The museum is closed. Taisha stared at the new exhibition and had been doing so for hours.
"Where in the Hell did the money come for this?" She asked herself.
Taisha understood the attempt to pull in the public over Valentine's Day with such a series of pieces. Still, this exhibit just seen to materialize out of nowhere.
"Valentine's Day, what a crock. What a humbug."
She had been a curator for years and nothing ever just appeared. The whole thing made her nervous. The timing. The twelve chocolate sculptures. And the fact a board member, who never expressed a bit of interest in any exhibit, suddenly showed up to her office championing this display,
"What a mess this will be. Someone has to touch it. Or it will melt. Or some kid manages to get their teeth in it."
Still the museum had housed sand paintings and ice sculptures all temporary at one time or another. The artist said he was not worried about it and assumed all liability for the pieces. So, the museum's exposure is minimal, she thought. The pieces are amazingly detailed, Taisha thought. She had yet to find a seam from casting or a tool mark on any of the pieces.
"Piduc Rose." Taisha said the name aloud and let it roll around in her head. She had no idea who the sculptor was. Of course, he was just as likely a chocolatier as sculptor. "Whoever he is he is prolific and talented. Any of the masters could have signed these -- were they not chocolate. All of them destine to disappear. What a waste."
She shivered. The room's temperature had been lowered to fifty degrees to stave off the chocolate's melting. It was the only way the museum could come up with to deal with the combined body heat of the expected crowds. "I need a jacket." she said to herself.
Leaving, Taisha made sure to close the close the glass door in an effort to keep the cool air in the room.
"Jesus, my nipples are rock hard. Well, I am sure that looks professional. I am just not sure which profession."
Although not a small girl, Taisha was always put together. But since becoming a teenager she had been over generously blessed with what many men frequently referred to, when they thought she could not hear, "All the right curves, in all the right places." Her bras constantly rebelled against the duress her F-size breasts put them under. And despite being tasteful, she always seemed to be poured into her clothes very so slightly. Her nipples proudly pushing their way out of her shirt only made that perception more real.
"Always wear a jacket in that room." She made a verbal mental note her physical gifts had benefited her career occasionally but more often seemed to get in the way.
Men, if they had not become the enemy, were seen by her roundly as an obstacle or distraction and as such they were to be kept at arm's length, preferably further. She crossed her arms upon seeing Mel, one of the night security personnel on his rounds. She was not anxious to be ogled tonight.
"Ms. Stokes."
"Mel." Taisha was constantly amazed, despite his obvious age Mel looked oddly twenty something. His rosy cheeks, a round apple of a face, and unkempt curls reminded her of the subject Gainsborough's "The Blue Boy" grown up but more cherubic somehow. She remembered when they hired him, however, he felt like he had been there forever, maybe before she arrived. It was this time displacement that made Taisha always uncomfortable around him.
"How's the new show coming?"
"Okay."
She tried to keep moving toward her office but the guard continued, "I never heard of the artist and walking these halls all these years I thought I had heard of most of them. I even did a little studying on the side. Have myself quite a little collection of art books -- still no, is it Mr. Rose?" He smiled broadly and warmly.
Taisha smiled back, "Yes. I have never heard of him myself. Melvin, I had no idea you were interested in sculpture, if you need any extra materials for your study or have a question -- please stop by my office. I am sorry I have to run and get a jacket, so I can finish up tonight." It was the quickest and most polite way to conclude the conversation she could think of in the moment.