Page 42 of Apt 4B

Mya

Iwas a nervous wreck coming here tonight, but I had to do it. I knew no other way to explain my reasoning behind everything that happened. Luckily, Douglas had been willing to help. He had even hinted at the fact that Alex’s feelings for me might be deeper than I had first thought.

That was my hope in coming here tonight.

I prayed that Alex would listen and that perhaps he might find it in his heart to forgive me, but I needed to explain something that he did not understand—and more.

Douglas let me in, and I walked on shaking legs back to the gallery wing that was Alex’s. While I had not attended the show, I had come earlier in the day to check over everything. I had also spoken to Douglas several times about how things were going with Alex’s work.

Douglas put his hands over my eyes before we turned the corner and directed me step by step until he told me to stop. When he lifted his hands, I gasped at the painting in front of me.

It was a perfect likeness of me, from the waves of long hair to the shade of the vivid light green in my eyes. I stepped closer, staring at the chain painted around my neck. It was gold, the only other bright color in painting, and there was a charm in the center with angel wings.

My gaze dropped to the brass plate under the picture, My Loving Angel.

“Oh, my God! When did he do this?”

Douglas stepped up beside me. “He told me he did it right after he met you. He thought you were an angel, so he gave you wings.”

“It’s incredible.” I wiped under my eye as a tear leaked out.

“Ah, yes, it is, but not as incredible as the accompanying piece.” He pointed to the right, and I turned my head to see an image of Alex.

It was slightly darker in tone, and the only vivid color in this one was the gold chain from the first painting. In his hands, Alex held the necklace, but it was broken. The wings snapped apart. I glanced at the title of the picture Broken Angel Wings. So fitting.

“Oh, God. He did this after I hurt him.”

“Actually, no. He did this one shortly after he did yours. It was like he predicted that you would break his heart.”

I turned toward Douglas. “You are not helping here.”

He chuckled. “I know, but perhaps he was afraid you would, not that he thought you would.”

I shook my head as I stared at the picture, then went to stand back in front of mine.

“I’m going to go get him. You know the alarm code, lock up when you are done and don’t make too much of a mess.” He winked and then disappeared.

I moved back in front of his painting. I memorized the lines of his face and felt the emotion coming from it. Oh, Alex, please let me explain and forgive me.

“Why are you here?”

I had been so intent on the painting and my thoughts that I had not heard him come up behind me.

“I’m sorry for meeting you this way, Alex, but I need you to give me a few minutes to explain, and I have to tell you something. If you do that, I will walk away and never bother you again, I promise.”

“Why should I?”

I wasn’t sure what to say for a moment, and then I turned and looked at the painting of me. “Because you painted that of me; because I can see that even when you didn’t know me, you cared about me.”

“Yeah, well, that was stupid of me.”

“Was it? Look at all you have accomplished since the story broke? Yes, I am so sorry that I was the one that told your story. That I broke your confidence, but as much as I hate to admit it, Milt was right on this. It did wonders for you.”

“I wanted people to buy my stuff because they liked it.”

“They do, Alex. They love your work, and they love it even more because you are so human and compassionate, and you fought to be where you are today. You proved society wrong. You showed people that they could make something of themselves, even if they came from nothing. Do you have any idea how many people look up to you? Do you know how many people who grew up like you did, see that they can accomplish their dreams now?” I paused, letting that sink in as he watched me with veiled eyes. “There are hundreds of stories out there of people who opened up and reached out because of you. Have you not seen them?”

“I have.”

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