My stall was set up with the drawings I was trying to sell. “They’re absolutely incredible,” Mereki said. “You’re so talented.”
Pride swelled in my heart. “Thank you,” I said, kissing him briefly on the lips. “For everything.”
“You’re welcome. I want everyone to know how talented my beautiful girlfriend is.” He glanced at the table. “You haven’t put your self-portrait out for sale. Why?”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to part with it. It’s too personal.”
“You’re a bit crazy. You get that, right?”
I chuckled. “Nothing wrong with a little crazy.” I winked at him as two women stopped in front of my table.
“Hello,” I said, cheerily.
They both nodded at me, then went back to perusing my art. It was a truly sickening feeling having strangers scrutinise my work, and I was relieved I didn’t put my most personal piece on display. Without saying anything, they moved on.
“Don’t worry about it,” Ki said, putting his arm around my shoulders. “There’ll be others with better taste.”
“I think you might be a touch biased.”
“You might be right about that. I don’t have a clue about art, but I like yours, and isn’t that what you told me art is all about? Liking what you see?”
“Yes, but I’m going to need more than just my boyfriend to like what they see if I’m going to sell anything.”
After having countless people reject my work and move on, the doubt that had been creeping in started to crush me. There had been a few compliments from the kinder patrons, but no sales. The two stallholders on either side of me started packing up because they’d sold out of their candles and honey. I could see the stage being erected for the live music that would be starting up soon, and the beer tent had lines of thirsty people getting ready for the evening entertainment to kick off.
“Shall we start packing up?” I asked Ki.
My heart sank when Jacob approached my table. Of all the people in this town, Jacob was the one I least wanted to see. At least Trent wasn’t with him. That was a small mercy.
“Roaring trade, I see?” he asked, snickering.
“Get lost, Jacob,” Ki demanded.
Jacob held up his hands as if under arrest. “Hey. I’m just here checking out Emerson’s art, and I have to say, it’s pretty pathetic.” With a chuckle, he turned and sauntered away.
His words cut deep even though I cared little for his opinion. This was my dream, and I’d faced a day of rejection.
“Hello.” An older lady who looked like the stereotypical grandma in the American movies I’d watched appeared at my table. She had light grey hair pulled back into a low bun, and she smiled at Mereki and me with nothing but warmth.
“Hello,” I said, putting on my happy face.
“Are these yours?” she asked, leaning forward to get a closer look.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Can you tell me a bit about them?”
Pushing back my shoulders, I took a deep breath. “I draw the way I feel about the things I see,” I said with as much confidence as I could muster. It was the best way I could think of to describe my art. I picked up one of my drawings. “This one was inspired by the river, but I hope I’ve conveyed the peace it brings me watching my boyfriend fishing there.”
She pushed her glasses farther up her nose and brought the drawing close to her eyes. Judging by the way she studied it, I figured she must be an expert. Her approval would mean so much, and I knew what I wanted to do. With Jacob’s cutting words rattling around in my head, I reached down for my bag, pulled the sketchpad out, turned to my self-portrait and held it in my shaking hands.
“Change of heart?” Ki asked, surprise evident in his voice.
I shrugged, unable to look him in the eye as I offered it to the woman. “This is something I’ve been working on for a while.”
The second her hand touched it, I wanted to rip it back from her.
“It’s okay.” She covered my hand with hers and gently pried it from me. “I’ll be careful. I promise.”
With an enormous lump in my throat, I shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. It was too personal, and I’d never intended for anyone other than Mereki to see it.
Eventually, she looked up at me, and I was surprised to see her eyes were a little blurry. “Is this you?”
I nodded. “I actually didn’t realise what I was drawing until I’d finished.”
Her gaze returned to it. “You’ve captured something special here. I feel like I know so much more about you just by looking at this drawing.” She studied it again. “Quite remarkable! There’s obviously a great deal of hope and strength in this piece.”
“I have my boyfriend here to thank for that.”
She held her hand out and shook my hand, then Mereki’s. “I’m Madeleine Gibson. I buy art from up and coming Australian artists and offer it for sale from my gallery in Melbourne.”
Mereki and I glanced at each other with wide eyes. “I’m Emerson, and this is my Mereki. It’s really great to meet you, Madeleine.”
She smiled. “I know someone who’d love this. I’d like to buy it if you’re willing to sell. I’ll give you five hundred dollars.”
I leaned into Mereki, unsure if my legs were going to hold my weight. That was more money than I could wrap my head around, and it was such an incredible honour, but I didn’t know how I felt about parting with something so personal.
“Can you give me a minute to think about it?” I asked.
