The Art Of Us

15 • Puppet

FP was working in the small bedroom that was temporarily his home, when his phone kept on ringing and ringing. His strategy was to ignore and just focus on his drawings, but it seemed impossible. So, he decided to bite the bullet and talk to her— once.

"Finally! How many times do I have to call for you to pick up?!" Gladys snapped immediately, when she heard that he had answered her call.

"I had other things to think about, Gladys. Believe it or not but the world doesn't revolve around you all the time." He said annoyed, scoffing a little.

"Are you kidding me, Jones? Everything I do is for your career. Don't paint me as the bad guy when I work my ass off to convince your publisher that you'll have something ready soon. Things are tense here while you are out there on some hippie tour to find yourself." Gladys exclaimed for the other side of the line.

"My life is no party either, if that is what you think. But you know what, I'll send you a draft right now. That will keep them busy for a while." FP groaned annoyed and opened his laptop to scan through his digital files.

"Fine. Send me now so I can see it." Gladys said, not completely satisfied, but it was a start.

FP clearly wasn't done yet, and all the versions he had made before weren't the right ones to end with, he knew that. But as for right now it was the only thing he could offer her and if that would get her off his back he didn't even care if she'd publish it or not. At least his nightmare would be over. As soon as he hit send, Gladys instantly opened the file and scanned through it.

"Is this it? Are you serious? This is the finale of your story and this is what you came up with? You can't leave people with so many questions left unanswered, FP. That is not the agreement." Gladys said, furiously reading the file he had e-mailed her.

"It's what I have so far. If they are not satisfied they need to have patience." He told her, trying to keep his calm.

"You can't put time on art, Gladys."

"Yes I can, and I will. You've got two days. I am done covering for you." Gladys told him angrily.

"How can you even stay there without any money? Are you parading around like a nomad?" She asked, wondering how he could survive after she had blocked his credit cards.

"None of your damn business." He hissed, before hanging up the phone.

Little did FP know, that Gladys wasn't in New York anymore. No, she had arrived in Riverdale days ago, planning on putting and end on this for good.

**

Fred was having a drink at the Wyrm to blow off some steam after a long day, and smiled at FP when he saw him coming down from his bedroom. He was grinning, as if he had just won something.

"You seem cheery tonight, FP... why's that?" Fred asked, when he came walking his way.

"Because for the first time in my life I am not letting someone else control me. It feels great." FP said, smiling brightly.

"Did Gladys come to her senses?" Fred wondered, which seemed like a unlikely scenario.

"No, only if hell freezes over." FP said.

"I sent her a draft of the ending, an unsatisfying one. She's pissed but for once I can't get myself to care. Never felt like that before. It's great." He smiled again, but a little less convincing than a few seconds ago.

"Kind of sounds like you freed yourself from something." Fred said, hoping that he truly had escaped out of her grasp.

"Look. This is part of the last edition." FP took the map that was under his arm and handed it over to Fred, so he could take a look. It were drawings that he hadn't showed anybody yet.