The Wrong Number

A sudden fame

(The paintings used in this chapter are not mine, but I want to appreciate the work. So a big applause to the real painters. And please don't sue me for using them.)

Aurora's POV

"What do you mean, it is shutting down? Like forever?" He asked shocked. 

I can understand him. I was shocked myself. And now this sudden attention from so many people. I am already feeling depressed.

"So now what?" He asked.

"I don't know. I will look for other jobs I guess."

"But then what about painting? Are going to work somewhere, where they need a painter?"

"I don't know. The painting jobs don't pay much. I can only do it for my love for painting, but to support my family I need to find a good-paying job." I said.

"Aston's salary should be enough for you all. You don't need to leave your passion for that." He pointed.

"No. I don't want to burden him and he has to marry someday. We don't have that much to offer. So I want him to save as much as he can for his future wife." I said dreamily. It was so satisfying to imagine my siblings settling down. 

"Why you... You are a saint, but really you should trust your brother. I think he will be very happy to take responsibility. He is a very bright kid, I have never seen someone learn so fast and could handle any pressure." He said. 

I loved the way he could see the ability in Aston, as I can always. He appreciates Aston for what he is good at.

"I know and I trust him. I know he can take responsibility for us, but I don't want him to. He is still very young. I want him to enjoy his years."

"And what about you? You don't want to enjoy your life? Don't you want to paint every day?" He asked.

I had no reply for that. After a few minutes, I said. "I will be very content if my family is happy." 

He suddenly stopped the car. I was confused, but I understood as I looked outside. We were already in front of my home.

He turned to me and put his arm behind my seat and moved closer. "And you think he be will not." He moved even closer. I was sticking to the window to make as much distance as possible, but he had another plan. He put his other arm around my back and pulled me towards him. Our noses grazed a little when he pulled me closer suddenly. "As a man, I should tell you that we put our family before ourselves. We want to protect them with everything we have." He said those words slowly and with so much emotion that I could tell he was being very serious.

I just looked down because looking into his eyes at that moment was very hard. He let his emotions display on his handsome face carefree. I nodded. He didn't say a word for the longest and I didn't dare to look at him. I was waiting for him to say something, but he didn't.

He moved his hand from my back to the back of my head. He bent over and kissed my forehead. "I don't know what I will do with you." He sighed and moved away. He got out of the car and opened the door for me.

We walked up to my door. He looked at me for the last time and instructed. "Tell them what happened and please, don't give Aston a hard time and accept whatever he offers for this situation. You are not the only one who cares, they do too. Don't hurt them by ignoring your happiness. They will want you to be happy too." He smiled, I think he remembered something.

"Remember the day, when we met at the graveyard. I told you that day also to not give up on your dream just to fulfill your duties. It will leave a bitter memory in your heart. You also deserve all that you want to give your siblings and they want that too." With those words, he left me standing there.