By Chance

Chapter 4: The Showing

"Bethany and I just bought our first house!" He cheers and my eyes widen.

"What?" I deadpan.

"Bethany and I just-"

"No, I heard what you said." I sigh. "I just can't believe you'd buy a house with that demon before proposing."

"Stop talking about Bethany like that." He groans.

"You said that you were going to end it with her, didn't you?" Walking out of the bathroom, I grab my keys, wallet and necessities, and drop them into my pockets.

"No, you said that. I have never had any intentions of breaking up with her."

"Clearly not," I mumble, making my way to the front door of my apartment. "Listen, Aiden. I have a showing tonight and I have to go."

"Oh? I can't believe my little brother is making it big in Seattle." He gushes and I can almost hear the grin on his face. When we have family gatherings, he's always the first to talk about my art.

"I know, right? It's only been, what? My whole life?" I chuckle, locking the front door and make my way towards the staircase.

"Oops," he laughs. "Good luck. Sell something!"

"I can only hope." I say just before we mutter our farewells and hang up. In just a few minutes, I'm out of the building and standing in front of the studio. A doorman smiles at a few guests as they arrive from their taxis and personal vehicles. When I walk up to him, he gives me a big old grin, nodding his head at me simultaneously.

When I enter the studio, I'm surrounded by potential buyers and overly dressed people. A few waiters are scouring the scene, holding flutes of clear champagne. As one passes by, I slip one off of the tray and gently knock back the contents, trying to calm my jitters with my only relief: alcoholic beverages of the classy type.

"Caleb!" Someone shouts.

Turning towards the voice, I see Pierre, Janine's assistant, coming towards me with a clipboard in his grip. He flips over the top paper and scribbles something down as I hold the now empty glass.

"Yes?" I question him, standing up just a bit straighter to look more put together.

"Janine wants to know what the least amount you'll take for the Umbrella Girl piece."

"Whatever I can get, I suppose. Beggars can't be choosers," I smirk as he nods, walking away from me to most likely search for his boss.

Looking from art piece to art piece, I'm glad to see a couple of older gentlemen nodding at my Umbrella Girl canvas. Smiles adorn their faces as they motion to it with their champagne glass filled hands.

"It's looking well, so far." Janine appears to my right just as I cross my arms over my chest. Nodding, I agree with her as I look to Nolan's Elements piece which also has a few spectators.

"I think so, too."

"Go introduce yourself." She nudges me with her shoulder just as one of the men admiring my work looks over. Letting an easy smile fall onto my face, I walk up to the crowd, standing next to my art, grinning like a fool.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Caleb Alexander." I greet the people, standing straighter as the words fall from my mouth. "I have been an artist in Seattle for almost eight years, but I have been painting my whole life. If you have any questions, just ask me."

With that, the night is launched into a massive event involving flutes of alcohol, laughing, art and joy. A girl, around thirty years old is my guess, laughs along with a joke a possible buyer just told. Her hair is light brown, waves adorning her head from root to tip.