Page 105 of Painting Celia

“Oh, stop teasing. I’m only thirty-seven. That’s also very trendy, waiting until later to have kids. I won’t be the last of us.”

Andrew’s head poked around the corner. “Hey, León’s asking about Celia.”

Kelsey lifted her head. “I haven’t even seen his stuff! Let’s go.”

Trevor reached out to Andrew, who took his hand to pull him from his seat. Kelsey followed as they moved away, then looked back to see Celia lingering in the corner.

“I’ll be right there,” Celia said. At Kelsey’s raised eyebrow, she smiled. “And I’m okay on my own.”

They left her there.

Celia fingered the phone in her pocket. Slowly, she pulled it out and scrolled.

Don’t you dare, Celia Rose!

Exhaling deeply, she blocked her mother’s number, then followed after her surprising friends.

•••

León jumped up, jubilant, as the gang finally joined him. They were going to love the paintings, right? Celia would—where was Celia?

“Wow,” Kelsey said, drawing the word out into multiple syllables. “Oh, wow! It’s Celia in the pool, right?”

“They’re all Celia,” Andrew said, moving close to the yellow painting. “Look at those big serious eyes.”

“They’re gorgeous, León.” Trevor cocked his head at the purple image. “This one is…wow.”

León laughed and bounced on his toes, turning his head to where Celia must be lagging. Where was she? He’d waited long enough!

A steel-haired woman joined the group around León’s work. “The raw emotion just leaps off the canvas, doesn’t it?” she said. “I see they’re all of the same model.”

“His muse,” Kelsey agreed. “They’re the best paintings here, right? I already heard two people say they’re going to buy this one.” She gestured to the blue painting as Andrew snickered.

There! León finally saw Celia in the middle of the gallery. She was standing alone, though, not looking for him.

“Are there no sample cards left?” the woman asked. León turned, to see she was right.

“Guess not. Here, take mine.” Kelsey dug into her purse and pulled out a business card.

“Stylist? The artist needs a stylist?”

Kelsey chuckled. “No, I just know him.”

Celia was still stopped in the center of the gallery. León couldn’t take it. He loped to her.

•••

On her way to León’s corner, the import of what she’d done hit Celia. Blocking Mom? Oh, the fury once she realized! The last twenty-four hours crashed down, setting her trembling, too full of highs and lows and revelations and feelings.

Celia stopped, trying to control the storm inside. Throbbing fear and relief over Mom. Pain for Trevor, wonder over the change in Andrew. Kelsey’s pregnancy! And León, a sweet, constant hurricane of pride and tenderness and want. She could scream right now and still not get all the new feelings out! She could paint this for León, purge it that way, but it would just be one big scribble of every color.

If only she’d had enough talent.

Talking worked, though. She knew things about everyone that she hadn’t, just last week. Being vulnerable and honest in person did make things change.

Was this the final end of her art list? She still loved art and could keep it in her life by helping León. Everyone had said in their own way that her support was valuable, a worthy role. Maybe that was enough. Maybe she could support more artists, like the kids Trevor talked about. She had the money.

She looked around the gala again.

---