Chapter 2
"Ladies and Gentleman, we are gathered here this evening to celebrate the art of the Nationally Renowned 'Joey'. My Name is Katelyn Meadows, Joey's agent. I know that many of you are curious about the artist of such pieces as 'Passionate Dawn, Oceans Core, and Within Rain. Now, as some of you know, that due to the popularity of some of 'Joey's earlier work, the artist decided against going public with any more than their art, in the sake of privacy. Now, tonight, In this gallery where a special collection of Joey originals are housed. You will see The Face Of Joey." Kate chuckled, "Which is exactly what this collection is called." She looked around the silent crowd with a smile, scanning the faces until she found the literal 'face of Joey'. "What you guest's don't know, is that tonight, and if you have been to any other showing of Joey's paintings, you have probably met the artist. Tonight, Joey walked around freely, conversing with you. but you didn't know that. Joey has done that many times in the past, so chances are that you have met."
Kate paused until the excited chatter that had broken out at her announcement had subsided. "You have probably noticed that not once in my speech tonight, or any other night, I have referred to Joey as she, or he. There is a good reason for that. You will see in a moment. Right now, I would like to announce to everybody that almost all of the artwork here tonight is for sale, just speak to me."
Again, Kate paused, deliberately this time. She smiled at the expectant faces of the roughly two hundred-fifty guests. "And now, because, frankly, I think I might have an upscale New York Riot on my hands if I don't. I present to you. Joey Potter!!"
As Joey walked through the crowd, she took a deep breath. Ascending the stairs that led to the podium, she stepped up to Kate and gave her a hug. Whispering in her ear, she murmured a quiet 'thank-you' before she stepped up to the microphone.
"Hello." Joey laughed quietly at herself. "I did have a whole speech prepared for me for this moment, I even memorized it. But right now, as I'm standing here, I can't remember a single thing." She paused so the sound of the guest's laughter could die down. Looking out over the crowd, she scanned peoples faces, then locked eyes with one in-particular. Pacey Witter.
He raised an inquiring eyebrow, and She smiled slightly and nodded at him. "Well, I assume that most of you are here because you would like to know about me... The rest of you were probably dragged here by your significant-other, or a close friend." She paused again to swallow nervously. "One thing you should probably know about me now, is that one reason for me staying out of the spotlight was because I'm a horrible public-speaker, as you will undoubtedly find out...."
*~**~*~**~*
"God, am I glad that's over." Joey sighed as she and Kate huddled in a small room concealed behind a wall curtain.
"You were fabulous." Kate said as she passed her a glass of champagne that she had managed to grab before being dragged into the small room by Joey.
"Thanks." Joey took the wine and sipped.
"Ok, Jo. Was there a reason why you bodily dragged me into a store room? Cause if you didn't notice, I have to be out there to sell your paintings." Kate chuckled dryly, "Not that I mind the break."
"Actually, yes there was." Joey responded, "I don't want you to sell Passionate Dawn to the highest bidder."
"Why, Jo? I've already had like, 4 offers for it. The highest so far was. $12,000. We have a lot of sunrise fanatics out there."
"Hmmm. Who had the highest offer?" Joey tilted her head.
"None other than Pacey Witter. Your sister would have a heart attack if she was here tonight. How did she take the news that he was coming to your show, anyway?"
Joey grinned then sipped at her champagne, again. "I didn't tell her. I figured I'd wait until there was no possibility of her hopping on the next jet to New York just to see him face-to-face."
"Probably a smart idea. "Kate conceded. "Again, why don't you want to sell 'Passionate Dawn'?"
"Because Pacey saw the Passionate, and the Dawn." Jo stated simply.
"And that's why you won't sell it to him?"
Joey shook her head, "No, that's why I'll give it to him."
*~**~*~**~*
The buzzing of his phone/intercom woke him up from a restless sleep. Pacey groaned, and looked at his bedside clock.
9:04am.
"H'llo?"
"Mr. Witter? This is Bobby from the security desk; you have a delivery from. 'The Gallery'. Would you like me to send it up?"
"Um." The Gallery.Face of Joey. Art. Painting. "Yes, please, send it right up."
Pacey got up, and hurriedly pulled on a pair of sweat-pants, and a T- Shirt, then ran a hand through his hair. He turned the coffee pot on as he walked through the kitchen to the door that led to his private elevator.
