empty.
Had Bridget taken it down, already reneging on her promise after she’d agreed to it as part of the terms of me coming back to the restaurant?
My heart began beating quickly as I made my way to Bridget’s office, hoping she was in a good mood.
I knocked twice before I heard a faint “come in” from the other side of the door.
Bridget looked up from her desk. She was wearing glasses and intensely scrutinizing a sheet of paper. Files were scattered all over her desk. How un-Bridget like?
“What, Cassandra?” Bridget spat, taking a sip from the thermos beside her computer.
“Do you know what happened to the painting by the bathrooms?” I inquired, hoping Bridget just took it down in a redecorating spell.
Bridget scoffed and looked back to the fascinating piece of paper in her hands. “Someone purchased it early this morning,” she replied, dumbly.
Bridget opened her desk drawer, pulled out an envelope, and handed it to me. “Your earnings.” Bridget waved me off.
I picked at my fingernails and shifted my weight from one leg to the other. Shit, the art show was a week away and that painting had taken me years to perfect. It was a watercolor of two kids: a boy and a girl roller skating. They looked young but wore oversized clothing to signify them growing up too quickly in a fast-paced world.
Maybe I could find out who purchased it and return their money in exchange for the painting?
“Do you know who purchased it? I really need that painting back,” I pleaded, hoping Bridget would show mercy.
Bridget pursed her lips and stood up from her desk, walking to where I hovered in the doorway.
“Cassie, I can’t keep track of your artwork. I have a restaurant to run.” Bridget ushered me out the door, slamming it behind me.
“Cassie, darling.” Marcus tapped me on the shoulder as I took a sip from one of the tiny glasses of wine that were being handed out by half-naked models.
“Yes, Marcus?” I chewed my lip nervously. I had been trying to gauge people’s reactions to my art all night and was failing miserably. Audrey and my eavesdropping needed work.
“You’re a smash hit! I have people asking me about this newcomer, C. Wright. I have two bids on that gorgeous canvas. They want more from you, honey. You’re going to be busy,” Marcus boasted, air kissing me his congratulations and moving on to smoke his cigarette away from the artwork.
I turned to Audrey who was babbling to a random woman about the importance of TNR, Trap Neuter Release, for cats. The poor college-aged girl had no idea what the lunatic cat lady was talking about.
I appreciated Audrey’s support and passion, but I wished sometimes she would tone down the crazy for five minutes. Listening on were also two other waitresses from Sonny’s. I wasn’t particularly close with them, but I was grateful that they showed up.
“Audrey,” I signaled, rescuing the girl who showed her thanks expressively through her eyes. “I did it! Marcus said the show is a success. Two people are fighting over the painting.” I squealed, hugging my closest friend.
As I pulled away from Audrey, I looked up to see none other than Bridget Thomas entering the gallery. Fatima was trekking behind her as well.
My eyes widened at the sudden presence of my boss and boss’s best friend.
“What are Bridget and Fatima doing here?” I shrieked to Audrey, panicking and thinking the worst. Were they here to sabotage my success?
“I invited them. Well technically, they invited themselves once I mentioned you had an art show in front of a couple of the girls at work,” Audrey blurted, moving to greet the two beautiful women walking toward us.
“Cassie,” Bridget greeted, nodding her head.
Fatima smiled, embracing Audrey in a hug, since they were closer.
“Hi, Bridget.” I eyed Bridget’s casual attire. I had never seen the woman wear anything besides her chef coat and very pristine dresses. Always appropriately cut. Bridget was wearing leather pants that looked painted on and a sexy V-neck top. She looked hot. There was no doubt about that. It was shocking that Holden would let her out of the house dressed like that.
“Congratulations. What an accomplishment!” Bridget handed me a card, and Fatima urged me to open it. It was signed by every employee of the restaurant. Even some regular customers signed it as well.
My heart warmed. I never had people who cared about me and supported me like this. Other than Matthew.
“I know it’s not much, but on Monday, we are going to have a little cake for you as well,” Fatima added, smiling.
I looked at Audrey, grateful that she told people about my big night. Even though I disliked attention, now that I was getting recognition, I couldn’t help but bask in it.
“Thank you so much,” I choked out, a lump formed in the back of my throat. “You don’t know what this means to me.”
Bridget nodded and briefly smiled before breaking the ice. “Where’s this painting? I hope it’s not as good as the one that was hanging in my restaurant. By the way, Cassie, that wall is pretty bare now. Better get moving on a new piece of art. Tick tock.”
The painting wasn’t the same as the one that hung in the restaurant. No, that one was forged during a painful time in my life. A moment where I tried to put Matthew out of my mind, time and time again. Painting this new canvas after seeing him again after all these years, I had a different perspective. Fresh eyes. While I didn’t want to acknowledge how wrong we both had been, my art did the talking for me.
He’d always been my favorite muse. This painting was of two hands reaching out in the darkness for the one another. Nothing else mattered. Nobody knew how I longed for that sentiment to be true.
Lost in my thoughts, the ladies walked ahead of me. I was still too stunned by Bridget’s attendance and my own revelations to move. I couldn’t fathom what it would be like to have a tribe of people truly care for me, to offer me support unconditionally. There was a part of me that just couldn’t rationalize it. It was such a foreign concept to me, and I was always wary, constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, but this felt nice and I wanted to relish in it—to have hope for once. Growing up the way I did, I was never quick to make or hold onto friends, so I had stopped trying. Maybe it was time for me to give it another shot and put myself out there.
The rest of the night went off without a hitch, and it not only was a great night for my art, but I also found myself surrounded by love. The only dark cloud over the evening was the realization that despite all the people around offering praise, the one who I truly loved was not by my side when I wanted him most. I had nobody to blame but myself.
Love was for fools after all.