Page 12 of Reeling for His Omega

“Do we have more red?” Jamie asked.

I showed him where it was then went out onto the sidewalk and stood there. Not sure what to say.

Fortunately, our intrepid plumber did know. He came out behind me with a sign painted on a piece of cardboard. In red. It said, Free Art Workshop, Inquire Inside. “People always like to think they’re getting something free.”

He went back in, and no sooner had he passed through the door than the first applicant approached me.

It was a female, some sort of cat shifter, and she was quivering with excitement. “A free workshop?”

“Yes, and the completed project will stay up behind the candy counter for everyone to see,” Jamie called from inside.

“That sounds amazing. How do I apply?”

“Go right on in, and when we have enough people, I will start the workshop.”

Within a half hour, we had as many as could fit in the space at one time and had to set up sessions throughout the rest of the day and the next day. It was incredible. A few people recognized me as the popcorn guy, and others had seen me here and there around town. As we all worked together, I felt the first real sense of community I’d experienced since leaving my streak. Sure, I’d met a lot of folks, but I’d never participated in anything with them that made it feel like a team. A family. And I’d missed that feeling so much more than I’d even realized. My eyes welled up more than once at the laughter and talking and creativity.

I’d been so worried about Eryx returning to find it half done and hating it, but as it came together, so complicated but the people were doing a great job, I couldn’t imagine how he wouldn’t love it.

How anyone wouldn’t.

My grandfather had been an artist and taught me a lot of what I knew, but once he passed on, I had developed my own style. One I hoped he’d have been proud of.

And it was done in time.

Chapter Twelve

Eryx

My knuckles went white as I gripped the steering wheel with more force than necessary on the drive back to Oliver Creek. I was thankful for the distance between who I had been and who I was becoming, both physical and mental.

Along the way, I put the windows down, letting the cool autumn air chill me out while the loud music gave me an outlet to be loud with my voice.

I’d wanted to be loud with my father, but after the first couple of words came out, I knew they would fall on deaf ears. So I stopped mid-sentence and left for the last time. No more defending my choices outside to my father more than I ever had in a courtroom.

He didn’t waste any time telling me that I’d never succeed. That I’d be back in months, a year or two if I was lucky. I’d be begging for my job back. Broke and hopeless. Helpless.

A failure.

My father wore a smile the whole time he was talking. Like my eventual ridicule and defeat were entertainment for him. A joy.

What kind of person took pleasure in seeing and expecting failure from their children?

How had I ever thought that emulating him would be fulfilling?

I’d been such a fool.

“Goodbye, Dad. I might fail. I might. But if I do, I’ll never come back here. Not to you to grovel. Not for my job back. Not for anything in the world. But at least I’ll have my self-worth intact. I’ll be able to look at myself in the mirror and not cringe at what I see.”

He didn’t speak a word after that. I left and told them if there was anything else, they would have to use email or a phone call to get it done.

While I was gone, Joaquin kept me updated on how things were going. I needed to pay him more. He had become somewhat of a project manager. Letting people in and out. Giving me updates.

From what Joaquin had told me, things were going well and I was ahead of schedule. That meant I could open sooner and have less of a drain on my savings. If possible, I would’ve liked to have some kind of nest egg left before the theater started making money.

My phone rang and it was Joaquin. My stomach fluttered with excitement. I was only a few minutes away from the theater and while I was more than eager to see the developments, I really wanted to see him.

He’d been on my mind the whole time. Distracting me from meetings. My thoughts wandered to him more times than it did the theater.