The Artist and The Business Man

Chapter 5: Uh-oh...

~Redd's POV~

Fuck.

Fuuuck...

I couldn't hide the shock on my face. Sure, that blonde girl had told me about a Tom Nook, but I thought it had to be some kinda coincidence, or maybe he had some doppleganger, who just so happened to have the same name as him. And look like him. Crap, maybe I was just an idiot.

"Tom?!" the words escaped my mouth before I could stop them, and I hated the way his name sounded in my mouth after all these years. No matter what the situation, it always did sound the same, and always struck my heart with a pang when I said his name.

"Redd?" my name left his lips again, and I felt my stomach churn, not because it was him saying it, but because of the look on his face. Shock, plenty of shock, but there was anger in his eyes, a look I knew all too well, and had tried my best to forget.

I shook my head to attempt to clear my thoughts. Slightly better, I thought, though the key word being slightly.

"Well, Nookie-"

Third fuck of the day. Why did I say that? Not a good way to start. I cleared my throat and attempted to start again.

"Tom, what do ya want?" That sounded a little bit better, but also not. Fourth fuck of the day. I was on a roll here.

"I want to know why you're on my island," he scowled, and I felt a smile tug at my lips just at the look on his face.

"Tom, what do ya think we're on?"

"A boat, Redd, but what that has to do with anythi-"

"And boats... are on water, Nookie, so I am not on your island." I cut him off, which was a big mistake, judging by the look on his face.

"Don't cut me off, and do not get cocky with me, Redd, not after what you did." he practically spat out the words, and it took me by surprise.

"Sorry, I did what?" What did I do? I don't remember, unless it's about the... things that I did. But I'm over that now, haven't touched a bottle of liquor in 2 years. Not that Nookie would know that, but eh, what can you say when your ex is practically glaring daggers at you?

He scoffed before his eyes flickered over the various paintings. Oil paintings, watercolour paintings, gouache paintings. And paintings covered up with sheets, paintings nobody was allowed to see.

"Still scamming, then, are you?" His lips curled up into another scowl, which made my stomach churn yet again. What I wouldn't do to replace that scowl with a smile.

"No, actually, Tom, everything you see here is 100% my own original artwork, and not a copy." There, that should do it, he'd bugger off if I didn't say anything else.

"Yeah, right, 100% original my ass," and as he said this his eyes stopped at a painting covered with a large sheet. "So, if they're all original, why are some of them covered up? Scared people will notice they're fakes?"

Ooookay, maybe he wouldn't bugger off. Just distract him, because god knows what's under that sheet.

"Tom, I can promise ya that everything in here is original, and if ya don't believe me then tough."

His eyes flickered back towards me for just a second, and that second of eye contact made me feel as if I'd been hit by a train. No no no no, bad Redd, bad, bad, bad, bad Redd. Don't  do that, don't think of him like that, ya big screw up.

"So, you won't mind me looking at that then? Just to check of course that it is real and original?" Ah, fuck, he's caught me there. Truth be told, a lot of 'em are genuine and my own creation, but a lot of them are old copies from days gone by. And sure, sometimes I sold 'em, but really, if you're gonna buy some art, gotta have some knowledge.

I hesitated for a second, knowing full well that some of the original creations were paintings of a someone, both old and new, and I also knew that if Nookie uncovered on of 'em, it could lead to a whole world of shit.

"Yeah, go ahead, take the sheet off, see for ya self, Nookie." Ah, and another fuck. What was I saying? And Nookie? Really, I'm 35, not 80. I had to get it together if I wanted to seem just the slightest bit believable.

He walked the few short steps towards the canvas, his hand already reaching out to grasp the canvas, and just before it grasped the end of the sheet, he suddenly stopped, his head turning to look at me slowly.

"Know this, Redd, the only reason I'm not kicking you off straight away is because I really damn well hope you can change. So if I see a fake painting, you're out. You understand?"

I nodded slowly, still not sure exactly what was happening, and why I was letting it happen. Ah well, I'd just deal with whatever happened the way I usually did. By running away.

His frown deepened, and his head turned back towards the sheet, his hand tugging at the corner. I watched as it fell, my entire body freezing up.

What it revealed could be seen as a good or bad thing.

Aye, guess who's back again? That's right, it's me! After... what? A good couple months, I grew a pair and decided to continue writing this again. Could I go bye-bye for another couple months again? Maybe, maybe not, but probably not. After all, I am still stuck in my house for a good couple more weeks! Next chapter whenever I feel like it! (Probably later today or tomorrow lol)