Semua Bab His sisters boyfriend : Bab 141 - Bab 150

The morning after the retrospective, Jay woke up to an empty bed.He sat up. Rubbed his eyes. The apartment was quiet. Too quiet. He could hear the birds outside. He could hear the city waking up. But he couldn't hear Cole.He got out of bed. Walked to the kitchen. Cole was standing by the window. Coffee cup in his hand. Looking out at the street."You're up early," Jay said.Cole turned around. "Couldn't sleep.""Thinking about last night?""Thinking about everything."Jay walked to him. "Everything is good.""It is.""Then why can't you sleep?"Cole shrugged. "I don't know. I think I'm still processing.""It's the same thing.""It's not.""It is."Jay took the coffee cup from his hands. He set it down on the counter. Then he put his arms around Cole."Eight paintings," Jay said."Eight paintings.""You sold eight paintings.""Actually, I sold eight paintings. You just watched."Cole laughed. "Fine. You sold eight paintings. I was just there."Jay pulled back. "You were more than jus

Jay went back to the studio the next morning.He stood in front of a new canvas. The retrospective was three months away. Three months to create enough work for the main gallery. Three months to prove he belonged there.His hands were steady. His mind was quiet. He picked up a brush and started painting.Rivera walked in. She didn't knock."You're back," she said."I'm back.""You're working.""I'm working.""What are you painting?""I don't know yet."She walked to the canvas. She looked at it for a long time."Keep going," she said.Jay painted for weeks.He didn't count the days. He didn't count the hours. He just moved from canvas to canvas. The studio filled with color. The walls were covered. The floor was stacked with finished pieces.Cole came to the studio every evening. He didn't interrupt. He just sat in the corner and watched."You're different," Cole said one night.Jay didn't look up. "Different how?""Faster. Like you know exactly what you're doing.""I don't know what

The morning of the exhibition, Jay woke up at 4am.He didn't sleep. He couldn't. His mind was racing. The gallery. The paintings. The people. He lay in bed staring at the ceiling. The room was dark. Cole was still asleep next to him.Jay got up quietly. He walked to the kitchen and made coffee. He sat at the table. Stared at the wall. He didn't drink.Cole found him there an hour later."Jay?" Cole's voice was rough with sleep."I'm here.""You're up early.""Couldn't sleep."Cole sat next to him. "Nervous?""Terrified.""It's the same thing.""It's not.""It is."Jay put his head in his hands. "What if they hate it?""They won't.""You don't know that."Cole reached over. He took Jay's hands. "I know you. I know your work. It's impossible to hate."Jay looked up. "How do you know?""Because I've seen the way people look at your paintings. They stop. They stare. They feel something."Jay was quiet."Do you know how many people do that?" Cole asked. "How many artists make people feel s

Jay woke up on a Tuesday and decided to paint.He didn't plan it. He didn't think about it. He just got out of bed, walked to the studio, and picked up a brush. The room was still empty. The walls were still bare. But he didn't need a full gallery anymore. He just needed one canvas.He set up a new one. Stared at it. Nothing came.He waited. Still nothing.He put the brush down. Walked to the window. Looked out at the street. People walking. Cars driving. Normal life. He wanted to be part of it again."You're here," Rivera said. She was standing in the doorway."I'm here.""You're not painting.""I'm thinking.""About what?""The next one. I don't know what to paint."Rivera walked to the window. She stood next to him."Then don't paint," she said. "Just be here.""I've been here for days.""Then be here differently."Jay looked at her. "What does that mean?""It means stop trying to force it. Let it come to you.""When?""When it's ready."Jay went home that afternoon.Cole was on th

Jay woke up the next morning with a clear head.The fog from the past few days had lifted. He didn't know why. He didn't question it. He just got out of bed and walked to the studio. The man on the hill was still there. Waiting. Finished. He looked at it for a long time. Then he turned to the blank canvas next to it.He picked up a brush.He painted for hours. He didn't stop. He didn't rest. The canvas filled up with color. A new figure emerged. A woman standing in a field of flowers. The sun behind her. Her hands were open. Her face was calm.When he finished, he stepped back.Rivera walked in. She didn't knock. She looked at the painting."She's peaceful," Rivera said."She is.""Who is she?"Jay was quiet. "She's the woman I want to become."Rivera nodded. "Good. Keep going."Jay painted every day for the next week.He didn't count the hours. He didn't count the canvases. He just painted. The studio filled up with new work. Figures in fields. Men on hills. Women by the water. Peopl