After signing the forms so he could get his delivery, he watched two delivery-men bring in the painting that he'd bought. He smiled as he remembered the painting of a bright desert road, where only a trail of floating dust hinted that the road hadn't been deserted just a moment before. It had almost looked like a photograph, or that it could come to life, and he would see the dust settle on the road any second.
He frowned as another man came out of the elevator carrying another flat rectangular package, about a quarter smaller than the first.
"Excuse me? I only bought one painting from 'The Gallery'. I don't think that the second painting is mine." Pacey spoke up from where he was leaning against the wall.
The man who was obviously in charge, looked at his forms, "You Pacey Witter?"
"Yes."
"Then they're both yours." He stuffed his small form pad into a pouch attached to his belt, "Come on, Guys. We got more deliveries to make." He herded the three other men into the elevator, and then looked at Pacey. "The delivery charge was taken care of, including a good tip." He said as Pacey made a move to grab his wallet from a table. "Have a good day, Mr. Witter." The elevator doors closed.
"Well, well, well." Pacey walked over to the larger package, grabbing a Swiss Army Knife on the way. He cut the twine that helped hold the heavy brown paper, and then carefully cut the tape. Peeling back the paper, he saw the painting that he had bought: the dusty desert road. He nodded, satisfied with his purchase. He then turned to the smaller -yet still an impressive sized- package. Again, he cut the twine, then the tape.
Peeling the paper away, he gasped. The lovers. The sun. He shook his head, confused. Why would they send him this? He didn't buy it. He had placed an offer, but he assumed that somebody was willing to pay more at the last minute. He pulled the painting out of its paper prison, and looked at it, leaning it against a wall. Again, he saw the lovers, more clearly than he had before.
His eye was caught by a small purple envelope that was wedged in between the frame and the glass that covered the painting, protecting it. He gently pulled at the envelope, and pulled out the small piece of matching lilac card. It was a simple piece of lilac colored card, with only a short message neatly written in it. Yet, it had the power to take his breath away.
P,
Because you saw the Passion,
And the Dawn.
J.
*~**~*~**~*
Want More?
~Jayde (pjogirl22)
"Ladies and Gentleman, we are gathered here this evening to celebrate the art of the Nationally Renowned 'Joey'. My Name is Katelyn Meadows, Joey's agent. I know that many of you are curious about the artist of such pieces as 'Passionate Dawn, Oceans Core, and Within Rain. Now, as some of you know, that due to the popularity of some of 'Joey's earlier work, the artist decided against going public with any more than their art, in the sake of privacy. Now, tonight, In this gallery where a special collection of Joey originals are housed. You will see The Face Of Joey." Kate chuckled, "Which is exactly what this collection is called." She looked around the silent crowd with a smile, scanning the faces until she found the literal 'face of Joey'. "What you guest's don't know, is that tonight, and if you have been to any other showing of Joey's paintings, you have probably met the artist. Tonight, Joey walked around freely, conversing with you. but you didn't know that. Joey has done that many times in the past, so chances are that you have met."
Kate paused until the excited chatter that had broken out at her announcement had subsided. "You have probably noticed that not once in my speech tonight, or any other night, I have referred to Joey as she, or he. There is a good reason for that. You will see in a moment. Right now, I would like to announce to everybody that almost all of the artwork here tonight is for sale, just speak to me."
Again, Kate paused, deliberately this time. She smiled at the expectant faces of the roughly two hundred-fifty guests. "And now, because, frankly, I think I might have an upscale New York Riot on my hands if I don't. I present to you. Joey Potter!!"
As Joey walked through the crowd, she took a deep breath. Ascending the stairs that led to the podium, she stepped up to Kate and gave her a hug. Whispering in her ear, she murmured a quiet 'thank-you' before she stepped up to the microphone.
"Hello." Joey laughed quietly at herself. "I did have a whole speech prepared for me for this moment, I even memorized it. But right now, as I'm standing here, I can't remember a single thing." She paused so the sound of the guest's laughter could die down. Looking out over the crowd, she scanned peoples faces, then locked eyes with one in-particular. Pacey Witter.
