Fight Left In Me ✔

Chapter 33 - Exposition

Joan calls from downstairs, inviting them down for tea. They go downstairs together and sit down on the couch in the living room. Joan serves them tea and then walks back to the kitchen to get something. When she walks back out, Jo's face lights up. She hands Jo a plate with a piece of cake on it and Jo smiles wide. "Mom's no-bake cheesecake. The best there is!" 

Joan places a piece on the coffee table in front of Dart and sits down on a chair across from them. Jo takes a bite of the cake and moans. "Oh mom, this is amazing. I missed this so much." 

Joan smiles happily and Dart tries a piece of cake too. "Oh wow, I love that this is not really sweet. Good job, Joan." 

Jo's mother blushes a bit and says: "Yes, Jo's never been into really sweet things. For anything really. It took me a few tries to get a cake that pleased her." 

Jo's eyes go to a picture on the wall and she smiles a bit sad. Dart follows her gaze and asks: "Is that your father?" Jo nods and Dart gets up to take a better look at the picture: A tall, strong man with ginger hair and a beard, holding the hand of a little feisty girl. The little girl looks up at her father in admiration. Dart smiles softly at the picture, feeling the love between Jo and her dad. 

Joan asks Jo to come upstairs with her to decide what to wear to the gallery tonight and they disappear upstairs together. Dart looks around downstairs and sees some more family pictures and a wall filled with pictures of Joan with various young men. He chuckles to himself, thinking Jo and her mom are like night and day.

He looks at the door when he hears footsteps on the stairs and Joan is the first one walking in, wearing a very short, green, sequinned dress with a plunging neckline. He looks past her and sees Jo walk up to him and his heart starts to beat faster. She is wearing a floor length, off-shoulder, burgundy colored dress with a slit revealing her left leg. She winks at him and spins around slowly, showing him all angles. "Jo, you look amazing." He walks up to her and kisses her softly, trying not to ruin her make up. He runs up the stairs to get himself dressed. 

Jo smiles at her mum and Joan says: "Are you sure this dress is okay? Dart didn't say a word about it." 

"Mom, you should wear whatever you want to wear. Especially now that you're single again. You look great!" 

Dart runs back down the stairs and says: "You really look great Joan. Don't worry about it." 

He steps into the living room and both women stare at him, whispering: "Wow." He does a spin with a crooked smile on his lips. Joan asks: "How did you get dressed so fast?" 

Jo still stares at him and says: "He's a model, mom. And a very good one. Dart, you look way too handsome." 

 Dart smiles and says: "I am really glad I packed this smoking. Ready to dazzle the gallery ladies?" Jo nods and calls a cab, so they can all drink and enjoy the evening.

When they arrive at the gallery, they see drapes covering the windows and the door is closed. Dirk is standing in front of the door and walks up to them quickly, taking Jo's hands and kissing her knuckles. "My muse! You look even prettier than the last time we saw each other. And don't tell me this is your mother?" Joan blushes and Dirk talks to her in Dutch, making her smile. Dart squeezes Jo's hand and winks at her. 

There are a few photographers there, waiting for the reveal. Dirk walks up to the door and speaks up: "Welcome to my exposition. This is the first time I've done something like this. All the pictures in here are of one woman. My muse: Jo." He points at Jo and Jo smiles a bit shy. He pulls at the drapes and they fall to the floor, revealing two pictures of Jo, almost filling the entire window.