It Takes As Long As It Takes

Chapter Nineteen

Notes:

Hello everyone! I just wanted to thank you all for your encouraging messages on here and my tumblr. I want to reassure everyone that I will be continuing with this story and that we will get to our clexa happy ending. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

There is a special shout to one of my favorite artists in this fandom. See if you can figure out who it is.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Clarke looked all around her, taking in the chaotic scene. People were running about, trying to get every little thing in perfect order before the opening that evening. Kane was at the center of it all, giving out orders left and right. There had been some last minute changes with the arrangements of some of the paintings, and he was trying to get them moved into their new places. As people weaved around her, she took a moment to appreciate the fact that she was actually seeing the end result of her months and months of planning, and if she really thought about it, her many years of dedication to her craft.

Watching Kane work, Clarke had to admit that even though he drove her crazy sometimes (most times), he really had been quite instrumental in getting everything to come together. He had a great vision for the event, and then worked diligently with her to make it possible. His natural charisma and leadership, along with his attention to details, really complemented her own big-picture focus and desire to focus on her art. He dealt with all the details, made all the behind-the-scene arrangements, and made sure things were executed as planned. She was grateful, for sure, and she made a mental note to thank him with a bottle of his favorite wine after this was all over. She thought perhaps she should take him out to dinner too, but had to first consider if she really wanted to hear him lecture her more about everything she could be doing to promote her career.

She felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. This was really happening. She had pictured this moment ever since she decided to pursue a career in art instead of medicine, which had been expected of her all her life, at least from her physician mother. But she always knew this was where her heart lay. And now she had the chance to show everyone that she could be successful in this field.

She was now a long way away from being that precocious kindergartener who taped up her crayon drawings of the animal cartoon characters she made up and led her friends around to look at them. She smiled at the thought that tonight, she would once again lead her friends around, forcing them to look at the art she created. She hoped that perhaps they would be prouder of her than her childhood friends were, who had all lost interest after the third picture she showed them.

Her smile turned wistful as her eyes fell on her painting of a knight chess piece, dedicated to the memory of Wells, who was one of those childhood friends she led around so many years ago. He was the only one who, instead of walking away bored like the other children, stayed behind and told her he liked her drawings. That was when they had first become friends. Throughout their years of friendship, he had always promised that he would be here to support her, at her first major gallery opening, to be able to tell everyone that he saw the talent in her before anyone else. She knew he would be here if he could have. She hoped he would be proud of her.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a voice behind her.

"Excuse us, Miss Griffin."

Turning around, she saw two workers carrying a stand with her welcome sign. She glanced at it briefly before moving aside for them to place it near the entrance just behind the large floor to ceiling glass window looking out into the street. It was a simplistic sign, showing just her name, the name and date of the event, with a short quote related to the theme of the event, and the name of her representation. And at the very top of the sign was the flowing paintbrush that she had chosen to use as her logo.