Page 35 of Stroked
I hadn’t slept a wink. “I’m fine, just tired.”
Maria grabbed my chin and smiled up at me with her bright eyes. “Oh, you are too young to be tired. Were you out late having a fun time? You can tell me; I am a cool mom.” She chuckled as she gave a light shake to my chin before letting go.
I couldn’t help but smile at her. “No, just working a lot this past week, I suppose. But if you love it as much as I do, it’s all well worth it.”
Maria threaded her arm into mine and we began making our way around the gallery. I introduced her as we opened the doors to the general public and bodies flooded in. No cocktails or tapas this evening and it was our normal mixed bag of visitors. The weekends were always full of different types of people, and many came on dates to enjoy something beautiful together.
As we walked together and she spoke to patrons, my mind wandered. My pride prevented me from texting Valentina last night, but I found myself desperate to see her. Still, my attitude was a tad short in the exchange. I couldn’t understand why I needed to see her, but I did. However, after so easily opening up to her and then being denied in front of everyone, including my best friend, I was mad. Or was I hurt? Shit,how did I know this difference?
“Darling, are you alright?” Maria asked as she stopped, jerking me from my thoughts.
“Sorry, yeah. You were saying?”
She stared deeply into my eyes, but her features were soft. “Oh dear. Lovers’ quarrel. I would know that distant look anywhere.”
My heart nearly choked me as it jumped to my throat. “What? No, no lovers, no quarrel.” My hands were clammy, but I didn’t want to pull my arm from hers and tip her off that anything was wrong.
She patted my hand and then began walking again, pulling me with her. “It is alright, darling. Oh, to be young and in love. I am sure whatever it is will work out the way it should.”
“The way it should? Most people say it will work out fine.” I found my tone very soft with Maria. Nothing like with my own mother, or even Lucy.
“Well, most people are nonsense. Not everything works out fine. But it often works out the way it should. If something is meant to be, it will be. Que Será, Será.” She stopped walking again and turned to me. “If it feels right, but it is hard, it is probably meant to be. If you have doubts or it feels wrongandit is hard, probably not meant to be.”
“What if it feels right, you have doubts, and it’s hard?”
She chuckled. “Then it sounds like love to me. Come, let us make our rounds so we can both get out of here and enjoy the rest of our evening. You need some rest.”
We made our way around the atrium as Maria shook the hands of patrons as they came in. James made his way over with a wide smile.
“Ms. Santos, Miss Lindsey, we got this. You two can go.” James grabbed Maria’s hand and kissed her knuckles. He knew better than to do such things to me.
“Oh my, James. You are so swoony. Do you remember my daughter?” Maria asked with a gleam in her eye and a new draw to her voice. Her arm pulled from mine and her hand covered her heart.
“Oh, Ms. Santos,” James said with a flush to his cheeks, “I play for the home team. But she was lovely.” James avoided eye contact with me and scurried away.
“Always the most handsome ones. Shame.”
My eyes widened at her statement. “Ms. Santos?” I asked, hoping for clarification.
“The most beautiful boys like boys. The fact we cannot have them only makes us like them more..”
“Hmm. I don’t have that problem.” My soft tone was now becoming more like myself.
“Oh, I do not mind boys who like boys, or girls who like girls. But it does always seem the most beautiful people are off limits.”
I stopped, still wondering about her true feelings. We had a contract, so she couldn’t pull her work, but I knew I should tread lightly. This wasn’t the club.
“Such an odd thing to say, if you don’t mind same-sex couples.”
“Oh, darling, people are so easily offended. We always seem to want what we cannot have, that is all I mean. James is lovely, and surely would make any man very happy. But I have seen more than a handful of women here the last few days making eyes at him. Sometimes, we say exactly what we mean and there is nothing to be read into. But by the tension in your shoulders, I would say you are very protective of your assistant, or you yourself are gay.”
My shoulders rolled back, and I raised my chin. “I am. I hope that’s not a problem.”
She grabbed my hand and stepped closer. “Amy, darling, I do not care. You are a beautiful and smart woman. Look at what you did,” she said as she waved her free hand toward her work. “Why would who you love matter to me?”
My shoulders relaxed and I exhaled a deep breath. “I’m glad. I’m sorry if I was being unprofessional. It can be a tense subject for some.”
She patted my hand before grabbing both shoulders and kissing a cheek. “I know, and I hope you do not often have to deal with such things. One’s character should define us, darling, not our preferred partners.” She gave a warm smile and squeezed my hands. “Now, it is late, and this old lady has been out three nights in a row. I’m going home to rest and hope you do the same. I will check in next week.”
