35 – Pieces
"So, Sally. Ben and I… We broke up. I mean, if we were even actually dating in the first place. Can you be dating if you're stuck in a car together, anyway? Maybe that's all it was. Just…convenient…at the time." Felicity took a deep breath. "I don't know. Maybe I was wrong about Ben. Maybe we weren't meant to be together, like I always thought. The worst thing, Sal, is that he thinks his friends are right about us. I haven't even developed our pictures from the trip, because I just can't bring myself to look at them. I even took his necklace off and put it away. It just seems so final.
Anyway, I've decided I'm not going to let this ruin my summer. I've got a job at this frame shop at the mall, and I think it's going to be good. I'm going to get a discount, so I can frame some of my own artwork, which is…pretty terrific. Mrs. Hawkenberry at the library says they're having a local art display in a week, and I'm going to submit something of my own."
Someone knocked at Felicity's door, and a second later, it opened to reveal Shelly. "Sal, I've got to go. My friend Shelly is here, and we're going out for a while." She clicked off the tape.
"Who's Sal?"
"Sally, my French tutor from high school. She moved away, and this is how we keep in touch."
Sally sat on the bed. "So, how are you doing since yesterday?"
Felicity braved a smile. "You don't have to keep asking, Shelly. I'll be okay."
"You're still the worst liar I ever knew."
Felicity put the tape recorder on her vanity table with a heavy sigh. "Well, I can't keep going over it. It happened, and I can't change how he feels."
"How his stupid friends feel, you mean. Ben's just giving in to them. Which I think sucks. Let's go play mini golf."
Felicity gave a genuine smile this time. The world needed more people like Shelly.
- - - - -
Over the following three days, she mercifully didn't run into Ben. Felicity started her new job, and found she enjoyed putting the finishing touches on a piece of art for people to hang in their homes and enjoy for years to come. In the evenings, she set up a corner in her room for her easel and a canvas, and began to paint for the library display. She'd spoken to Mrs. Hawkenberry on the phone, who said she had room left for one medium-sized canvas. When she laid the first stroke of paint on it, Felicity wasn't quite certain what it was going to become, but over time it developed a life of its own and told her what it wanted to be, all by itself.
Even though she didn't want to paint it.
Even though she didn't want to think of him.
The muted colors and shapes on the canvas resolved into a long, winding road. In the foreground of the canvas, a car took shape: sleek, black, parked by the roadside and waiting to take the road stretching away into the distance.
Standing beside the car were a man and woman embracing as though saying a bittersweet goodbye.
She cried as she painted it.
- - - - -
"Are you sure you wanted to do that? Kurt's just been riding you about her because he thinks he knows everything," said Jason, helping himself to a mozzarella stick.
Ben jerked a shoulder. "He's a dick, but basically, he had a point. So did you. She and I were from totally different backgrounds."
"So what?"
"Wait, you're the one who said we had nothing in common."
"Yeah, but I also said I don't care who you date. I'm not you, man," Jason pointed out. "She seemed nice enough."
"She is nice. She deserves nice. She should be with a guy who can afford to give her nice."
Jason scowled. "What are you talking about?"
Ben thumped an elbow on the table and braced his hand on his forehead. "I got us a cabin for the weekend at Yellowstone. It cost me way more than I had, so I used a credit card on top of my savings account, and now I'll be in debt until I die."
"What the hell'd you do that for?"
"Because I like her," Ben snapped. "She's always been there for me when I needed a friend. She listens better than you idiots do."
Grinning, Jason fished a chicken wing out of the basket and bit into it. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
Ben rubbed his forehead and sat back in the booth. "Anyway, no job around here is going to pay enough through the summer to pay back all the money I spent and still make something for school next year, even if I get two jobs. I could get three, but at some point, I'll have to sleep."
"What about asking your parents for a loan?"
"Mom can't afford it, and there's no way I'm asking my dad for money."
For a moment, Jason was silent. Then he grinned again. "Eric knows this guy down in Mexico who pays under the table doing construction. I was going to take the job, try and get a new car in the fall. You want it?"
Ben looked up, hopeful for a second, then hesitated. "I'm not taking your job, man."
"Take it. The Rustbucket'll last one more year. Eric's going." Jason angled his head. "At least call, dude."
"All right, all right, I'll call the guy."
"Good."
- - - - -
Tucking a large, flat parcel under her arm, Felicity took her father's car keys from her bag and left the frame shop, heading for the mall exit. Coming toward her in a giggling knot were Shelly, Amy, and Laura. Shelly came to a halt in front of Felicity. "Hey, do you want to go get some ice cream with us?"
"Actually, I was headed down to the library to drop this off," Felicity replied, indicating the parcel.
"What is it?"
"Just a painting."
"Can we see?"
"Well, I have to get it to the library before they close. It's part of an art show this weekend, so it'll be there if you want to see it then."
"Okay." We'll see you later, then."
The girls said goodbye, and Amy and Shelly walked away. Felicity started to walk in the opposite direction until she noticed that Laura had hung back. Curious, Felicity stopped.
Laura stared at the floor a moment, then looked up. "I'm really sorry about Ben, Felicity."
At that, Felicity raised her eyebrows in surprise. But then, she knows how it feels. She just broke up with someone, too. Felicity softened. "Thanks, Laura. I'll see you guys tomorrow."