Page 11 of Shame

“Yeah. Me, too.” I turn the car off. “Come on. I have a key.”

I lead him through the current exhibit to a door, which leads to a back room. This is the staging area for our show, which will be installed in a few weeks. Sam looks around, taking in the mishmash of work. My sculptures, some metalwork designs, and some paintings, too.

“This is…a joint show? Next month?” Sam asks.

I nod. “Alex put me in touch with a local patron, who was already helping the other two artists get this show off the ground. When Alex mentioned that I used to work in the gallery world, and might have a few pieces I could contribute, I…well, I jumped into the deep end. I didn’t know I wanted this. I thought my online business was enough, but there’s nothing quite like a show, Sam. I’m…”

“And then Luke shit all over it.”

“Yeah.”

“And then I yelled at you for interrupting my phone date.”

That sums it up. “Yes. But I think you were more embarrassed that I saw the VIP night card, right?”

He blushes. “Yeah, probably.”

“That’s why I wanted to show you this. It’s Deke—the owner—who Alex wanted me to meet. So if you have the VIP card, you should know that you might see my work at his club. And…you might see me, there, too.”

He stares at me, agape.

Well, cat’s out of the bag now.

“That’s a secret,” I say tightly. “From your brother, too.”

“Grace…”

“I’m not doing anything wrong.” I can’t look at him, because while I know that’s true by the letter of the law, I’m not sure it’s true in spirit.Whatever. Luke isn’t open with me about shit fuck all. “I just didn’t want you to be surprised. That’s all.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t need to say anything. Just hear it, and then… you know, in time.”

He clears his throat. “I’m proud of you. I know that much.”

“Thanks.”

“And I’m starving. Can we eat?”

“Of course.” I tug a canvas drop cloth off my newest sculpture and set it on the ground. “Do you mind having a picnic on the floor?”

“No.” He’s looking at the piece. “Is this yours?”

Maybe it was the wrong one to grab a drop cloth from, but he’ll see it at the show. “Yeah.”

“It’s not a woman.”

“I branch out sometimes.”

It’s a man, head ducked low. No face visible, because his heavy body is twisted away, and a woman’s arms are embracing him. Would Sam recognize his brother’s back? My hands? Maybe it’s for the best that Luke wants nothing to do with a show I’m putting on where my centre piece is calledDeath of a Marriage.

6

Luke

Present day

Fuck.Grace’sshow. Not that there is ever a good time to discover your husband is a bastard, but two weeks before a huge career shift… I swallow hard and glower at Alex. “I don’t know what Sam told you, but it sounds like none of your business.”

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