Erikah walked into the gallery with her friends and couldn't help but look the place over. She had been there during the day to help hang the couple of pictures of hers that were on display, but the place looked completely different at night. The lighting was adjusted, falling on the various photographs just right. Plus, the place was now overflowing with people, which always helped.
"Erikah, why didn't you tell us?" Veronica said teasingly as she was the first to spot Erikah's pictures.
"What are you talking ... Wow! In such a high traffic spot too," said Cassie as she saw the pictures, her eyes widening a little at the location of them.
"That's wonderful," was all Natalie said as the all-girls group hugged before going over to the display.
Erikah smiled as she watched her three best friends admiring her work. They had been her biggest supporters through the rough times when she was first getting started with her art and now they were just as proud that she was finally getting the recognition she deserved. Sure, this was only the beginning, but it signaled so many wonderful new opportunities for her. Her friends knew that, too, and they were so happy for her.
"All right you three, lets look around. We've got to stop blocking everyone's view," Erikah said teasingly. She was trying to get her friends to stop making such a big deal about her pictures. Compliments about them always made her a little funny; she was just too shy about her photographs. Then she chuckled to herself as she noticed that there were only a couple of people looking at them anyway.
"You know I need to find one of those cute guys with the champagne," she said quietly to Veronica as they walked away.
***
Jake was wandering the gallery looking at the photographs, trying to find something for his apartment. He wanted something professional that he could proudly hang on the wall, not like the amateur pictures that he had taken.
He walked around a corner as four ladies walked away from a display giggling to each other. The giggling was with a dignified air, not the little school girl giggles he hated so much. Walking over he looked at the pictures they had just left. The first thing that went through his mind was how amazing they were. Something he could not pinpoint made them stand out far above the others he had seen.
"I'm going to have to ask Johnathan about these," he said to himself softly as he sipped his champagne, staring at the pictures.
"See anything you like gorgeous?" he heard just as he was about to walk away. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Johnathan.
"I was just thinking about you...," Jake said pausing for effect. "What can you tell me about these photos?" he asked, pointing to the pictures in front of them.
"And here I thought you were thinking about me, not just some silly pictures," Johnathan said with a mock hurt to his voice, knowing Jake was 100 percent straight. "What I can tell you is that you just missed the artist. Her and her wonderful friends were here not two minutes ago. She's new and I must say she has an amazing future ahead of her," Johnathan said, laying his hand lightly on Jakes arm "Would you like to meet her?"
Johnathan took Jake by the arm and started leading him through the gallery before Jake had a chance to agree or disagree.
***
"Erikah darling ..." Johnathan proclaimed as he walked up to the ladies, dropping Jake's arm and kissing a strikingly beautiful woman on the cheek. "I have someone you simply must meet," he said motioning to Jake. "This gorgeous man is Jake Roberts, he is the architect behind this behemoth of a gallery," he said teasing Jake as Erikah moved near him.
As Erikah turned, she gave the man a quick once over. He looked familiar, but she couldn't quite figure out why or where she might have seen him. There was just that something about him. It was something that seemed to pull to her and make her want to know more.
The first thing Jake noticed as she turned was her eyes. The color was unlike any he had seen before. They were dark and yet so full of life and beauty. They showed like emeralds in the gallery lighting. It reminded him of the Emerald City. He couldn't take his eyes from her. The woman's hair, her face, it was all pure beauty.
"Jake, this is Erikah James. She is the artist who took the pictures you were asking about," Johnathan said with a smile as he saw the look on Jake's face and knew what he was thinking.
The two shook hands politely and Jake felt a twinge run up his arm at the contact. It shook him out of his stupor enough he could actually talk. "Your pictures are amazing. Can I ask for details about them?" he inquired. It took that moment for him to compose himself. The biggest problem was that he knew he had blushed; a pretty woman did that to him and he had never seen one quite like her. In that moment he hoped to God she hadn't noticed.
"Of course you can," Erikah said with a smile. She noticed the slight change of color in his cheeks. It was nice to know she wasn't the only one affected by the meeting. She then proceeded to tell him a little bit about where they had been taken, what some of the surroundings were, nothing too detailed, just the basics.
Their conversation continued as they sipped champagne, finally agreeing on a price and that she would deliver them the following Tuesday. Jake had mentioned plans with some friends and Erikah had her own plans that weekend. It just worked out better for them both.
Jake took out one of his cards and wrote his address on the back and handed it to her. "Let me know what time you can deliver them. Any time after six is the best for me with work and all. I hope that isn't a problem."
"No, it's not a problem at all. Shall we say seven, just to be safe?" she replied as she noticed the address on the card. "Manhattan," she thought, "He must be doing okay," and tucked the card into her purse and the group parted ways.
***
Jake wandered around for the remainder of the evening, occasionally seeing Erikah and her friends, chatting lightly with them as they looked at some of the same artwork. Much to Johnathan's disappointment, though, he skipped the after party. He knew he had to work the next day and didn't want to go in with any kind of hangover.
When he got home he couldn't help but think about her, the woman from whom he bought the photographs. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep right away, so he looked around his apartment and tried to figure out the best places to hang the pictures. When he had decided, he went to bed. He was pleased to have finally found the exact pieces he had been seeking.
The next morning when he arrived at work, he was called into his boss's office. His boss told him to sit and simply pointed to a chair. Jake could tell by the look in his eyes that he was not happy. He never understood his boss or anything the old man did.
"I'd like to hear your explanation for this," Mr. Anderson said gruffly as he flipped a portion of the days' Times at him.
Jake picked it up and looked. His jaw almost dropped to the floor when he saw a picture of himself with Johnathan at last nights opening, the caption proclaiming him as the brilliant up and coming architect behind the new gallery. He hadn't even realized anyone was going to be there from the paper. Yet the more he thought about the more he smiled to himself. Perhaps this was the push he needed.
"Well sir, I think it pretty much explains itself. Yes, I did design Johnathan's new gallery," Jake said defiantly. He was getting more and more tired of being treated like an educated flunky every day. It was time he stood his ground.
"Jake, I think you need to take a serious look at your future, whether you want to work here or not. I expect your complete attention when you are in this office. If you are trying to do work on your own, then I don't think I'm getting everything I need from you. Now if you would please go try to accomplish something useful for the company," Mr. Anderson said abruptly, ending the conversation.
