Ethan had just parked the car at a nearby carpark and now he and Cal were making their way to the gallery.
"I'm sure Jess said it was near here." Ethan said, looking at the map feature on his phone. "Yes, just down the road here." He finished, striding off again. Cal rolled his eyes and sighed and followed him.
"So, are you planning on pulling the gallery owner tonight?" Cal smirked as they walked down the street.
"What?" Ethan looked at him confused.
"Well, what's with the suit?"
"What's wrong with it?" Ethan's brow furrowed.
"You're going to look like Jess' Dad, not her brother."
"Shut-up." Ethan said, looking cross. "I didn't want to let her down, tonight is important to her."
"Yes, but it's in a trendy gallery, not some stuffy museum." Cal chuckled to himself.
"As if you'd know what a museum looked like." Ethan hit back; Cal's comments always managed to knock his confidence, and he needed a counter attack.
"You're right, that's more your type of place to hang out. At least you didn't put a tie on I suppose."
"Leave it Cal." Ethan finished, as they entered the gallery. They spied Jess across the room talking to a woman and two men; she smiled at Cal and Ethan over the groups shoulders and excused herself, making her way over towards they boys.
"Hey you two." She smiled. "Thanks for coming."
"Our pleasure." Ethan smiled. "Thanks for inviting us. I'm intrigued to see what you do."
"So is all of this here tonight yours?" Cal asked.
"Three sections are mine, and then there are a couple of other artists displaying too. They are good, I feel a bit like an amateur compared to them." Jess admitted.
"I'm sure you're not." Ethan said quickly, trying to reassure her. "So is there a theme to your pieces?"
"Ha! Some has been reading up on art." Cal laughed, making Jess chuckle too.
"That's a good question Ethan." Jess replied, recovering quickly and feeling guilty. "It's all explained in the brief in here." She said, handing him a glossy brochure.
"Wow, they must have a lot of faith in you if they are putting all this in." Ethan breathed, looking at the brochure. Cal looked at her and rolled his eyes. A waiter walked past and offered them all a glass of sparkling wine, and Cal took one and handed one to Jess. Ethan still had his nose in the brochure.
"So, how have you been?" Cal asked Jess.
"I'm ok." Jess nodded, smiling. "Seen the physio and I've been doing the exercises. The strength is slowly coming back." She said, indicating her arm. Cal nodded politely and smiled. "I'm lucky, I can still do most of my job with the injury."
"That's good. And are your parents here tonight?" Cal said, looking around for a couple who might be Jess' Mum and Dad.
"No, it's their wedding anniversary, they are away celebrating." Jess smiled. "It's ok, it's not my first display, and I hope it won't be my last."
"I'm sure it won't be." Cal smiled, feeling strangely proud. "I can't wait to see it."
"Go on, wonder through, my pieces are in the room on the right." She smiled, a sense of shyness creeping over her. "I'd better go and 'network', I need to seize the opportunity." She rolled her eyes. "I'll catch up with you both in a bit, ok?" She finished as she headed off.
Cal and Ethan wondered through to the room where Jess' work was being displayed, and both were immediately blown away. Somehow the pictures instantly captured them, even though their experience of art was limited, they seemed to get drawn right in, and Ethan explained to Cal what he had read in the brochure and how it brought the work to life. Cal just stared, amazed at her talent, and how such emotions could be brought out in artwork.
A while later, Ethan was stood in front of his favourite piece again, Cal was talking to a young woman who worked in the gallery on the other side of the room, but Ethan couldn't tear himself away from this particular picture. He stood staring, realising it was bringing out all sorts of his own feelings and emotions. Suddenly Jess appeared beside him again.
"This was in a darker period of my life a few months back. Not long after I found out about Emilie passing away."
"I love it, I'm not good at art interpretation but this stirs up so many emotions in me." Ethan breathed, still staring at the picture.
"It's not just about what the artist is trying to say; part of art interpretation is personal, it's what the piece means to you." Jess said knowledgeably.
"Well, this speaks to me." Ethan said, glancing across at Jess.
"Tell me about it? What does it say?" Jess urged.
"Oh, I don't know, I'd probably get it so wrong." Ethan looked embarrassed.
"There is no right and wrong Ethan. Please, tell me what it makes you feel." Jess said. Ethan looked back towards the picture.
"Ok, well it kind of has a dark despair about it, but in amongst that there's a glimmer of hope that comes through, but it also manages to convey a feeling of fragility. Like an internal suffering. A mix of emotions." Ethan said, then stopping himself he looked at her. "Does that sound stupid?"
"No. No it doesn't." Jess breathed, looking at him with tears shining in her eyes. "It's perfect. Ethan it's like you've just stripped a layer off of me and read right into my soul." Jess said softly.
"Well, it's an incredible piece. But I hate to think what you were going through to make you feel this." Ethan said honestly. They held eye contact for a moment, tears still glistening over her eyes, and for a moment she looked like she was going to speak. But as Jess blinked away her tears, Cal came back over.
"It all looks far too serious over here." He said.
"Yes, um, Ethan has just been telling me what he thought of my work." Jess said, clearing the lump from her throat.
"Oh, you fancy yourself as an art critic now then Nibbles?" Cal laughed. "Seriously though Jess, it is great, you are very talented."
"Thank you Cal." Jess smiled. She was called away again by her boss and Ethan was left wondering what had inspired this work, as he knew his interpretation had come from his experiences and feelings over the past few months. He wondered now what Jess had been going through, and all alone too. Maybe she had been tested, maybe she had inherited the gene too? Was this piece of work a product of the same confusion, anger and desperation that Ethan had felt. The despair that had come from that fateful letter.
"Ethan, did you hear me?" Cal said as Ethan suddenly came back to the room.
"Sorry, no?" Ethan said, looking sheepish.
"I said we should go and find a seat, they are giving a presentation with the artists in a minute, I'm assuming you want to stay for it?"
"Oh right, yes." Ethan nodded, bringing himself firmly back to the present.
"You ok Ethan?" Cal looked at him, concerned.
"I'm fine. Just blown away by the art." Ethan said, shrugging off his concern as they went to the main gallery to take a seat.