Short Stories by Ryan Thomas

Author:Ryan, Thomas [Ryan, Thomas]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Far and Wide publishing
Published: 2014-01-14T05:00:00+00:00

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Claire brooded. Despair turned to depression. Finally, when felt she had reached rock bottom, feral instincts took control and logic devolved to cunning. A plan formulated. After all, she reasoned, was it not her job to keep her client happy and Jack was far from happy.

She sent a message asking Jack to meet her at the gallery. When he arrived she marched him down the street to an Italian restaurant. When the meals came Jack ate but Claire pushed at her pasta with a fork.

Jack watched her. Bemused yet intrigued.

“What’s on your mind Claire?”

Looking about to ensure other patrons were not listening she leaned forward.

“She has to go, Jack. Gillian. She has to go. You have to get rid of her.”

Jack found a dot on the table and focused on it.

“You have to tell her the marriage is over,” Claire went on. “You are a wonderful artist. A great talent. You’re not working. She is making you unhappy. That’s not a marriage. Not in anyone’s book.”

Jack’s eyes rose.

“You’re serious,” he said.

“Very serious. She has to go and that’s an end to it.”

Claire held his eye. She was determined not to look away. The waiter interrupted the optical showdown but she sensed a victory when she saw Jack was nodding as the waiter filled their glasses.

“You’re right Claire,” Jack sighed. “But you have to understand. Gillian is a wonderful person. You’ve seen the worst of her but she isn’t always like that. She just doesn’t see art as a profession. To her it’s a hobby. Why she wants to be with me I’ve no idea. She would have been much happier with a lawyer or an accountant. She wants her man to wear nice suits and take her out to dinner. She was a model, a social animal, and I’m not. Chalk and cheese. I wish it was different but she’s not the sort of woman you can leave on the shelf, is she?”

“No, she isn’t,” Claire responded.

“But you’re right,” Jack said. “Painting is my life. I’ll do it.”

###

But Jack procrastinated.

Weeks went by and nothing happened.

In the end Claire stepped in. She began by lunching with Gillian on a regular basis under the ruse of developing a friendship for Jacks sake. Lunches morphed into theatre openings and dinners. Claire ensured that Gillian and Jack’s relationship became a constant topic of conversation. She planted seeds of discontent. And having developed fertile ground she kept planting.

When Gillian announced the marriage was over, Jack had mixed feelings. He was sad to have lost his wife but exhilarated that he could now fully focus on what he loved most and that was his art. He promised Claire he would keep her gallery full and was true to his word. Without the constraints of the demanding Gillian he found his way once more and produced his finest works.

It was in that year that the tradition of Jack throwing a party to celebrate Claire’s birthday began. He always booked out one of the city’s best restaurants and ensured all her friends and her better-known clients attended.

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