The Beautiful People

Kalama

It was very early in the morning. There were pink and purple streaks in the sky, still lying in bed and feeling as if a bus hit me. My head hurts and I’m sure I have dark circles under my eyes. 

I tossed and turned the entire night. I just couldn’t fall asleep. My mind kept going back to the conversation I had with the inhumanly beautiful stranger.

There were some thoughts that crossed my mind after he vanished. Could my mom be behind this? Try to convince me that the best course for me is to accept my destiny as the next chief? As quickly as those thoughts have passed through my mind, they were out.

If my mom had sent him, how could he have known about the painting, and that I was looking for it? I told no one about what happened. He even knew what painting I was searching for. So I concluded that mom couldn't have sent him.

If it wasn’t mom, then who sent him. Or why did he come and talk to me? 

Putting those questions on hold for now, I get out of bed to get ready for work. I remember I have to pass by dad's shop. I groan at the thought I have to go to the shop. This visit will not be pleasant. I am going to hear him out and then leave. I’ll go early, get in, get out. Like taking a bandaid off. I snorted at the thought of in and out at my dad’s.

I thought it would be a good Idea to park my car at the gallery and then walk to dad’s shop. The walk will help me clear my head and keep my nervousness in check. 

While walking to the blacksmith I notice that the air feels strange but I can not quite put my finger on it, why it felt so off. It feels almost like there is someone pushing me to the ground, like a heavy burden. It almost made me despair.

Shaking my entire body to get the feeling off, I continued my walk to my dad’s. Something else caught my attention. It was like last time. No birds singing, no bees zooming, not even dogs barking. It was deadly silent. I stopped walking and looked around, not knowing what I was looking for. It all felt odd. After a while, not seeing anything out of place, I continued heading to my dad’s.

I know I’m getting closer to the shop, not because I know where it is, but because of the unmistakable industrial odor of coal dust and molten iron, that will burn your nostrils the closer you get. And when you are almost at the shop, the clang of the anvil and the whoosh of the huge bellows welcomes you.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly, I smoothed out my dress pants and I walked into the workshop. I don’t go further than two steps. Dad sees me and he waves his hand, indicating me to come to him.

Rubbing my sweaty hands on my thighs, I walked over to him in the back of the workshop. Walking and keeping my distance from the huge forge, while paying attention to the smaller ones around. It was hot in the workshop, but it didn’t bother me.

Standing a few steps away from my dad, I said. “Good morning, I’m here, but I can’t stay long. Today is the opening day of the exhibition at the Gallery.” It came out rushed and shrill as I had to yell over the whooshing of the bellow.

Putting the hammer down and taking off his protective gloves, he wipes the sweat from his brow. He said  “Good morning, Kalama. Don’t need an explanation why you can’t stay. I know that you don’t want to be here, so I’ll make it quick.” With the gruff voice of his.

Turning, my dad takes a small box from behind him and not looking at me, gives it to me. “This was Granny’s and now it belongs to you.” Pressing his lips together, he grabs his gloves and starts putting them back on.

I stood there, unmoving. I was looking from the box in my hand to my father and then to the box again. I must have stood there for two seconds looking like someone watching a tennis match. “Why are you giving me this, now? Granny died a long time ago.” My voice sounded surprised and irritated.

“Kalama, why must everything be an argument with you? It’s Granny’s necklace you loved so much.” He said almost lovingly. I saw a glint in his eyes when he said that. “Mom and I thought you might like to have it.” He shrugged and gave me a half-smile. 

I walked back to the gallery with the box in my hand, thinking about what just happened at the shop. Could it be that my parents accept that I want nothing to do with being the next chief? Was this their way of letting me know that? I doubt that. My mom would never accept it.

I’m no leader. She needs to accept that. I’m glad I walked to and from dad’s shop. This way I have time to clear my head and be ready for the exhibition. I need to be on top of everything. If all goes well, this exhibition will open a lot of doors for Joyce.

Standing at the door welcoming the guests to the exhibition, my mind wanders off to Remy and our kiss. I haven't had the chance to call him yet. I know I’m the one that needs to call first, as I was the one that stopped the kiss and cried like an idiot.

I cringed inward and almost hit myself in the face with the folders I held in my hands, as I remembered that I ugly cried on him. 

I recognised him as soon as he stood before me, not because he was beyond handsome, but because of the same heat coming from his body as last time, and the same invasion of space that was starting to become familiar. 

Antone Grim.

“Good morning, Mr. Grim. Here is a folder with the items on display in this exhibition. Hope you and your guest will enjoy it.” I gave them the folders and showed them where to go. He smiled with tight lips and gave me a little bow with his head before he continued to walk towards the exhibition. 

The dark-haired woman accompanying him seems very familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my fingers on it. Putting the thought out of my mind, I went and mingled with the rest of the guests.

While making small talk I noticed that Antone and the woman he is with kept staring at me. It made me uncomfortable. I tried to check on the caterers when it hit me. The woman with Antone is the same rude woman from the elevator at mom's office. 

Remembering her eyes, I wanted to get a good look at them this time. To make sure what I saw last time was just the light playing tricks on me. Walking towards them, I saw the woman tell him something and then jutted her chin in the entrance's direction.

Antone crossed his hands across his chest with jaw clenching, that made his full lips pout a bit, his posture went rigid.

Curious to see why or who made his stance go from relaxed and staring at me to unfriendly and staring at the entrance with. I turned towards the entrance. To my surprise, I see the same beautiful man from the restaurant walking in. He too wasn’t alone. 

A woman walking beside him, she was holding on to his elbow. Looking like a goddess. Long blond, almost golden hair that seems to move on its own accord. Her eyes had an almond shape, and her eye color was the same as the beautiful man. High cheekbones and full red lips.

It's not the unearthly beauty of the two that mostly caught my attention, it is the fact that they resemble Antone Grim so much. One could say they would be siblings.

The two of them walked straight towards Antone and the black-haired woman. My curiosity grew more, and I wanted to know who these people were. Why was Antone so agitated? His jaw was clenching and unclenching the entire time.

Trying to not attract the attention of the foursome, I mingled with the other guests in the exhibition hall and made small talk with them, all the while sneaking more towards them. 

I don’t venture any closer to them for fear of being seen. I see the four of them in conversation. At first glance you would think they were some guests talking to each other about the exhibition. When looking closer you could see that they were having an argument.

Antone had his eyes narrowed to a slit and his mouth was twisted into a sneer, body still rigid. The blond goddess was standing like a statue, only moving her full lips, she was telling both of them something. The black-haired woman didn’t like it, her eyes flashed and her hand was balled into a fist.

The beautiful man from the restaurant moved over to the blond woman, told her something, and she nodded. I blinked, and he was gone. Turning around looking for him, I couldn’t find him. What just happened? Where did he go?

“Kalama, what are you doing?” At the mention of my name, I jumped, making the flyers almost fall off my hands and let out a yelp. With a hand on my racing heart, I looked behind me, and there he was. The beautiful man from the restaurant.

He was smiling at me, with one corner of his mouth lifted, the same mischievous smile he had in the restaurant. “Are you trying to eavesdrop?” he said with a small chuckle.

 “I...I...I.” I stuttered, trying to come up with a good excuse. 

“Don’t worry, you will find out soon enough.” He winked at me. Then he walked toward the other three. The blond woman met him halfway, took his arm and they both left.

Antone grabbed the black-haired woman’s shoulder, turning her to face him. He was talking to her and shaking his head. He gave her a kiss on her forehead before ushering her to the entrance and leaving.