My name is Lynette Adler. I'm 26 and I live in New York City. I'm a curator at the Guggenheim Museum of Art. I love doing what I do and all, even though it has gotten kind of boring.
My home life was also boring; my husband Derek, a Xerox salesperson, and I had a very large rift in our 6-year old marriage. All that plus my overprotective, overbearing mother lives with us. My life with my mother had been volatile since my father had died. He died when I was 13. I managed to do extremely well in my school years, both academically and socially. Post-high school, I had dreams of being a fashion designer and wanted to go to FIDM in California. But my mom had feared being all alone if I went to college in another state. So I went to community college and got my current job, putting aside all my design adreams. There are times I wish I would leave my job, mother, and husband behind and pursue my dreams.
I have been working at the museum for approximately four years, yet I still want to be a designer. Without my mother and husband knowing, I had been taking classes in art and design and applied to FIDM-San Diego, FIT, and the Art Institute of NY. Anyways, my museum's hosting an exhibit featuring the works of Peter Paul Rubens who happens to be one of my favorite painters. He's my favorite because his paintings feature big beautiful women, thus giving the term "rubenesque". The only benefit of working in an art museum is having to look at all the amazing works by many great artists. Seeing those Rubens paintings made me feel positive, being a BBW myself. My mom and husband would constantly badger me about losing weight. Honestly, I like being a size 22. If I had a dollar for every "You have such a pretty face..." comment my mom would make, I'd go on a shopping spree at Lane Bryant and Torrid.
That day, I gave a tour for a group of preschoolers and their parents. I don't mind giving out tours since I'm one of the best curators at the museum. After my morning/afternoon shift had ended, I had lunch with my best friends at Rosa Mexicanol and then drove over to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They, too, were having a Rubens exhibit except theirs include other works of art involving big women. I looked at the paintings, sculptures, and statues. While looking at the Rubens painting "Venus at The Mirror", I heard a male voice say, "What lovely work."
I said, "Why yes it is."
"Actually, I was looking at the person who's looking at the work." He said. I had blushed and giggled from what he had said to me.
I turned around to get a look at him. He was tall, dark, and handsome with black hair and dark brown eyes. He had a perfect, dimpled smile and a strong, muscular body.
"I'm Ian. Ian Mathison." He introduced himself to me.
"I'm Lynette. Lynette Adler." I said to him.
"Nice to meet you, Lynette." He replied as he kissed my hand.
"So what brings you to the Metro Museum?" He asked.
"I'm here for the Rubens exhibit. Rubens is one of my favorite painters. I work over at the Guggenheim Museum, but I don't tell them that." I replied.
"I like Rubens too. I loved that he has big women for muses in his art work and not pin thin women." He said.
"Me too. His paintings make me feel really good about myself as a big woman." I replied.
Ian then looked at my voluptuous frame and said, "You look very lovely today, Lynette."
"Thank you, Ian." I replied.
"I'm an artist myself. I'm a photographer and a painter. I was wondering if you would like to be my muse for my first painting." He said.
"I would love to. Anything to be away from my husband and mother. I shouldn't have said that." I said with a smile.
My cell phone suddenly rang. "Speak of the devil." I said, excusing myself.
I went to the ladies' room to answer my call. Derek told me that he'll be working very late this week and for the next three weeks and then a business trip to a convention in Atlanta after the three weeks. Then, I asked him about going on a "date night" with dinner, dancing, and romance. But he said he would be all tired and suggested we have a "date night" at another time. I told him I got plans before hanging up. I told my mom the same thing and she said she and her bridge club were going out that night as well.