"Any further developments?" Damon asked Harrier as they sat and ate breakfast together in the smaller dining room. "No, not yet. You'll be the first to know if I get a call." Harrier assured his friend as they ate well and drank their coffee. Joining them were two others; Vernon and Ada, Damon and Harrier's mutual art friends. They'd been spending the night at the manor as well, at first out of concern for Damon's health but later for more personal reasons, enjoying the fun the house could offer those who were seeking it. "We were really worried about you last night, Damon. I take it you and Esther were..?" Ada asks politely, allowing Damon to finish explaining for her. "Yeah, he and I were brief lovers." Damon confirms, sipping his drink as he struggled to maintain eye contact. "You know, I always had a feeling you were a-" Vernon gets cut off by a violent and quick stomp from Ada directly onto his foot. "Vernon, really!" she reprimands him. "Sorry, sorry! It's really no issue to me, just happy he's figured it out, you know?" Vernon apologizes. "Men can be so brutish in the way they word things, you know." Ada sighs and shakes her head. "You've always been a more sensitive soul, that's why we get along as well as we do." Ada turns her head to Damon. "If you say so. I have a tendency to run my mouth, though." Damon chuckles in embarrassment. "It just makes you more authentic, man." Harrier assures his friend. Damon felt grateful to have his friends there to support him throughout this dark period.
The breakfast conversation runs far longer than any of the guests had anticipated but eventually Vernon and Ada decide to take their leave for their respective studios, they had their own paintings to get to. Harrier goes to see them off, leaving Damon to his thoughts for a short while. He found that when he wasn't keeping himself busy talking to other people or occupying himself in some way his thoughts would always wander to Esther. It drove him crazy, he wondered if this is how long everyone took to get over someone. He had no frame of reference, having never really loved anyone like he had the man who might as well be long gone over the Atlantic already. Harrier comes back, sitting himself opposite Damon. "Ah, they're a colorful bunch, you know. I heard they're getting engaged soon." he says as he leans back in his chair. "Ada and Vernon are?" Damon asks with some shock, he wasn't even aware that they had been dating. "You wouldn't guess from how they talk to one another but they are truly, madly in love, despite all the conflicting personality quirks between the two of them. Weirdos attract weirdos, that's why they spend so much time here." Harrier laughed aloud. "You realize you're also indirectly calling me one as well, right?" Damon smirks. "Well of course, I happen to be one as well!" Harrier answered back, pouring himself another cup of coffee. "Refill?" he asks Damon while still holding the pot in his hand. "Please, thank you." Damon answers absent-mindedly.
Suddenly one of Harrier's servants barges into the room with a bit of a start. "Mister Winslow? There's a call for you upstairs, it's urgent!" she says with a worried look. "Come along now, Damon!" Harrier springs onto his feet and rushes out of the dining room, Damon taking a moment or two to realize he's meant to follow him up. It's almost like he knew who was calling. Damon hurries up the stairs and turns the corner into the office they'd signed their contract in last month, Harrier was already on the phone and discussing with someone in French. Damon was worried now, he didn't speak more than the most basic French but he could pick out a few of the words, though nothing that could help him understand what was going on. Suddenly Harrier smiles as he speaks, filling Damon with sudden hope. Had he managed to negotiate a deal? "Oui, oui. Merci Monsieur!" Harrier said as he placed the phone down and turned to Damon. "Okay, so we have some good news and some potentially bad news." Harrier began, Damon remaining silent as he nervously swallowed. "The good news is that I have successfully bargained for Esther's contract to be extended indefinitely, meaning de-facto ownership." Harrier clasped his hands together and smiled wide, Damon's face lighting up in surprise. "The bad news is that Esther is valued at a cool three million dollars." Harrier's expression began to sour, trying to retain his smile as he spoke. Damon's face turned as well, that was not the bad news he was expecting. "I'm sure they're trying to squeeze more money out of me with that price point, It's just not something I can afford to spend money on with no expectation of return on investment." Harrier put his hands in his pockets and shook his head, he was exceedingly disappointed he couldn't be of more help. Damon couldn't hear him, he was too busy doing equations in his head. Could he actually afford this? He brought himself back to a few days ago when he counted the money in his lockbox, he hadn't deposited any of his earnings into the bank up until this point and he had sold plenty of paintings. He was counting on his fingers, muttering something to himself. "Harrier, I'm almost good for it. I have two million and eight hundred thousand dollars." Damon looks up from his hands and takes a deep breath. "Wait, how come you have that much cash on hand? Did you not get another studio for yourself?" Harrier asks with a surprised look. Damon shakes his head. A smile starts to creep up Harrier's cheeks as he turns his gaze over to the portrait Damon had done last night for him. "It's lower than I'd like to pay for work like that but I'll spot you the rest in exchange for the painting. How does that sound?" Harrier raises his eyebrows and smirks. Damon could hardly believe what he was hearing. Without hesitating he latches his arms around Harrier, embracing him as he profusely thanked him over and over. Harrier couldn't help but laugh, happy he'd be doing some good for once. "Alright buddy, come on now." he pats Damon's back, the two men disengaging from the impromptu hug.
