Page 72 of Crystal Iris
“I’m torn between art history and actual art classes.”
“What kind of art do you make?” I ask, pointing to the canvas in her bag.
“Oil.”
“And do you love it? Painting?”
“I really do. I can’t live without it. It’s my escape.”
“I don’t think it needs to be either-or for now. Keep going with both for a while longer, until you know for sure.”
“I’m… I’m afraid—well, my parents are—that I won’t make any money with art.”
“I see. I won’t lie to you, being an artist is hard. Harder than being a teacher when it comes to a steady income. However, just because something is hard doesn’t mean it’s impossible.”
“Do you think I’d be... giving up or selling out? If I only do my art on the side?”
“I definitely don’t. A lot of the painters I talk about here had patrons; most portraits were commissions. And they painted what they wanted on the side, too. Everyone has bills to pay.”
“Thank you. I don’t want to look back and have regrets.”
“Take your time making this decision. I know it feels like you need to choose now, but you don’t.”
“Thank you, I will… continue with both for now then.”
“See you Thursday.”
I meet Akira for lunch.
“Hoyt called me,” she says, piling books on the table.
“He did?”
“Yeah, he’s worried about you.”
I look at her. “I need... time. I can’t... I don’t want to talk to him right now. I need to figure out my life. He makes things... difficult.”
“I get it. Time is good,space is good.”
“Did you tell him about what Aaron said, regarding the money?”
“I did. I thought he should be… aware.”
“Yeah, I should have told him.”
“He already knew. He said he knew since he met you that having his money with Aaron’s firm would end up badly.”
“And why did he keep it there?”
“I think they’re in the middle of deals. He can’t back away now.”
“He never told me about the money.”
“You guys will need to talk about it… and everything else, too.”
“One day. What are you working on?” I pick up a book from her pile.
“A theory concerning drivers of galaxy growth and their evolution, from webs of gas that feed them to the formation of stars.”
