For months Melissa worked really hard on her paintings for the exhibition. Sometimes she seemed to live in a world of her own and Sabine started to feel neglected. Occasionally, when she was feeling very tired and needed to go to bed she left Melissa still working at her easel.
"I won't be long," she'd say. "I just want another hour on this one." The hour often turned into three as she lost all count of time.
Sabine was very glad when sometimes Melissa asked her to pose for some of the paintings when the photographs were not quite right or inadequate in some way. As least on those occasions she got some attention and they were able to chat together. As the date for the exhibition grew ever nearer, Melissa worked more energetically, sometimes feverishly, but was quite pleased with the quality of her work.
The canvases were stored in lines all around the bottom of the bedroom walls until they were dry. Then they were framed as Melissa had enough money to do so, and were stored face to face in piles.
But eventually Melissa decided she had enough paintings for the exhibition. Early one evening when Sabine was rather late returning, she found Melissa kneeling in their lounge surrounded by paintings arranged in groups around the walls and covering most of the furniture.
"Gosh, darling!" cried Sabine. "Are you having your own private exhibition?"
Melissa looked up at her and smiled. "You could say that," she replied. "It's private today, but next week it's going to be public."
She stood up, walked over to Sabine who was gazing around at the paintings, threw her arms around her and gave her the usual welcoming kiss. "And now I want you to give me your candid opinion of my exhibition. I've arranged the paintings in three sections, one for each room at the gallery. I've tried to arrange an increase in the eroticism as the exhibition route moves onward."
Sabine moved around smiling. "They are really good Melissa. I can see the development of your theme now the paintings are arranged. You are clever!"
They came to the last line of paintings. Melissa stood behind Sabine and put her arms around her. "And what do you think of my gorgeous nude model?" she asked.
Sabine blushed and giggled. "Wow! Some of these don't leave anything to the imagination do they? The back views are quite explicit but at least they don't show my face, but in those last three I'm showing everything, and they even look like me." She giggled again. "I do hope none of my friends see those."
Melissa laughed. "I've phoned the gallery and I have the weekend to put the paintings up ready for the opening on Monday evening. Will you help me, darling?"
Sabine put her hands on Melissa's shoulders and looked into her eyes. She looked much more relaxed now her work was finished. "Of course I will. For you - anything."
"Anything?"
"Absolutely!"
"I'll remind you of that later this evening." Their long sensual kiss sealed the bargain.
* * * * *
On Saturday morning both girls were up early to pack the paintings into Melissa's car. The passenger seat, both back seats and the boot were filled, and still there were more. Melissa stopped Sabine as she emerged carrying more paintings.
"No more room!" she said. "I'll take these into the gallery and then I'll come back for you and the rest of the paintings." With a bang of the car door she was off.
Half an hour later she returned breathless and excited. "The staff at the gallery think the paintings are great," she cried. "Oh, I'm so relieved. But they want a complete list of all the titles. They like to do a printed title at the side of each painting and they like them in their own house style. Can you load the rest Sabine while I get the list off my computer?"
Sabine had, very thoughtfully, already brought the rest of the paintings into the hallway near the door so it didn't take her long to load up the remaining paintings. As she took her seat in the car Melissa came dashing out with her list. She handed it to Melissa as she sat in the driver's seat.
The proprietor of the Trio Gallery, Louise, and her secretary, Miriam, helped the girls to sort out the paintings into the correct rooms leaving the receptionist to prepare the titles in between serving customers who called in. With four of them working at it they soon had all the paintings hanging in the first gallery then, after a quick coffee, they hung the remainder.
They walked slowly around the exhibition with many compliments from Louise and Miriam and a few silent blushes from Sabine. Melissa decided to swap a few of the paintings around for greater effect and then with a final sigh of satisfaction said, "Well, I think that's it. All we want now is for a lot of people to come to view the paintings."
"I'm very pleased on that score," said Louise. "Miriam sent the invitations out two weeks ago, and I included the names you suggested. We've had well over 50 acceptances. There'll probably be a few more on Monday morning and you always get some people who don't reply but just turn up."
"Oh, that's very encouraging," Sabine commented. She knew the great effort Melissa had put into the preparation for the exhibition and wanted it to be a success.
The four sat in the reception foyer as the final check was made on the titles. "What exactly will happen at the reception?" enquired Melissa.
"Well, I thought we'd have the usual cheese and wine and a few bits and pieces to eat," said Louise, "and then, when everyone has arrived I'll welcome everybody and introduce you, Melissa. But, as on this occasion the whole exhibition is entirely your work, I'd like you to say a few words of explanation. Tell them about your theme and a little bit about what they can expect to see in the galleries."
"That's a good idea," Melissa replied. "I'll just say something briefly about each gallery before they view the paintings."
"That should get things off to a good start," added Louise. "And then you can walk around mixing with the guests in case they want to ask any questions. Miriam will, of course, be here to deal with any sales. You don't have to worry about that."
Melissa then fixed Sabine with one of her qizzical smiles. "There's just something else I'd like to do Louise which, I think, might add some interest for the guests."
"I'm always open to ideas for the Trio. What did you have in mind?" Sabine started to feel nervous.
"I'd like to introduce my gorgeous, sexy model, Sabine to everyone." She made an extravagant sweeping gesture towards her with her outstretched arm. Sabine went bright red with embarrassment.