Page 63 of Never Too Late
‘That’s right.’ She gave a glance around. ‘Thank you for letting me film here this evening. My viewers are excited for the video. Mum didn’t tell me you were quite so well known.’
That’s because Mum hadn’t had the first clue!
‘You’re very welcome. I’m glad that it is of interest to you, and your YouTube audience.’
‘Perhaps you could do an interview with Tomas to go with it?’
Both of them turned to me with polite but utterly horrified expressions.
‘Just an idea,’ I said, less enthusiasm behind my words this time. I’d thought it was a great idea. Apparently, I wasn’t destined to be a YouTuber.
An awkward silence descended.
‘It looks busy. That’s a good sign.’ With a now ex-husband who never felt the need to fill any silences at the few social gatherings we had gone to, I’d become accustomed to doing so, even though it was usually with some inane comment as I’d expertly just demonstrated.
Tomas, however, didn’t appear to notice anything amiss and merely picked up the thread of conversation. ‘Gabby is always excellent at getting the right, and the right amount, of people to attend the opening night.’
‘Who are the “right” people?’ Sasha asked, her chin tipped a little in challenge.
‘Those who have shown an interest in previous works of mine, and have the money to invest.’
‘Isn’t that rather an elitist view?’
Oh, crikey.
‘Sash.’
‘What?’ She turned to me, her face a picture of innocence. I’d thought that sharing my past with her would bring us closer, and it had. But what I hadn’t bargained on was the defensiveness she now felt on my behalf against the man who she now knew had broken my twenty-year-old heart. ‘I’m interested.’
Tomas held up a hand. ‘No, it’s a valid question. And yes, I can see how it would seem elitist. But the truth is, as much as I would love to paint for free, and sometimes do, I also need to earn a living. Creative pursuits, as in your own case, often start out as hobbies. If we are lucky, they eventually are able to support us.’
The awkward silence returned but this time I bit my tongue, almost literally, to stop myself from filling it. This was for Sasha and Tomas to sort out.
Sash cracked first. ‘I suppose that’s true. Although I’m pretty sure my income and yours are in very different areas of the spectrum.’
‘Perhaps.’
I gave Tomas an ‘oh, come on’ look. The briefest phantom of a smile touched the corner of his mouth.
‘Your mother still has the ability to call me out, it would seem.’
‘Good job someone does.’ The comment was under her breath but there was no doubting Tomas, as well as I, heard it.
‘Sasha,’ I said, more cross this time.
She swallowed and glanced away for a moment.
‘What I intended to say was that, yes, I have been lucky that my work has been noticed now. But it took a long time. You are just starting out.’
‘I’ve actually had my channel for eleven years.’
‘That shows you have commitment. But, from what I understand from my godson about things, it is a very competitive field, and some, as with me in my field, are lucky to have been standing in the right place when the limelight swept past and can make an exceptionally good living from their channel and associated sponsorship and connections. This is right, yes?’
‘True. Your godson sounds well informed.’
A waiter with a tray of champagne flutes balanced on one hand drifted past. Tomas stopped him and took two, handing one each to Sasha and me before lifting one for himself.
‘Would you let me show you around the exhibition?’ His question was directed at Sasha. ‘You’re clearly a woman unafraid to give an honest opinion and I appreciate that. Perhaps it is an inherited trait.’ He gave me a side-eyed glance.
