Masterpiece

Chapter 3

Shreds. Paint puddles. Everything in disarray. Even my painting I was supposed to send is ruined.

My dad appears in the doorway.
"Oh my god, Ramona, what happened?"
"I-I don't know."

And then I did.

I stomped into my mom's room, tears threatening to blur my vision.

"Why, mom?"
"Why what?"
I scowl in her direction.
"Why did you......destroy my painting?"

"Why would you ever accuse me of such a thing?", she says putting down her purse to look at me.
"Mom, you were literally the only one upstairs."

"Look, I was just trying to look out for you."
"By doing what! I could've gotten in."
"Honey, why are you so upset. Just make another one."
I can't believe what she's saying to me.

"I can't, mom, because you won't allow me to buy more than two bottles of paint a year. This was my last one. I can't make another one, now."

"Oh come on, Ramona. We both knew that your chances were slim. There will always be other schools."
She pats me on my back and leaves out of the room.

And just like that, my future gone. Nonexistent. And all because my mother, my so called supporter for life can't handle my dream profession.

I go back in my room, tears streaming down my face. I call Vic, needing comfort.
Dialing her phone number, I put it to my ear. The monotone ring sounds through my ear.

"Hello?"
"Vic, can you pick me up from my house?"
"I don't know it's-"
"Please."
"Sure."

Within minutes her car is parked in my drive way, honking under my bedroom window.

Heading downstairs my dad winks at me. "Out with Victoria for the night?"
"Yeah," I say heading out the door.

"Make good choices," he says putting up a fist.
"Yeah, dad," I say putting mine against his.

Victoria is blasting music, bobbing her head to the tune.
She turns it down when she sees me.
"What's up, Ramona?"
"Nothing, just my mom is giving me a hard time."
"Define hard time."
I roll my eyes in the memory.
"Like sabotaging my art work, hard time."

She winces. "Ouch. I can't believe she'd do that. Ramona, you've gotta do something."
"What can I do? She's my mother."
"Make something happen. Something she can't possibly mess up."

I mentally mull over what she's telling me.
"You think so?"
"Yeah, I do. But are we going to go anywhere any time soon, because I paid for a full tank of gas."
"Yeah, take me on a ride around town. I got a need for speed."
She cheeses, "Now that's what I'm talking about, baby!"

We speed off, leaving a trail of smoke behind the vehicle. The tire tracks skid with every sharp turn we make. The wind blows through the car and I whoop with delight. I'm surprised we didn't get a ticket, because we were probably going twenty miles above the speed limit.

We finally reach my house after what might've been the most fun I've had in a while.
I bid a farewell to Victoria and she takes off down the road in response.

When I enter my home, my dad is sitting at the couch, reading a newspaper,
"Back so soon, Lisa?"
"Yeah, we didn't do much."
"Come here, let's talk." I gingerly walk towards him and sit on the couch.

"I know what your mother did was out of line."
Understatement of the year, dad.
"It's fine, dad. I'm fine."
He looks at me, concerned.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure," I lie.
He nods and I head upstairs. I take in the scenery of my room and I still can't believe she did this.

I walk around and play with the flyer for the Institution of Arts and think of how it would be. To walk in those doors and be a scholar. To walk out with my diploma and feel complete.
Determination courses through my body and I hurry downstairs.

"Hey dad, how about we make this interesting?"
He smirks. "Oh yeah? What did you have in mind."
"'Me. Going to New York and going to school. I have ten years worth of money saved up and I really think I can do it and if you'd just-"

"Ramona, I was actually hoping you'd say that," he says taking out a large envelope. "This is your tuition. I know you've had your heart set on this school and I was disappointed in your mothers actions, so if you really want to do this, you have my permission."

"What about mom? She'd never let me go through with it."
"You let me worry about that."
I mentally pinch myself to make sure this is happening. That my dad is actually letting me go to New York and follow my goal.

"You really think I can do it?"
"I would never let you do it, if I didn't think you could."
He puts his hand in the air, "You and me, Lise."
I put my hand against his larger one, "You and me, dad."

He starts to head upstairs.
"Wait when am I leaving?"
"Hey, this is your fate. Not mine. You tell me."
-
I end up utterly exhausted because I get up at five to catch a subway to White Plains, New York, then catch another to New York City, New York. My luggage is half my body weight and my eyelids are ready to give out, but it's worth it because New York is gorgeous.

I end up taking my life savings for transportation and the large sum of cash from dad, for tuition.

But besides that, I definitely do not have a plan.

I get off the subway, early that morning in New York City. The sun glistens off the skyscrapers and I stand astonished at the concrete jungle in front of me.

My cellphone buzzes and I pick it up.
"Ramona." I recognize that icy tone anywhere.
"Hey, mom. Did I ever tell you New York City is beautiful this time of day."
"Hm. You're enjoying yourself now, but trust me, you're setting yourself up for failure. "

"I don't think so, mother. I have a good feeling."
"Is that so? I took upon myself to take your advice and make this interesting. If you succeed, then maybe you can make it out there. But if you don't and realize this whole thing was foolish, you come back home and do precisely what I say as precisely as I say it, do I make myself clear?" Her tone grows icier as she says the words.

"Crystal. But with all do respect, mother, I will succeed. And I will walk out of that building with my diploma and more."

She chuckles, her voice vibrating against my skin. "I'd like to see that."

"Oh don't worry, you will."