Christos paused while the crowd went “Awww.”
He continued, “But she should. She’s an amazing artist already, and she’s just getting started. So, without further ado, I introduce you all to master artist Samantha Anna Smith.”
One of the two remaining black silks dropped to the floor.
I was going to cry all over myself.
It was my phoenix sunset landscape painting I’d done for the Contemporary Artists Show, the one Brandon rejected. I couldn’t stop myself. Tears ran down my face.
The whole room clapped. I was overwhelmed by their energy. I leaned into Christos and hugged his chest. I was laughing and crying at the same time. I couldn’t believe what was happening. My tears dripped all over his black T shirt. I buried my face in it.
Christos leaned down and whispered in my ear, “You have no idea how much I love you Samantha Anna Smith.”
No, I think I did. I sobbed and laughed.
After a minute, he muttered “Are you okay, agápi mou?”
“Yeah,” I sniffed, “I think I died and went to heaven.”
The crowd was starting to make a bunch of noise. Everyone was talking about my painting.
“Hold on,” Christos said into the mic. “We have one more surprise. When I saw this painting of Samantha’s that you’re looking at now, I was blown away by it. She’s only been painting in oils for six months, and I think it’s fucking incredible.”
Several people in the crowd chuckled.
I spontaneously pulled the microphone down to my mouth and said, “I had a lot of good advice from all of the Manos men. I couldn’t have done it without a million tips from them.”
The crowd chuckled.
“It was all her,” Spiridon shouted from the back.
More laughs from the crowd.
“Go, Sam!” Madison shouted.
I think it was Jake next to her who did one of those really loud whistles.
“SAAAMMMM!!!” Romeo squealed. “I want to be your baby daddy!”
I heard Kamiko laughing next to him.
I was going to pass out from happiness in about thirty seconds. I was totally, joyously overwhelmed. I’d never felt so accepted, or so important, in my entire life. It was incredible.
Christos spoke into the mic, “I’ve been so inspired by Samantha’s transformation from a mousy little girl to an amazing artist, I wanted to immortalize the person I know her to be in my final painting of the evening.” He motioned to the big painting behind him still covered in black silk. “She has a warrior spirit, and she is indomitable. I wanted to pay tribute to that.”
Christos nodded to Brandon and the final black silk fell away.
The crowd gasped and went silent.
It was so quiet, not even the dropping pins made a sound.
I was almost afraid to turn around and look at the painting.
But I did.
Oh, my god.
It was amazing.
It was me, a life size painting of me as a naked angel with wings of fire. It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I stood in a graceful pose, my arms spread wide to the sides, the pose I’d held in our studio until my neck and shoulders had cramped into knots. The huge angel’s wings sprouting out behind me were made of fiery red and gold feathers. I floated in the air above the surface of the earth, which was a wide curve at the bottom of the painting, running from left to right. The purple blackness of space, surrounding the golden orange flames dancing around my legs, held thousands of shining stars.
Christos’ portrait of me as a fiery angel had a similar palette of colors to my phoenix sunset. They looked like a matched set. His and hers paintings honoring the energy of creation, done in red jewels and molten gold.
I was overwhelmed. My knees gave out.
But Christos caught me.
He always did.
I was the luckiest girl on the planet.
After Christos unveiled his painting of me as the fiery angel, everyone crowded around the two of us. They couldn’t get close enough to Christos. Everyone wanted a piece of him. It was kind of scary, actually. It was this weird mob mentality fame thing. I guess this was what being famous was like. It was weird being the center of attention, but with Christos beside me, I was fine.
People were asking both me and Christos tons of questions about the paintings and our relationship. We just answered them as they asked. Everyone was entranced with the idea that we were two painters in love, inspired by each other’s creative ideas. I guess maybe I took it for granted. Not in a thoughtless way. I just never really stopped to think about how special what we had really was.
One of the most common comments we heard was about the similarity of color palette and subject matter of our two paintings. When people asked, Christos told everybody casually, “I know genius when I see it. I just took Samantha’s idea and ran with it.” That was a total exaggeration, but every time he said it, even after the hundredth, I was stunned and flattered and blushed like crazy.
I did so much smiling, my cheeks started to hurt. Was it possible to get cheek muscle cramps? I wouldn’t mind if I did. It was worth it. I don’t think I’d ever been this completely happy in my entire life.
At some point during the evening, Christos whispered in my ear, “Do you realize we’ve been standing here talking to people for almost two hours?”
“I know. I totally have to pee,” I hissed.
“Keep holding it. It’s your job,” he winked.
Brandon came walking up to us. “You’re never going to believe this.” His eyes were on fire with excitement.
“I probably will,” Christos said casually.
“Everything has sold.”
“You mean all of my paintings?” Christos said uncertainly. “Or all of them?”
Christos had less than ten paintings in the show, so that’s probably what Brandon meant. Christos sold more paintings at his solo show last year. But between all the paintings from Spiridon and Nikolos, there were at least sixty or seventy on sale tonight. That was a lot of paintings to sell during a single show.
“No,” Brandon said, “Everything has sold. Your father’s, your grandfather’s, all of it. Well, everything except one.”
I could only assume Brandon meant my painting. It was the obvious one not to sell. Spiridon, Nikolos, and Christos were world famous artists with reputations. The Manos family had a painting legacy, and people wanted to buy a piece of their fame to hang on their walls while it appreciated in value. I was just the girlfriend. I doubted anyone actually wanted my painting. Sure, it made for a good story to go with Christos’ life sized portrait of me, but that was all.
“Which one hasn’t sold?” Christos asked.
I grit my teeth in preparation of the news. I’d get over it. One day, I’d sell a painting at an art gallery show. Just not tonight.
“Yours,” Brandon said.
That’s what I thought. Oh, wait. Was he talking to me, or Christos?
Christos said, “You mean Samantha’s painting sold?”
Brandon scoffed, “Of course Samantha’s painting sold. I sold it five minutes after it was unveiled.”
“What? No way!” Christos blurted.
Okay, my brain must have broken, because I think Brandon just said my silly little fantasy landscape had sold tonight.
Brandon nodded and grinned at me and Christos.
“How much did it sell for?” Christos asked.
Brandon’s smile peeled back charmingly and he said, “Twenty-seven thousand.”
I slapped my hand over my wide open mouth, stopping my broken brains from rolling right out.
Christos grinned at me and rubbed my back affectionately, causing a shiver to run up my spine. “I knew you would,” he said.