~~~Hugh's POV~~~
"Good morning cutie. Ready?" I asked Dorothy as she came downstairs in a white based floral dress and white sneakers.
"Good morning sweetie. Did Dex leave?" She asked, eyes wandering around the whole place.
"Ah I don't know. I just came." I answered.
"But he leaves by eight thirty- forty five." A frown adorned her face as she hurried downstairs.
"I never noticed." I said suddenly shocked at a piece of information that I'd never noticed. This girl did it so quickly.
"Jane?" I called out.
"Yes Mr Ryder?" She came with her all time favourite broom.
"Did Ter leave?" I asked after rolling my eyes at her formalities.
"Yes. He left around seven today. Woke me up early with all the noise." She muttered the last part. Poor old lady. I offered her a nod.
"Jane, by the way, it's Hugh next time." She nodded and went back to cleaning.
"Yep. So your Dex left." I told her.
"Oh.." Her evergreen smile faltered a little but she picked it up again.
"Did you have the breakfast?" She asked.
"Not yet." I told her honestly before my stomach grumbles and let the not-so-hidden cat out of the bag.
"So sit and have it no. Come I'll serve." She walked towards the kitchen.
"And you?" I asked.
"Not in a mood darling." She sang.
She brought me the breakfast and then herself went upstairs.
When we were about to leave, she came outside with a small bag.
"What's that?" I asked as we walked to my car.
"I hope you don't mind me taking it. They are sandwiches." She grinned.
"Oh. You sure can take it." I reciprocated and off we went.
We reached my gallery, I parked my car and took her inside.
"Wow." She exclaimed at the board outside.
"It is the fifth board since I have started this place." I told her, excitement within me difficult to restrain. Atleast she noticed!
"You painted it?" She asked.
"Yes. Come! There's a lot more." I guided her inside into the small lane in the gallery. First left room was the small hall where paintings were for display.
"These are the pieces for display. First you would like to visit these or the ones that are for sale?"
"I wouldn't mind either but let's begin from here?" She looked inside.
"Yup." I escorted her inside.
"This is one of my fellow painter's best painting. He is good at abstract art. Like if you could make out what this means." I pointed at a picture.
She studied it carefully. "These is geometric abstract art. Shapes in different colours which look good to people."
"Presentation of abstract thoughts on canvas which put up brain puzzles and relax you at the same time." She remarked.
I looked at the painting.
"Indeed. I never noticed that." I mumbled.
"Show me the others." She nudged me.
I gave her a tour of the whole hall and she gave similar comments almost each time.
"Now, I'll take you to my own paintings, finished recently." I took her hand and guided her.
I had private room for myself with a small cupboard and canvas stands.
"That is the one I finished yesterday. I'll just give it to one of my comrades for the fine details of this girl's hair and then we will get it framed." I explained it to her.
"Why? Why don't you leave it like that?" She asked gesture asking if she could touch it.
I nodded.
"Look here her hair is simply painted. I have neither given the texture nor different shades. She is standing in rain and that is supposed to give her clothes, hair different shades to highlight wet and dry regions. As if she happens to be waking in rain, alone by chance." I inhaled deeply, staring at the form colours had taken on the white sheet.
"Hugh. You could picture it in a different way. Like view it as the girl has deliberately walked into the rain. She seeks relief in the nature's arms. Somethings of her past are clouding her head and feeling rain pour down, drenching her softly, caressing her skin with both-harshness and gentleness comforts her. She is not there by happenstance. She is there because she wants to. And by not clearly giving much attention to the colour and texture, you can express that rain washes away pain, some feelings which a person doesn't wish to have. It might not be rejuvenating , however you know it just makes you prepared to see what lies ahead." She sighed.
I turned my gaze away from the painting. To her.
"I.. I mean it's just the way I see it. I don't intend to make you change your decision. It is beautiful by the way and of course you are a wonderful painter." She smiled brightly.
"Dorothy."
"Dorothy!" I enveloped her in a tight hug which took her by surprise.
"You are amazing. That was so insightful! You made me see my own work in such a different light. You... Thank you so much. Can I like borrow your idea?" I asked her.
"What? Oh it's your painting, your idea. I just explained it to you. Like cleaned the glass you were looking at things through a little bit." She shrugged.