He raised an inquiring eyebrow, and She smiled slightly and nodded at him. "Well, I assume that most of you are here because you would like to know about me... The rest of you were probably dragged here by your significant-other, or a close friend." She paused again to swallow nervously. "One thing you should probably know about me now, is that one reason for me staying out of the spotlight was because I'm a horrible public-speaker, as you will undoubtedly find out...."
*~**~*~**~*
"God, am I glad that's over." Joey sighed as she and Kate huddled in a small room concealed behind a wall curtain.
"You were fabulous." Kate said as she passed her a glass of champagne that she had managed to grab before being dragged into the small room by Joey.
"Thanks." Joey took the wine and sipped.
"Ok, Jo. Was there a reason why you bodily dragged me into a store room? Cause if you didn't notice, I have to be out there to sell your paintings." Kate chuckled dryly, "Not that I mind the break."
"Actually, yes there was." Joey responded, "I don't want you to sell Passionate Dawn to the highest bidder."
"Why, Jo? I've already had like, 4 offers for it. The highest so far was. $12,000. We have a lot of sunrise fanatics out there."
"Hmmm. Who had the highest offer?" Joey tilted her head.
"None other than Pacey Witter. Your sister would have a heart attack if she was here tonight. How did she take the news that he was coming to your show, anyway?"
Joey grinned then sipped at her champagne, again. "I didn't tell her. I figured I'd wait until there was no possibility of her hopping on the next jet to New York just to see him face-to-face."
"Probably a smart idea. "Kate conceded. "Again, why don't you want to sell 'Passionate Dawn'?"
"Because Pacey saw the Passionate, and the Dawn." Jo stated simply.
"And that's why you won't sell it to him?"
Joey shook her head, "No, that's why I'll give it to him."
*~**~*~**~*
The buzzing of his phone/intercom woke him up from a restless sleep. Pacey groaned, and looked at his bedside clock.
9:04am.
"H'llo?"
"Mr. Witter? This is Bobby from the security desk; you have a delivery from. 'The Gallery'. Would you like me to send it up?"
"Um." The Gallery.Face of Joey. Art. Painting. "Yes, please, send it right up."
Pacey got up, and hurriedly pulled on a pair of sweat-pants, and a T- Shirt, then ran a hand through his hair. He turned the coffee pot on as he walked through the kitchen to the door that led to his private elevator.
After signing the forms so he could get his delivery, he watched two delivery-men bring in the painting that he'd bought. He smiled as he remembered the painting of a bright desert road, where only a trail of floating dust hinted that the road hadn't been deserted just a moment before. It had almost looked like a photograph, or that it could come to life, and he would see the dust settle on the road any second.
He frowned as another man came out of the elevator carrying another flat rectangular package, about a quarter smaller than the first.
"Excuse me? I only bought one painting from 'The Gallery'. I don't think that the second painting is mine." Pacey spoke up from where he was leaning against the wall.
The man who was obviously in charge, looked at his forms, "You Pacey Witter?"
"Yes."
"Then they're both yours." He stuffed his small form pad into a pouch attached to his belt, "Come on, Guys. We got more deliveries to make." He herded the three other men into the elevator, and then looked at Pacey. "The delivery charge was taken care of, including a good tip." He said as Pacey made a move to grab his wallet from a table. "Have a good day, Mr. Witter." The elevator doors closed.
"Well, well, well." Pacey walked over to the larger package, grabbing a Swiss Army Knife on the way. He cut the twine that helped hold the heavy brown paper, and then carefully cut the tape. Peeling back the paper, he saw the painting that he had bought: the dusty desert road. He nodded, satisfied with his purchase. He then turned to the smaller -yet still an impressive sized- package. Again, he cut the twine, then the tape.
Peeling the paper away, he gasped. The lovers. The sun. He shook his head, confused. Why would they send him this? He didn't buy it. He had placed an offer, but he assumed that somebody was willing to pay more at the last minute. He pulled the painting out of its paper prison, and looked at it, leaning it against a wall. Again, he saw the lovers, more clearly than he had before.
His eye was caught by a small purple envelope that was wedged in between the frame and the glass that covered the painting, protecting it. He gently pulled at the envelope, and pulled out the small piece of matching lilac card. It was a simple piece of lilac colored card, with only a short message neatly written in it. Yet, it had the power to take his breath away.
P,
Because you saw the Passion,
And the Dawn.
J.
*~**~*~**~*
Want More?
~Jayde (pjogirl22)