THE VOID

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕊𝕚𝕩

((Hero leads Josephine to the back of the gallery, hoping to cheer her up with a happier piece. Alex, Mel and Alice are harassing Connor to get the servers to hand out more Alcohol and Felix stands outside waiting for Jack))

Hero: "Okay, I think this is most unrealistic one. The family friendly/happily ever after type story" ((he says smirking))

Josephine: ((goes to scold him but instead turns to the painting, her face twists in confusion)) "A fruit bowl?" ((She asks unamused))

Hero: ((turns Josephine to look at the passage, without saying a word))

"Ode to a fruit bowl. It travelled all the way here from the local IKEA, and took up residence in this little home. Two parents and two children, also reside. The fruit bowl given by a friend at a house warming party, many years before Melanie and Marley were even conceived. The now father hating the bowl, while the mother loving it. Eight years ago, the fruit bowl was rudely knocked from it's resting spot and it's contents flew out into the distance. Marley panicked asking mummy for forgiveness, she at the time was only five she didn't mean it. The mother assumed her love would be glad the bowl was destroyed but instead he looked as though it was a loss. He took the pieces and asked Melanie to grab the super glue, while looking over to Marley and saying 'Sometimes things break, but it is our duty to fix them'. The fruit bowl had it's pieces glued together again but now it looked cracked and used..damaged. 'We can't get rid of the cracks, they serve as a reminder of mistakes but also amendments made' he smiled to his young daughter before handing it to her ever so carefully. She placed it back in it's resting place and it's contents replaced. A fruit bowl, simple and not at all unique. Maybe a thousand homes have the same one but none of those homes had that man. Gone now but his life and lessons live on through his offspring"

Josephine: ((looks back up to the painting now seeing the small cracks in the bowl, she also notices that it is signed by 'Marley. Age 9')) "This was painted by a nine year old?"

Hero: "Well she's thirteen now but she painted it when she was nine, amazing little gem she is" ((he smiles before giving a small glance to Mel, who stands across the room))

((Josephine follows his gaze, Mel short for Melanie. She now feels the need to run over and comfort the girl. Like she now knows something extremely personal about her. She also wants to ask Hero how this is family friendly? Or unrealistic? When it's clearly a true story and again this is also not exactly a happy story))

Josephine: "I'm guessing Marley won't be making an appearance tonight?" ((She looks up at Hero, feeling uneasy about how she dismissed the painting))

Hero: "Nope but she made me promise to do my best to sell it, but make sure to someone who will truly cherish it" ((he shrugs))

Josephine: "How much?"

Hero: ((turns to her shocked, his eyes wide)) "You want to buy it?"

Josephine: "I like it, and I miss home. So how much? And don't try to shake down the price, I will pay full value" ((she answers waiting for a figure))

((Hero asks her multiple times if she's sure about the purchase but she is adamant and then the deal is done. She is extremely happy for her purchase. Hero asks if he can finally show her what he originally wanted to but she tells him it's getting late and she is mentally exhausted. He laughs and they join the rest of the group ready to leave))

Mel: "Yeah, let's go and get some real food" ((she says loud enough for Connor to hear))

Alice: "Can you believe they refused us more alcohol? The audacity of it all" ((she adds throwing her hands in the air, pretending to be offended))