Hello. Goodbye - Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen.

"How do I look?"
"You look great. Stop fidgeting..."
"I'm scared, Win."
"What for?"
"Almost six months, Win! It's almost been six months since I've last seen him."
"Yes, and I'm on my seventh month almost eighth month being pregnant. Tell me again why I wanted so desperately wanted to have a fully functioning body of a woman?"
"I don't need to. In a month's time, you'll know why..."
"Right..."
"Focus..."

"Look who's talking!" Winnie joked.
"Where's Georgia?"
"You just wanna hold the baby to keep your hands busy."
"Oh shut-up, hormonal woman..."
They laughed at each other as they stood outside in the parking lot bickering some more while they waiting for Ara and Georgia to arrive.

Catching sight of the pretty little Chari, Lily waved to get her attention. But already, the cherub's mom caught on.

"Nuh-uh, Lil. You are going in there with no distractions."
The others chuckled.
"Let's go, ladies. Jamie's probably hyperventilating because Lily hasn't shown up yet," Winnie teased.
"Ugh," Lily said. Ignoring everyone's taunting remarks.
"Wait a minute. Tell me again why we're early?"
"Do we really have to explain?" Ara quipped.
"Never mind," Lily muttered jokingly.

They walked into the gallery and were immediately overwhelmed with the vastness of the foyer. The wings were separated by two grand staircases on the East and West. The galleries were marked with a poster-size image of the artist's feature work and their name.

"Gee, I wonder which wing is Jamie's?" Ara said sarcastically while gesturing to a replica of their friend's face.
"Wow, Lil. He is good," an awe-struck Georgia exclaimed while shifting her baby daughter to the other hip.
"Lah-leee," Chari cheered as she faced the painting.

Amused by this, Lily grabbed hold of the baby as they began to walk up the stairs.

A few passersby looked a bit confused at Lily, unable to place where they'd seen her.

They walked in and the place was already milling with people walking in and out of smaller rooms. His themes, Lily thought to herself.

"Where shall we start?" Georgia asked.
"How about..."
"Here!" Both Ara and Winnie exclaimed just as they turned.

"Lah-lee!" Chari squealed again looking the opposite way as they all walked into a room. Taken aback at what she saw, she gave the little girl a playful incredulous "what is this?" look.

The others were quick at looking over the pieces.

Lily wished there were more hours in the day to be able to stare and relive each moment.

Right now, she was still at the first series of paintings.

Each canvas had more than one perspective on it.
The first one she was stuck at was one of a bird's-eye view of a girl looking down. On the same canvas was of her face upturned and smiling. You would have thought he painted this straight from a photo.

Never would she have imagined he would retain such a random moment and capture it as if it happened the day before last.

Chari kicked around wanting to be let down, so Lily obliged holding on to the tot's hand. Chari had only just learned how to walk really fast, a few months now.

"Look Chari," Lily said as she looked over a large colored version of the first sketch Jamie had given her.
Their friendship moments.
To the right, was the other sketch he gave her.
Chari was tired of this room.
"Ok, fine. We'll go to another room."
But first noting to herself to visit and have a look over each painting.

Carrying Chari in the next room, she was amazed at how many pieces Jamie had completed in what seemed little time.

The walls were covered in a wide variety of canvas sizes. Many were of different shapes and sizes of people. Lily immediately recognized Al, his daughter and grandchild.

"Aww," Lily said as she remembered the moment they shared on that day.
"Ohww," Chari copied her sentiment.
Lily kissed her cheek affectionately.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on both sides of her hips, holding her close. Her heart fluttered quickly, instantly knowing who it was.
"What about me?" Jamie whispered in her ear after he kissed her neck.

Her heart fluttered some more and she bore the biggest smile ever.
Lily turned around in his arms to face him. A little difficult considering Chari wanted down, but Lily held a firm grip on her.
Jamie's attention was brought down to the toddler.
"Who's this?" His coo stilled the child.
"What's your name?" He asked her.
"Chawwee!" She squealed with glee when he told her from Lily and threw her in the air a bit.
"Jamie," Lily whispered, "I don't think you should be so loud in here."
"Why not? It's my art exhibit... Right, little lady?"