“Of course,” she replied. “I’ll pop back in a while. Take your time.”
After a few moments of staring blankly at the place she’d stood with a thousand thoughts flying around in my head, I turned to face Ki. His wide smile lit up his entire face, and pride shone in his eyes.
“When we were ten years old, you told me it was your dream to be a working artist.” He placed his hands on either side of my face. “And your dream was just validated by an expert.”
I sighed. “It feels like I’m selling a part of me that I’ll never be able to get back.”
“I think you need to let it go and light up someone else’s world.” He kissed me lightly on the lips, then studied my face for a few moments. “What are you thinking?”
“That I wish Jacob had stuck around to see me sell my first piece of art.” I scrunched up my nose. “That’s a terrible thing to say, isn’t it?”
He shook his head. “Jacob is nothing. Forget about him.”
“I love you,” I said. “I’m gonna do it.”
“I love you, too.” He kissed me again chastely, then wrapped his arms around me. “Congratulations, baby. Your dreams are coming true already.”
From the moment I’d started sketching the pebble art, it felt life-changing somehow, as if a force greater than I could understand was at work, guiding my heart and my hand. With her generous offer, Madeleine was offering me more than money. She had gifted me absolute confidence in my chosen path. For the first time in my life, I had no doubt in my ability to live out my wildest dreams. In that moment, I felt as light as a feather, floating high above all the negativity I’d had to endure, and I knew I had no real choice but to sell the drawing. I had to set it free, as it was going to open up the world to me.
When Madeleine returned, she looked at me expectantly. “Did I give you enough time?”
I nodded. “I’ve decided to sell you my drawing.”
Her eyes lit up. “That is wonderful news.” She opened her slim, brown leather wallet and removed five crisp one-hundred-dollar notes and handed them to me.
My eyes darted to the left of Madeleine, where Jacob was now standing with Trent, both holding a beer in their hands. Their eyes were as wide as saucers and fixated on the cash.
I didn’t say anything to them, but I felt a sense of deep gratification that they’d both witnessed this moment.
“I hope to see you again one day,” Madeleine said. “Do you have plans to come to the city?”
“Ki and I are hoping to do a little travel after we graduate, then we plan to move to Melbourne.” I glanced up proudly at Ki. “He’s going to study engineering, and I’ve applied to the National Art School.”
“That’s wonderful. I’m quite certain you have a very bright future.” She handed me a crisp, white business card. “Please come to see me at the gallery when you get to the city. I’d be happy to help you any way I can.” She pointed to the card. “The address is on there.” I took a quick glance, then placed it carefully in my pocket, completely thrilled.
“Definitely,” I said, excited that I now had a contact in the art world.
Jacob and Trent had disappeared by the time we said goodbye to Madeleine. If it weren’t for the fact I had all those crisp notes and her card in my pocket, I might’ve thought I’d imagined the whole thing. It was as if she’d just appeared out of nowhere and disappeared in a puff of smoke. I shook my head, not knowing quite what to do with myself. The one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn today had taken had shaken me to my core.
Then I felt his arms around me.
“I told you, baby.”
“Yes, you’re very smart.” I hugged him and wanted to savour the moment, successfully pushing away the feeling that things were too good to be true.
Part of me regretted giving up my most personal piece because it was a tangible reminder of how all the struggles in my life had made me who I was—strong and loved. However, a bigger part of me was proud and happy. I’d sold my very first artwork. I’d made a fantastic contact and I had Mereki by my side. I would focus on these things.
It didn’t take long to pack up the stall, and soon we were walking hand in hand towards the music. It was a warm, late spring evening, and I sighed, smelling summer in the air. This was going to be a summer to remember.
“New York then Paris?” I asked, patting my pocket and trying to look serious. “We’ve got five hundred bucks now.”
“Paris then New York,” he replied, winking.
Mereki and I regularly talked about travelling overseas. One day, we’d spend time in these cities we’d only seen in movies and books. Paris was high on the list for art, but I’d always insist we go to New York first because I knew how much Mereki would love it there with the iconic skyscrapers. We were going to see the world and broaden our horizons one day, and we were going to do it together.
“How do you want to celebrate?” he asked, taking my bag and throwing it over his shoulder. “Do you want to stay here and listen to the live music?”
I shook my head. “I just want to be alone with you down by the river, watching the sunset.”
“Now who’s the romantic?” he asked, squeezing me closer to him.
“I can’t wait to get out of this town, but I’ll miss our place by the river, so I want to make the most of it.” I stopped walking and slung my hands around his neck, getting lost in his dark eyes. “It’s the place that brought me to you.”