"I .." I shut my mouth. Staring at the amazing painting and the amazing girl.
"Will you not show me any more?" She asked as I kept staring at her.
"Come.." I held her wrist and took her outside the room.
"Just wait here for a second. I'll be back." I walked towards the colleague of mine whom I'd to give my painting for finishing.
"Jeff, hey." I patted his back.
"Morning." He wished.
"Don't take that girl one for extra touch ups. I believe I should leave it like that." He nodded. I didn't think he even paid attention but when I went back to Dorothy, she was standing at the threshold of the child's play corner of the gallery.
The kids of different age groups were chattering and giggling and focussing and drawing and painting.
"Dor?" I said softly.
She turned her neck towards me.
"What is this?" She asked.
"These kids are from middle to lower class families. Their parents can hardly pay their school fees, let alone paying for drawing classes. Some of them just do it on their own and others learn from my fellow painters. I am neither much into children nor into systematic art. So, I don't do that but others do. They are wonderful artists." I smiled at the children.
"That's so thoughtful." She remarked, looking at me.
"Yeah.. I don't like those charity balls and events. They are just famous people talking, partying and displaying extent of their richness. This is innovative and right in my opinion." Pointing at the place, I practically ranted, just the way I did when dad offered Ter and me to accompany him to one of the charity balls.
"I like the parties you know? I love them infact. There are so many people, so many talks, so many se.. Dresses. Wonderfully dressed women. I meant." She smirked.
"I thought you are into men." I winked.
"That was implicit. Plus. I am Dex's girlfriend." She did a slight turn with a hair flip and chuckled.
"You and your Dex." I shook my head before taking her to another room and showing the paintings for sale.
"You guys are rich?" She queried innocently.
"Depends. Look, I have wealth due to dad. That is why I could set this up. But dad has handed me a limited amount and asked me spend it as I would. You know, if I had not had money and worked it all up, it would have been too famous, might be years later. But why would I try to begin from scratch, when I have the assets. So I used that money to establish this place. My colleagues are hardworking and we do employ people for part time. We get substantial amount by the tickets required for entry. Rest, the painter whose paintings are sold, get their own money." I explained.
"That's well planned huh." She folded her hands, thinking about it.
"But we didn't buy a ticket." She frowned spontaneously.
"You are just like my family. Not formally though but you are." I squeezed her shoulder.
"Thank you." She smiled.
"Anytime."
Something changed in the way I looked at her. Drastically.
^^^
~~~Dex's POV ~~~
"May I come in?" I looked at the door with shock. That voice? It couldn't be.
"May I come in?"
I couldn't be imagining her right? Why would I even think of imagining her?
How would she be in my office?
It might be someone else.
"Lawrence?" I spoke in the phone.
"Yes sir?"
"I asked not to let any one into my cabin."
"Yes sir. You did? Any changes in the plan?" He joked.
"Who is there knocking at the door?" I gritted.
"No one." He replied.
"What?"
"No one sir. Anything else?" He asked.
"No."
I put the phone down and got up.
Ghosts don't exist. Check.
My assistant is not audibly challenged. Check.
My assistant is not visually impaired. Check.
I am not in depression to start feeling reptiles around. Check.
My security guards won't allow idiots inside. Check. Not.
I slowly took steps towards the door.
One small step at a time.
Something was definitely wrong.
I moved my hands towards the the knob.
"Dex! You can't ignore me like that!" The door blasted open and white and red filled my eyes as the room permeated with her scent.
"You fool!" I whisper yelled.
"Greetings to you too sweetheart. I got you something." She raised her hand with a polybag.
"Get the hell out." I blocked her path and she nearly walked into me.
"Dex please. I wanted to have breakfast with you. Please please please." She began whining. I pulled her inside roughly and shut the door close.
"Ouch." She rubbed her hand.
"Never mind." She grinned.
"You are so rich. Wow." She looked around in awe as I calmed my heart. That's why you're here. Proof of my richness.
"What the **** are you doing here?"
"Me? Umm. Preparing to start my Olympic swimming trial. Ready?" She asked enthusiastically.
"What?" I scrunched up my eyebrows, pocketing my hand, staring down at her not-so-small figure.
"I stated obviously that I was here to have breakfast with my boyfriend. My darling. You left early, without telling me. You must have been hungry. Here are cheese sandwiches. Come, we will have them together." She moved towards my table.
