Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 63214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63214 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Is he my gift or am I his curse? Can I treat him the way he deserves this time?
I sighed. “We should talk about all of this later.”
The sky was slowly beginning to darken. In another hour, the moon would be out and I’d have to somehow deal with my jailed snow people. I had my flame torch and chainsaw out. Neither gave me confidence, but what else could I do, besides call the Ghostbusters?
Daniel didn’t walk off. He remained standing in front of me. “I bought one of your sculptures a couple years ago.”
“What? I had no idea. Which one did you buy?”
“The one you called Eternal Heart.”
Shock hit me. Complete and utter shock. And then an intense feeling washed over me. One of those sensations that one gets when they sit at a movie, fall in love with the characters, and one of them dies in a way that saves the world, but breaks the viewer’s heart.
He bought my first piece.
I remembered it. Eternal Heart had basically been my first child. I’d made that when I had no money to pay bills and no solution in sight. It had been my last chance at seeing if I could make something out of my art career.
I can’t believe he was the one who bought it. How long has he been following my career?
The piece was a huge metal heart that was covered in bright red and stood four feet high and three feet wide. I’d cut out several openings and welded tiny doors all over it. Locks dangled from most of the tiny knobs. It had cost a pretty penny and was my first big sale. After that, everything else I made usually had a price tag that reached the thousands.
My life changed after selling that piece.
I touched my chest. “You don’t even understand how much that means to me.”
“I just thought you were super talented, and I wanted a piece of. . .you. Plus. . .I knew you would be a legend one day.”
“I’m not there yet.”
“You will be.”
Damn it. He’s awesome. I don’t even care if I deserve him or not. I’m going to go after him.
The sky continued to darken. Part of me wanted to ask Daniel to come inside. It wouldn’t be a bad idea. The snowmen and the others didn’t come alive last time Daniel was around. Maybe they wouldn’t do it again. Then, I’d have to confront them tomorrow night, and I didn’t feel like dragging this along any further.
Dang it.
Because I survived last night, when the snowman had clearly swooped past my locked window with ease, I didn’t think they meant me any harm. That didn’t mean they could stay around and scare the shit out of me.
I had to know more.
These creatures and I had to talk.
I sighed. “So. . .I have a lot of work to do, but. . .I really want to catch up with you.”
“You do?” Daniel looked like I’d hit him across the face.
“Yes, I do.” I wagged his number in front of me. “I’ll call you to set up something, soon.”
“I want to take you out. If that’s okay. Something simple like dinner and a movie. Have you been downtown yet?”
“No.”
“Why not?” he asked.
I’m embarrassed that Brett moved us back to only start chasing and banging waitresses. Why else am I not showing my face? This place is boring. His affair has clearly been the topic for this fall and winter.
“Uh. . .that’s a long story. Maybe I’ll invite you over for dinner and we can talk about it more then.”
“Okay.” Daniel looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he walked over to me, gave me a half hug, nodded, and headed back to his car.
“Oh, Daniel!” I yelled after him.
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Thanks for checking in on me and buying Eternal Heart.”
“I won’t accept your thanks.”
“Why not?”
“Let’s be clear. I bought the piece because I love you. I check on you because I love you. And I am excited about our romantic and sexy dinner, because again I love you.” He opened the truck door.
My heart warmed. “No one said anything about a romantic and sexy dinner.”
“Oh, it’s going to be romantic and sexy. You know how I do.”
“I do.”
And then he jumped in his trunk and drove away.
So thrilled by the moment, I get on my phone and group text message everyone about the possibilities of redemption and love. I wanted to post this new found hopeful spirit on Facebook. Maybe take a selfie of me smiling next to him. Surely, many of my friends had given up on the idea of love after Brett and I divorced. I’d given them a great show in these past years, had the world believing that we were more than we were.
Everyone needed to see this moment in my life, in this time where so much horror bled through our computer screens.