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Shit.
Her smile is big. So big. She’s trying so hard to keep her spirits up. But her beautiful eyes are filled with desperation.
“Your art is beautiful,” says a girl in a neon cardigan, finishing her third glass of wine. “I like the social context.”
Lu smiles politely as the girl heads for the exit.
Becky checks her phone, and her face falls.
“There’s a flash mob dance in Central Park, secretly organized by the local theatre.” Her jaw actually drops. “Several movie celebrities were spotted. It’s hitting the news right now. Everyone’s heading there. Shit, shit, shit.”
She raises her eyes at Lu, who bites her lower lip.
“The whole world is there, Lu.” Becky has the most pitiful expression I’ve ever seen.
I can’t tear my eyes off Lu, studying every little change in her face as she nods repeatedly, and that beautiful light in her eyes is at once extinguished.
Roey tries to comfort her. “Hey, easy. It’s no one’s fault. It’ll pick up.”
Becky sends him a murderous glare. “At least we have bounty hunters for security. That’s reassuring. Fuck!”
Ouch.
Lu sadly looks around the almost empty gallery.
“Even Tito is not here,” she murmurs. “He was whisked away by Jamie and promised to stop later. But I have a feeling he won’t.”
I pull my phone out and send him a text.
Me: Better get your ass to Lu’s exhibition, traitor.
“It’s alright,” Becky tries to cheer her. “I’ll take pictures. We’ll put it on social media. That guy from theJuxtapozis coming to do a feature spread. We’ll be alright, Lu. It’s not the end of the world.”
Lu nods meekly. “It’s not.”
Look at me, I silently ask her.
She does. I smile at her. She needs to know that I’m here for her. All of us are.
She steps closer to me. Her hands absently fix her clothes until they touch me, and I pull her into me.
“Hey, you. It’ll be fine,” I reassure her.
She smiles, tilting her head to rest it on my shoulder. “Just promise you’ll stick with me till the end of this. As long as you do, Jace, I’ll be fine.”
I bring my lips to her ear so that Roey and Becky can’t hear what I say. “Lu, I’ll stick with you till you are old and wrinkly and do crazy art and your hair is bleach white from age and I’ll be broken and still madly in love with you and your biggest fan.”
My Lu laughs, and her eyes light up. “Scout’s honor?”
There you are, baby.
“Scout’s honor.”
A group of young people walks in, and Lu and Becky hurry away to greet them and offer wine and walk them through.
I can’t look at the sight of my beautiful talented girl being so discouraged.
“Roey, what do I do?”
