Because You Made Me Remember
Chapter One
Elizabeth Webber was faintly listening to the conversations going on around her as she milled through the crowd, barely sipping at the champagne flute in her hand. Most of the snippets she caught were complementary though, and that made her smile.
"Marvelous use of color!"
"She has an extraordinary eye..."
"I love the energy emanating from this one."
"You can tell she's an extremely passionate woman!"
"I wonder if she plans to sell any of her work?" This question she answered aloud to the couple asking. "All of my work, except for one special painting, is for sale. You'll need to speak to my agent, Muriel if you're interested in purchasing." She gestured in the direction of Muriel Vanetti, her manager/agent before walking on. Her body was buzzing and she felt almost as if she was floating. She had done it! Her very own art showing, finally. A dream in the making since her teenage years, and she finally made it happen. It almost still felt like a dream, she realized as she looked around the gallery, watching the art patrons who were here to view her work. To be so well received on top of completing months of concerted effort was a bonus, icing on the cake.
Initially, she had been so nervous when Muriel suggested the show that her first thought was to say no. She had faith in her work, but that faith was limited. She loved each painting almost as much as she loved her boys, but how would the public see her work? Did she really want to open herself up to that kind of scrutiny? Muriel was insistent, however, and Elizabeth acquiesced. As usual, Muriel was right. "Sink or swim, Eliz. How will you know how truly great you are if you never put yourself out there? Stop playing it safe, and go for it." She wasn't sure where this show was leading her but she was gaining confidence in the positive direction by the day.
"You're a triumph, Lizzie." Elizabeth turned from her musings to face her brother Steve and her best friend Robin, the only two friends she had the courage to invite.
"Thanks, Steve. I'm starting to get that impression, too. I think they really like what they see." Robin added, "I like what I see, too. You look great-radiant. That color green on you is very flattering. How do you feel?"
"It's kind of hard to describe," she responded. "I feel like I'm floating, yet I've never felt more grounded in my life. I'm so glad Muriel talked me into it."
"Muriel just gave you the push you needed," said Steve, "but I think eventually you would have gotten here on your own. All you needed was confidence in your abilities, and I'm thinking after tonight that you'll never doubt yourself again."
She laughed, tossing her head back as she turned the champagne flute in toward her heart. "You may be on to something! I certainly feel more accomplished than I have in a long time." Muriel walked up to the group, beaming widely. "I just want you to know that we've sold five of your paintings so far! There was almost a bidding war for 'Remembrance Bouquet' before it went for eight hundred and seventy dollars."
"Is that good?"
"For a first showing? I'd say so! Stick with me, Webber. I'm putting you on the map!" The threesome laughed as Muriel spun away from them toward more potential customers. "Is she always like that?" asked Robin. "Pretty much," Elizabeth responded. "She's a bundle of energy, that's for sure. She's been a great manager and she's worked tirelessly on my behalf. I'm extremely grateful to her." "So," Steve wondered, "are we about to lose our best head nurse to the world of art?" Elizabeth smiled a mysterious smile. "I'm going to have to plead the fifth on that one, for now."