The others came across the three of them.
"Oh, dear..." Georgia fretted, "we didn't make any trouble did we, Chari?"
"Not at all," Jamie replied.

Georgia took her baby back and Jamie was introduced to the other ladies as the Artist and Lily's friend.

"I'm sure you both have lots to catch up on, right?" Winnie asked before suggesting the rest leave them alone.

The two walked quietly to the other end of his exhibit.
"Have you seen everything?"
"Hardly, your paintings are definitely beautiful."
"My techniques still need fine-tuning..."
"Oh, just take the compliment, Jamie," she teased as he took her hand to kiss her knuckles.
"I"ve missed you."
"You have, have you?"
"I have."

"You've definitely kept busy..."
She remarked as they walked into another corridor full of still-life scenery paintings.
"A lot are from memory."
"I bet... So now I know for certain that's what you're doing when you get that blank look on your face."
He looked at her, confused.
"Never mind," she insisted as they held hands and walked through another corridor.
"This place is beautiful."
"No, you are."

She blushed.

"It's been hell without you."
"It's gotten your creative side pumping," she countered.
"Hardly."
"This is 'hardly' to you?" She scoffed stopping on her tracks.
Her back faced another door.
"How do you like looking in the mirror?" He asked.
"What? Why? I don't find it fascinating..."
"Well then maybe we should keep walking," he suggested as he scooted her past that room with nothing but paintings in different mediums of her.
"What are you doing with a room full of mirrors?"
"Didn't say they were mirrors, Lil."

Somewhere far, they heard Georgia's little girl squeal out Lily's name again. And then again. And just when there was silence, again!

"Wait... How many paintings are there of me in here?!"
He chuckled, "Not many..."
She looked up at him with squinted eyes, sensing a lot of mischief.

"Take me to the room where you put up the paintings you were working on that first time I saw your pieces. I recognized the one you did with Al. Where are the others?"
"Here," he reached out his hand to lead her. Taking it again, she let him take her where he wanted.

"Excuse me," an observer tapped Jamie, "Are you the artist?"
"Yep, that's me."
"She's your model, isn't she?" The lady asked while another onlooker came up to them.
"My inspiration, yes."
"Wow, you really did a great job! They look so realistic," the woman complimented him.
"Were all of your paintings real life experiences?" the man asked, intent on the answer.
Lily waiting on his answer too, looked up at Jamie and saw him blush then shake his head 'no'.
"Oh.. They look like they were worked off photographs. I can't wait till your next one. A few of my friends here wanted to know if any of your paintings are for sale."
"Any portraits with my friend here, are not for sale. But everything else can be sold. I also do portraits like the one with my friend here," he offered, not wanting to drive away any sales.
"Sounds good. We'll certainly call you up on your offer and I know I want to grab a few landscape paintings for around the office."
"Thank you, I look forward to dealings with you and your friends."
"Do you have time now, while we are all here to discuss some contract work?"

Jamie tensed and Lily felt it through their still connected hands. Giving his a firm squeeze, she looked at him with the brightest most genuine smile to encourage him to pursue the deals. Taking the hint, he squeezed her hand back and replied to the two observers, "Yes, of course. Please meet me at the office right in front of the foyer. I will only be a few minutes."

When they the observers left room, Jamie gave Lily the biggest hug and most romantic kiss he could in the span of time allotted.
When they stood a little back from each other, longing and sadness overshadowed her face.
"I have to go..."
He held her hands in a vise grip. She didn't mind at all. She didn't want to let go either.
"I'll miss you."
"Soon?"
"Very soon."
"Come back?"
"I will."

With one last kiss, they broke apart and held hands all the way to the foyer where the other ladies were waiting for her. He waved goodbye to them all after thanking them all for passing by.

For Lily, he asked again, "Soon?"
She smiled back alluringly, "Soon", she confirmed.
After sending him a flying kiss, Lily turned to go.

Jamie walked back in to begin what he hoped would be a way to make his mark in the Arts industry.

For us, he thought.