my attention.
I walked over to the kitchen and saw Evie sitting there at the table with what looked like a contract in front of her, her thumb clicking the pen nervously.
“I know it’s still early for us, but I promise you and your wife that your investment in us was worth every single cent.”
Sounded serious, and I had never seen her like this before.
Sure, she came from a family that knew how business was done, but she’s only ever wanted to party instead of following in her parents’ footsteps.
“Yes, she knows all about it and we will be ready for the grand opening in one month. Great, thank you so much, Michail. And tell Morgana I said hi!”
She hung up the phone and grinned at me, but I was suspicious and unsure to find out what kind of promise she made him.
With my arms crossed over my chest, I raised a brow waiting for her to explain it all.
“Okay, don’t freak out…but we’ll open the gallery in one month and Michail already sent some pictures of our paintings to potential clients who want to come check them out soon.”
My jaw dropped. “Evie…that building isn’t even close to being renovated. How on earth are we going to present our paintings in only one month?”
“Relax, Rooney. My parents have everything under control. I sent them the pictures of how we want the interior to look, and they have already hired people to start working on it tomorrow. We can finally sell our paintings and make money,” she said in a sing-song tone of voice.
Wasn’t complaining about that, but I wasn’t sure we could get everything up and running in just one month.
“Stop worrying, Rooney. God, they have everything under control and all we have to do is get our paintings to the gallery when it’s done.”
“It’s the lack of clients that’s worrying me, Evie.”
We didn’t have many connections other than people who liked art but would never buy them, and Michail’s connections first had to decide whether they wanted our art or not.
Nothing was sure as of yet.
“People talk, and before we know it, we have a line forming outside the building with people wanting to buy our paintings. I promise you.”
I took a deep breath and hoped for the best.
I’d have to send Michail a message to say thank you for everything he and his wife were doing for us.
I just hoped he didn’t expect much in return, because there’s wasn’t a lot I could offer.
Wells
There were quite a few people at the cemetery when I parked my car near the front gate.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned in my seat to look at Ira who was already taking in the few headstones he could see from afar.
“It looks scary,” he said.
“Well, it’s not a scary place, buddy. This is where all the angels are, and see how many people are visiting them?”
“Yes, there are people visiting their angels,” he said, suddenly feeling much better about the fact that we weren’t here all alone.
“Another thing, Ira. We have to be very quiet to not bother anyone, okay? We can talk to Mommy when we get to her.”
“Okay. I’ll be very quiet,” he promised me, whispering and holding his finger up to his lips.
“Now, do you have Hulk and the flowers?” I asked.
He wanted to hold them on our drive here, making sure they would stay pretty for his mom.
“Here,” he said, starting to unbuckle his seatbelt.
I got out of the car and helped him out, and with the flowers and Hulk in his arms, we started to walk along the graveled path to get to Leah.
I was starting to get emotional, not only because I would be close to Leah again, but because of Ira and his determination to meet her for the first time.
He was still young, but I was starting to think he really understood what all of this was.
We turned left where colored leaves covered the path, and Ira smiled as he stepped on them to make them crackle underneath his feet.
“It’s pretty here,” he whispered, and I nodded to agree with him.
“Here, Ira,” I said, stopping in front of Leah’s headstone, and Ira turned to look at the picture on it, smiling as he recognized her.
“Hi, Mommy!” he said in a loud whisper, waving at her and immediately making my eyes tear up.
Fuck…I knew I would get emotional, but not this soon.
I squatted down and pulled him between my legs, both facing the headstone and looking at