Trust In Time

Chapter 14: $1,200

"I'm sorry, you're what?" I whisper-yell.

"I'm pregnant, Nora, and I'm so scared. You heard Gray out there, he doesn't want kids. What am I going to do? Give it up? I can't do that I know I'm already attached. I've always dreamed of being a mom, but not right now! I'm twenty-seven, is that too young? Nora, what if he leaves me?" She abruptly takes takes a breath in and fresh tears fall down her ivory skin.

"Emery, it's going to be okay!" I put my arm around her and bring her into an awkward side hug, "You know Gray, he jokes about everything, but he loves kids and I know for a fact how excited he is to be a father. Hell, he practically raised me and I think I turned out semi-sane."

That last part granted me a small smile from Emery.

"Plus he loves you so much, I mean it's all over him. I've never seen him look at someone the way he looks at you. It's like he's staring into a mine full of diamonds every time his eyes fall on you."

I've seen it from the first second I saw them together. I can only dream of having someone who looks at me like that. It's love in it's purest form.

"I love him too. I really do." She says I'm a love-sick trance, affection clear in her eyes.

"Do you know how far along you are?" I ask.

"No, I've been too afraid to go to the doctor. It'll make it too real. I took fourteen tests just to be absolutely positive."

"Yeah you're not the only thing that was positive." I mumble out as a joke. This only earned me a glare from Emery's icy blue eyes.

"Well I truly think everything is going to be okay between you guys. And I know you're going to be a great mother whether you feel ready or not. You've got this, I believe in you one hundred percent." I add in as a final note.

She turns and wraps me into a bear hug, getting my dress wet from her snot or tears. I'm praying it's the latter.

"Thank you, Nora. I don't know what I would've done without you." Her voice coming out muffled.

"Alright, mama, let's get you off this putrid floor and clean you up." I get up and offer her my hand. She takes it with an appreciative smile.

"Wow I look like an absolute hot mess." She says with distaste clear in her tone.

"Emphasis on the 'hot' though." I say as I straighten out my dress and fix a bit of smudged makeup. Okay maybe I cried a little too. What can I say, I'm a total empath.

"I'm so sorry for ruining your night with all my dramatics. I feel awful." Emery pouts.

"No need for apologizing at all. I'm just beyond excited to be an auntie!" I squeal with excitement.

"And a good auntie for sure." She states.

•    •    •    •    •
"Miss Parker there you are!" I hear Ms. Evans familiar voice. She does not sound happy.

"Where have you been? You've completely missed your piece being auctioned off. That does not look well for business, if the own artist can't be bothered to thank the buyer who spent a generous amount of money!"

"Ms. Evans, I am so sorry! I ran into a-um- family predicament?" Seriously Nora? That's the best you got?

"Well I sure hope it was worth it. I am glad that your first piece here was sold, but I can't tolerate this unprofessionalism." She scolds.

"I completely understand. It won't happen again, ma'am, I can assure you that," Finally some decent words find their way to my mouth, "Let me go find the buyer and personally thank them. What's their name?"

"I believe it was a Mr. William Sinclair. He won the final bid of $1,200. That is a very decent price for your first show. My more experienced artists can make up to around $10,000 per piece. If they have multiple pieces in a show, it can be a very lucrative business."

Most of her last few sentences were foggy to me, for I was unable to get past the part that Will bought my painting. For $1,200. Maybe I'm going crazy and this is the end. I've reached inevitable insanity.

Why would he do that?

"Hello? Are you even listening to me young lady?" Ms. Evans gives an exasperated sigh that brings me back to the surface of reality.

"Uh yes. I'm going to go talk to Will- I mean the buyer. Thank you Ms. Evans." I mumble out as I begin to search for Will in the crowd.

I spot him at the reception table up front handing over a check to the receptionist. What do I even say to him? I barely know him, and he just blows a ton of money on my mediocre painting? I literally chewed him up earlier over nothing, surely he thinks I'm crazy.

He spots me and I see his face light up with one of his million dollar smiles that could outshine the sun. I make my way over to him and grab his arm to pull him aside.

"Why on this god forsaken earth would you blow $1,200 on my painting?" I say not so subtlety.

"I did nothing of the sort. I invested my money into an upcoming artist. Plus I'm like really competitive and wanted to beat that old guy that was bidding on your painting as well." He says casually.

"Will, I could have just given you one of my paintings for FREE if you really wanted it. That's a lot of money. I don't know how I can possibly make it up to you." I reply.

"Oh I can think of a few ways." Will states as his eyes rake my body and fill with a look kind of like...desire?

Is he flirting with me? What the hell is going on tonight? What did they put in the drinks that caused people to lose their minds?

"I-uh well I didn't know you liked,um, art?" I fumbled out. Alright I guess we're back to talking like troglodytes. Cool.

"I do when it's as breathtaking as your painting. Gray told me it was based on your property back at home. I figured it might help me figure you out a little more." He says smoothly, his gaze never wavering from me.

"Uh huh. I see. Well you're going to be majorly underwhelmed when do you figure me out. I'm quite dull." I say in hopes he'll drop this whole "figuring me out" thing.

"Dull is probably the last word I'd ever associate with you, Eleanora."

There is no way to contain the blood rushing to my cheeks, which I'm sure Will can see. This is too much. Too much attention. Too much flirting. I don't know what to say.

"Well," I clear my throat in hopes it'll give me the needed confidence boost I require to get through this next part,"Thank you for buying my painting. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Thank you for being so effortlessly talented." He says with an amused smirk as he watched me squirm. I'm not good with compliments as one can very easily tell.

"That was my last compliment, you can relax now, miss." Will is very perceptive I've gathered since being around him.

"Good, I might explode with discomfort. I'll see you around I'm sure. For the case." I say eager for this conversation to end, and weirdly dreading in the same notion.

"Of course. I am your personal body guard as well, so you better get used to this handsome face." He mused as he pulls a funny face with his tongue sticking out.

Handsome indeed.