unfinished

chapter 17

As that thought hit her she found him at the far end of the room, standing alone in the soft lights of the entry. 

While her head was still arguing with her feet to move in that direction, she watched as the elevator opened and a gorgeous man with silver hair stepped into the room. He was  wearing black jeans, a vintage tee and a black leather jacket. He was stunning.

She watched as the man stopped and saw Hobi, both men calling the other and embracing.  The commotion drew all attention to that end of the room and it became clear this was another of Hobi's close friends.  She watched as the champagne was bypassed for the soju glasses and the group embraced and drank in celebration.

She looked from the close knit group of friends to the seating area where her team had made themselves at home and were laughing and relaxing. 

Just then she felt every bit the lost girl she had been that first year of college. There had been lots of acquaintances but Olivia her only real friend, weekly party invites but no one group to call her own.

She felt the chill settle over her, the one  that she liked to pretend she had discarded years ago.  She knew it always lurked inside her.  Just like she knew she really did not comfortably fit in any of the many conversations scattered throughout the loft.

She breathed a deep sigh and walked away, looking for some quiet place where her mood would not be noticed or commented upon.

She wandered into the gallery space of the loft, noting the few pieces on exhibit, remembering Taehyung’s comment that they had just finished one show and were in transition to a new season. 

She found the rooms that had been created within the gallery making space for small studios and workshops.  Most were perfectly organized, waiting for the next artist to step in and create or share and teach with others.

Then she found a small studio in the very back, drawn by a soft light through an opened door.  She stepped inside and the art inside stole her breath.

There were two completed canvases on the wall and a third was the work in progress in between.  The story the canvases told hit her hard.

Each canvas held a figure. One was a woman, gathering flowers from her lover, getting life and color and love from a source outside herself, slowly being freed from the pits of darkness that bound her.  The man had plucked the earth around him barren in an effort to save the woman.  In the process he had offered her everything and lost himself.

Tears pricked her eyes as those feelings hit her.  The despair of seeing all your work and hope and love slip from you to another and it not be returned.

That triggered memories of her own loss.  Memories that stayed too near the surface nowadays.

Then she turned her attention to the new work.  The figures were united in this work.  It was in the very early stages, but she could see they were entwined.  The flowers and the dark earth embraced them, giving nurture and creating new life rather than loss. 

There appeared to be a hint of flame embracing them, or created by them.  She had stepped closer to examine the work, missing the soft steps that entered.

“ This is Taehyung’s studio,” Hoseok explained, caught again in the feelings these paintings always brought.

He watched Izabelle.  She slowly turned and blinked at him, shifting from the world of the paintings back to the rooms.  He did not miss the sheen of tears in her eyes.

Then she frowned.

“I did not mean to intrude, the light was on and the door was open,” she explained.

“I am sure he would not mind.  These pieces have been on display.  I guess they are down while he works on his new piece.  He really is quite good,” Hobi said, coming to stand next to her.

“He really is.  I feel this! Every bit of it…the longing, the effort, the heartbreak of wasted love and rejected gifts and…..” she trailed off as her eyes found his.  She saw the hurt and guilt reflected there, knew he was seeing the same in her.

“ Izzy….” He said, reaching for her.

“ We should get back to the party,” she said, afraid to hear what he would say. She was equally afraid of what she might say in response.

“ Izzy….” He tried again.

“Oh….,”

They both turned toward the door to find Taehyung and Sky standing in the doorway, their entwined hands clasped to Tae's heart.

Izzy blushed and stammered, “ I am so ..so sorry. The door was open and…”

“No need to apologize.  I just remembered I left the light on and was …. going to show Sky the work I had done today,” Taehyung answered, ignoring the snort from Hobi and the deep blush from the beautiful woman beside him.

Izzy nodded, considered the fact that this handsome man was dragging his lover off to his private studio in the middle of a party, and moved toward the door.

Before leaving she had to say one thing.

“Taehyung….they are stunning.  You convey the feeling of loss perfectly,” she said.

Izzy watched as Tae pulled Sky close to him and gave her a tender kiss.

“Thank you.  But they are incomplete.  You have to wait until the next one is finished.  You are only in the middle of the story! You have to wait and see what comes next!” he said. Sky's smile and deep sigh punctuated his words.

Izzy looked from the paintings to the unfinished work to the now entwined flesh and blood man and woman standing in front of it.

“You are only in the middle of the story.” Izzy thought, catching Hobi's intense glance.

“Thank you for allowing me to see your work.  If you'll excuse me, I need some air,” she said, stepping out of the room.

Tae exchanged looks with Hobi, satisfied that he would take care of their guest and waited until his friend left the room to close and lock the door.

“Now…” he purred, taking Sky's mouth in a slow teasing kiss, “ let me show you what I worked on today.”

The party could wait.  They needed a minute.