Watch Over Me by Daniela Sacerdoti

Author:Daniela Sacerdoti
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, General
ISBN: 9781845023669
Publisher: B & W Pub
Published: 2011-11-02T00:00:00+00:00

The night of the opening, after Eilidh had left, I just wanted to go home. But I couldn’t, because Silke was counting on me to schmooze the guests. I’m not very good at schmoozing at all. I even hate the word. But I wanted to help Silke. She had made a success of the opening, and though my business didn’t really need more advertising, I was happy to be part of it, for her, and for the other local artists.

So I went back in, feeling thoroughly awful, and hid it well.

There I was, networking – well, standing silent and smiling, really – when Emily Simms came looking for me.

‘Would you be so kind as to tell me more about your work?’ she asked skilfully, leading me towards one of my sculptures in a slightly secluded spot. I realised she wanted to speak to me alone.

‘I won’t ask you how it went. That would be nosy, wouldn’t it?’ she said, a hand on my arm. She had warm eyes and a lovely, wise face. She looked … serene. Something in her demeanour made me want to talk, which doesn’t happen often.

‘Not well,’ I said and took a sip of the tea Silke had put in my hand when I had come back in from the cold.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said and looked at the cup of tea in my hand, while everybody else was drinking alcohol in one form or other. She knows, I thought.

‘So … yeah, are you up here for long?’

‘No. I just came for one night. I came to meet you. I’ve been keeping an eye on your work for a couple of years now and I suggested to a few of my Australian friends that they do the same. They are very keen to get to know you better, and so am I.’

‘Well, that is very flattering. Thank you.’

‘I think there would be good chances for you to exhibit in Australia, all over the country. Do you think we can talk about it tomorrow? Silke is taking me for lunch in the local pub, then I’m driving back down.’

Exhibit in Australia? I was speechless.

‘I’d love to. Sure. Thanks.’

‘Better go now, it’s a long drive tomorrow. Oh, and Jamie …’

‘Yes?’

‘Can I be frank? I don’t want to embarrass you …’

‘Sure …’

She smiled and her face wrinkled up cheerfully, like it was used to smiling often. ‘I’m nearly sixty now. I have quite a bit of life experience and I think it’s always worth it to take a risk. Even when it doesn’t pay off immediately.’

And with that, she walked away.

I finished the night on Silke’s sofa, eating chips, and the awful sense of cold and loneliness left by Eilidh’s rejection was softened and smoothed by Silke’s companionship. Something about Silke seems to unknot me, to ease me into myself.

We sat together and chatted and ate, and I just hoped with all my heart that it would all work out for her, that Fiona would soon find the courage to bring their love into the light.

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