"Don't touch anything with your filthy hands." I warned.
"Dex I will wash them a thousand times, bathe with holy water and even then I'll be filthy for you. Please, let's have the breakfast no." She requested.
"No. Get out." I pointed outside.
"Do you want to have it alone? I will sit..." Her eyes roamed around the room and stopped at the small couch in the corner behind her.
"Yup. There. I won't even look at you. Finish eating and tell me. I'll wait for you." She clasped her hands.
"Get. Out. Right now." I blanked.
"Darling! I am your girlfriend. Please." She pouted.
"You are disgusting." Giving her a distasteful look, I strode to my chair and settled down.
"Dex come on." She pleaded again.
"I'll call the security." I snapped.
"Fine. You will be disgraced for sending your own, sweet girlfriend away so cruelly." She folded her arms.
"No one. I repeat no one knows that you are what you claim to be. In fact, you are just a brainless idiot, who is hankering after money. Following me around, just for money. Don't you have self respect? How can money be so important? That you're ready to sacrifice everything for its sake? There are hundreds of women who do the same thing as you are doing right now. But you know what? They have teeny weeny bit of dignity. They leave after they realise that they are going to get nothing. Neither money nor attention. From me at least. I can get you thrown out. Accuse you of troubling me with pathetic, baseless talks and what not. Do not doubt my powers. I assure you, however damn shameless you may be, I'll make sure you get back your dignity. Your self respect. So that you can stop doing this shit for money." I finished. I was standing by the time, breathing sharply.
"Hmm. Three things Dex. First thing. You are frustrated because I rejected your tempting offer. I couldn't help it. I am sorry. Second, yes. I am too obsessed with money to care about..." She sighed briefly.
"Self respect and dignity. I don't have any and it's not unknown to either of us. And third, you know what? All you said made it clear that you are not as bad as you act to be. The only reason why you are mean to me is that you want me to get away from you. Before the stipulated time. Trust me darling, I am not going away before the time period ends. You can keep apprising me of how much of a detestable creature I am and the extent of my worthlessness. False or true stuff." She shrugged.
"Sacrificing my 'self respect'. Just being disgustingly yours." A small leer appeared on her face. A smirk, I would have said but it was ambiguous.
I ground my jaws together.
"You are a witch." I hissed.
"As you say." She smiled innocently.
I sat down, staring angrily at my laptop.
"Sandwiches?" She mumbled.
I took the packet from her hand swiftly and threw it in the dustbin.
"Hey!" She exclaimed.
"I would have thrown you inside this too. But alas. One trashcan can not hold another one. Right?" I retorted.
"However, that one will fit in this one." She pointed at herself.
"Just like all the trash that you say does." She suddenly shut up.
"I am sorry. I shouldn't have said that. My apologies." She sighed, looking down at my table.
"Shut up."
"I am sorry." She stood quiet.
Few minutes later, when I could no longer bear her standing there, I got up, pulled her by her arm and took her to the door.
Pushing her towards the door, I shut it in her face, locking it.
Loosening my tie, I sat down. I raked my hand through my hair. An unusual palpitation was raging in my heart. A weird feeling. Something was not right. I am not used to such people. Such women. No. I'm just not used to her.
-----------------------------------------------------
Hey Berries!
How are you people? And how was the chappie? Hope you like it!
I know I posted a whole day late. I'm sorry about it. Something really really important came up.
Even right now, half of my eyes are closed and it is not proofread. Atleast point out mistakes peeps. I won't mind it. I read the last chapter today to get a hang of where the story is heading and I spotted a mistake. Please, if nothing else, criticise. It doesn't cost anything and it'll be greatly helpful to me.
Anyhoo, how are you doing? Any trouble? Anyone troubling you? I am a good listener. Even if I respond weirdly... Ahem.
I'm sure as hell being treated like an alien at this new place. I'm in quarantine for Fourteen days since I arrived here by flight. And ughgh! It's like I myself am a personified version of corona virus. Huff!
By the way, do you believe in ghosts? Tell me... My younger brother.. Who is too young says he sees something on my fan. Lol it's scary at times.. But he might be good at making stories so you never know.
Okie! Dokie!
Please keep supporting!
Thanks for reading!
VOTE & COMMENT!
XOXO❤️