Fling

Fling - CHAPTER 11

The next day....

I wrapped up my painting and we took my red Audi to the suburbs where Darryl lived. Oh, I hated Darryl so much now. However poor I had thought of him before, I thought less of him now. He was responsible for that knee jerk reaction of James automatically stopping his feelings for me. It broke my heart that James was doing it for a friends business and not because his deep feelings meant more to him. I would talk to him about his loyalties. Maybe I didn't know James like I thought I did?

I went to the biggest McMansion at the end of the cul-de-sac. I carried some of my paintings wrapped up, especially the 'morning light' James one.

Darryl invited us in, kissing Emma and hugging her. I looked at the monster who denied me my love for months. I tried to smile falsely but I was so pissed I might have been gritting my teeth. Darryl looked at me oddly. We went to the living area and Darryl said almost sarcastically in an obnoxious tone, "So you are Serah the painter?" He was salty about me not working for him and didn't believe I was who I said I was at all. Darryl was pissed. I didn't want my sister to marry that dick.

I said, "So you are the owner who separated James and I from each other? It was good he fired me or I probably would never had the guts to come clean to my sister that my name was Serah or that I'm a famous painter. James did good and I can't say the same to you Darryl." I rolled my eyes.

"Okay... Well lets see this art everyone is talking about. Pfft." He threw his hands up as he talked. Jerk.

I first off unwrapped a self portrait that was my most famous painting in my collection. He didn't seem to believe that it was me painting these portraits.

"That's famous Una?"

"I'm Serah. Don't call me Una. I only used the name Una so that you wouldn't know I was famous."

"You painted this, Serah?" Darryl asked suspiciously.

I decided to give him something only I could paint.

I unwrapped the second painting I was giving them for their wedding surprise. It was of Darryl whom I hated now more than ever, holding my sister in her wedding dress looking up into his eyes with love and he was happy.
Darryl didn't know what to say. He studied it closely. Taken back by the large photograph-like painting of them being in love definitely painted. He shifted his thoughts around. I really did paint these. It was hitting him who and what I was. Very valuable, talented and possibly very rich he discovered. What did that make him? Related to a rich woman once married? Darryl 's gears were turning and he really didn't know what to say. Emma gasped at the painting and jumped up and down then hugging me.

"This is beautiful Serah!" Emma said.

Darryl was silently concluding the rich part I guessed. I had been under his nose working for him and now he was related to me. All signs point to $$$. I really wish my sister had better taste in men, but Darryl was her choice.

Then I brought out my personal painting with a heavy sigh. Here goes nothing.

I pulled the papers off James in bed in the morning sunlight. His eyes suddenly caught the look of James looking back at me mesmerized. He had never seen James look that way at any woman, but me. It was eerie that because it was real. Then he looked at me.

"You are so.... James is going to kill me. I didn't believe that you two were much more than a fling. Sounded like... You were bringing in money... I didn't mean to stop you from... God you painted that? Why were you working for me? Are you crazy or something, Serah? Fuck that's good!" Darryl said.