Substance

Chpt. 10 Getting the picture prt2

Following the publication of the article Courtland began getting calls from people wanting to become potential clients of his. They all claimed they wanted something original, something unique and would be wiling to pay, to which Courtland said he would be much obliged. Though he had planned on taking a much needed break from his artwork, he thought with him being in demand that he should not disappoint. Therefore, he eagerly took on multiple projects with unbelievable deadlines to keep up with his rising fame. Most days he spent the entirety of it holed up in his little art corner, hands flying across the canvass, with Veronica there laying on his couch or reclining in his chair. She would spend some afternoons with Ms. Delia, his aid, if he was feeling dead set on finishing a painting that evening.

Ms. Delia, was to Veronica at least, an older version of her sister Claudia, so she had no trouble connecting with her. They spoke of family life and of times when they were both younger. As it was her personal mission to care for Courtland, Ms. Delia was quick to notice the difference in Courtland’s moods. She often told Courtland that he was lovesick over Veronica, and he wouldn’t have rebuked the comment either. However it was the love sickness that made both Courtland and Veronica wary at times. It had taken them almost a month and a half to actually met face to face again for a real date. Then somehow, they had instantly fallen into a monogamous relationship with each other. Not because of some conversation they couldn’t remember, but because they each chose to be exclusive with one another, and for Veronica that had never happened to her. It was as if they would seek each other out for company over anyone else in their lives. It seemed to be a blind trust, knowing that they would both be there whenever needed. It frightened Courtland more than anything because he had suffered down that road before, and had personally seen the worst that could happen. And so did his family, Fain more so than others.

She had been his shoulder to cry on after the Rubie fall out. She had seen the broken shell of man he had become, had been his confidant more times than she could remember. The fact remained that she had always been there in his lows, and she would never let him forget it. She was a constant reminder to him that caution should be his best friend, one she felt he needed a refresher on one morning. She had shown up unannounced asking that she be allowed to take him to his physical therapy session in Ms. Delia’s stead. Ms. Delia, had eyed the young woman for a few seconds before agreeing, whatever Fain had to say she wanted to do so without an audience. Courtland knew his sister and could tell that something was amiss. Yet she refused to open up about the entire ride to the appointment and back to his apartment. When they returned, he saw that Ms. Delia had gone shopping for him and had left him some phone messages, one being from Veronica. He busied himself dumping out his dirty towels from his gym back and when he rolled back into his front room he saw Fain eying the phone messages and looked up at him as he approached the couch. “Okay, out with it,” he said. He had let her mull over whatever it was that she was going to say the whole morning and if by now she didn’t want to broach the subject he knew it couldn’t be anything good.

“Out with what?”

“Whatever it is that’s bugging you.”

She sighed, “Court, you know I love you.”

“Oh hell!”

“What? Why the ‘oh hell’?”

“Because the last time you started off a sentence with ‘Court, you know I love you you told me you were becoming a cop.”

“Well I just want to start off with something positive before I really tell you what I have to say.”

“Cut the crap Fain.”

“Alright. I’m just worried is all.”

“About Veronica?”

“Yes.”