[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

in the state. It would be important to her if you came.
 If it was so damn important to her, Adam drawled, sounding a lot like the Devil in Lucas s tired
mind,  why didn t she come here and invite her mother herself?
Lucas looked Adam up and down with open distaste.  I think we all know why Belinda refuses to
come here.
Amanda s pale cheeks reddened and she looked away.
 She don t need you fighting her battles, boy, Adam replied with a grunt.
 No, but I will. Lucas met the older man s gaze and held it until Adam s finally faltered. He turned
back to Amanda, but he knew the answer already.
 I m happy for her, Lucas, I really am 
 You should be proud of her. His pounding head made it hard to think clearly.  She s worked hard
to overcome all this. To make her dreams come true. She shouldn t have to feel as if all her work means
nothing to you.
Adam, apparently, had enough. He stood, trying to intimidate. Lucas ignored him, keeping his gaze on
Amanda.  Please. Come with me to see her.
For a brief second, Amanda wavered. She looked to the door, back to her husband and finally down to
her own hands.  Things have changed a lot around here, Lucas. They really have.
Lucas shook his head.  I wish that were true, Mrs. Riggs. He waved off Adam s move to help him to
www.samhainpublishing.com 115
Dee Tenorio
his feet, getting up all on his own.  Thanks for the tea.
Creaking his way to the door, he looked back briefly to see Amanda rubbing her fingers over the
glossy announcement, her head bowed. No, some things probably never did change. But Belinda had found
her way out of here and that alone was enough change for him. Someday, hopefully not too long from now,
she d realize what an accomplishment that was.
He could only hope to be there when she did.
It was a month and a half before Belinda came out of her haze. She woke up every day, ignoring the
wetness on her cheeks, to take a shower, feed the dog and go back to work on her novelty items. Work, if
lacking in creativity or passion, did pass the hours. Then the days. Eventually the weeks, but it didn t fill
the hollow space that only seemed to grow in her.
Lucas didn t call. She didn t expect him to. For the first time in years, the three blocks to his
apartment seemed too far to travel, too painfully close to bear. Not that she ever saw him. Either he holed
up as tightly as she had or he made it a point to steer as clear as humanly possible from anywhere she might
be.
She didn t blame him.
After she d pushed him out of her apartment her life she didn t have the energy to blame anyone.
To feel anything. She was just a blank space people called Belinda. Corrine called several times, each time
more worried than the last, never reassured by Belinda s unimpressive claims to be fine.
She roused herself at Kyle s insistence to attend the far smaller hotel ballroom party to announce
the winner of the New Cultural Designer of the 21st Century fountain design. Apparently, Kyle had finally
talked his Jessica into speaking to him, so she came along. Jessica had a somewhat nervous look about her,
as if she weren t completely convinced Kyle wasn t planning to spring an invitation to a threesome on her.
Belinda didn t comment on her misapprehension.
Kyle, unfortunately, had no trouble expressing his suspicions.
 You look like shit. He sat next to Belinda in his nicest suit, Jessica in the opposite seat, tsking at
him. Behind them, on a screen that descended above the podium and stage, played the design schematics of
each finalist s design, introduced by none other than Yvonne MacInerney, interrupted every now and then
by the sound of someone coughing in the back of the room.
 Screw you. Without any malice, the words didn t mean much. She watched the rotating designs,
considering the cost and manpower required to build each one. It was going to be close.
 Kyle, you re not helping, Jessica admonished politely. She tipped her head to the other four people
at their banquet table, all of them listening to Yvonne yammer on about each designer s history and
approach to the project. Belinda blandly noticed how comfortable Yvonne appeared on stage, her newly
116 www.samhainpublishing.com
All or Nothing
long and coppery hair pulled into some kind of complicated updo. Her comfort wouldn t last long.
Belinda scooted back her chair, stretching her legs out between her and Kyle. She hadn t dressed up
for the event. She d basically put down her blowtorch and got into her car to meet them at Kyle s place.
She was wearing her work boots, her overalls, a paint splattered black shirt and the bandana she used to
cover her hair. Thankfully, it was growing out. She didn t bother to get it dyed back to black. It wasn t
worth dealing with.
 Our final designer tonight is local city artist, Belinda Riggs. Yvonne choked for a second, plastering
a smile on her face while her eyes darted around nervously so she could avoid the teleprompter. The crowd
waited, including the cougher, for her to continue, but Yvonne continued to fight the pained expression
trying to form on her face.
Kyle caught the flub, but rather than think anything less of Yvonne, he turned back to Belinda.  What
did you do?
She ignored him, her eyes on the woman on stage, resplendent in gold lamé, right up to the highlights
that made her poofy hair resemble that of an electrocuted Jane Fonda.
 Belinda& was born and raised here in San Diego County to& Adam and Amanda Riggs, who will
be& celebrating their thirty-fifth anniversary by the time this fountain is completed. She s worked her
ahh& she s worked for many years to reach this point in her career, making pieces of sh sheet metal art
for commercial art shops all over the county. Her work represents a life dedicated to the self& lessness and
the pursuit of& true& art.
 She s fast on her feet, Belinda mumbled more to herself than anyone else as Yvonne took a visible
sigh and the crowd applauded politely. The speedy editing almost sounded like a tribute instead of the
diatribe she d written about the crappiness of her life. Kyle s sharp gaze was joined by his tight grip on her
wrist and a brief, firm shake of her hand. Nothing of his urgency registered. Not even the old fears
triggered.
 Are you trying to cost yourself this commission? he snapped in a low, angry voice.
 Kyle, no. Jessica laid a hand on his shoulder and glanced around at the other people there who no
doubt had caught on to them.
He didn t seem to care.  Answer me!
But Belinda didn t have to. She just looked at him, letting him see the shell that was left of her.
He dropped her hand and swore disgustedly.  What are you two doing to each other?
 Nothing. She and Lucas could do nothing to each other. Not anymore.
He looked like he wanted to say more, but before he could get started not that she would have
listened Yvonne was opening the envelope with the winner s name on it.
 Oh, this is so exciting! she cooed, tearing past the red sticker seal with a flourish.  And the New
Designer of the 21st Century is&  She frowned, paused as if rereading to make sure she was understanding
www.samhainpublishing.com 117
Dee Tenorio
her note correctly.  Belinda Riggs.
And that s when it happened. The haze dissipated. Suddenly the lights burned, the flashing bulbs
stung Belinda s eyes and shock like she d never known slammed sensation into her.
She stared up at the dais, to the animated 3D computer representation of her fountain with its
smooth steel curves and carved glass bricks and balls forming its joints and realized it wasn t a dream. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]