Art Gallery October 27, 2018
"It's stunning."
"Absolutely breathtaking."
"The artist is amazing."
"Is she here tonight? I'd love to meet her."
Tara smirked as she walked around the gallery that was showcasing her pieces. It seemed as though people loved her work. Tara had always had an artistic eye, even when she was younger; she could remember hiding with Luke in the tree house drawing and painting pictures for the family.
Her phone suddenly started to vibrate. She pulled it out of her clutch and smiled when she saw the number for the rehab center on the caller ID.
"Hey, Luke." She greeted as she continued to make her way around the gallery.
"Hey, baby." He murmured back, the sound of his husky voice causing a shiver to run down her spine.
"How have you been?" she questioned, trying to find a quieter spot in the room to talk. They had spoken to each other nearly every day since he went in, but she had been so busy the last week that they had barely gotten time to talk.
"Good, I'm still here." He chuckled and Tara smiled. She was so proud of him this was the longest he had stuck with rehab, and she really thought this time was going to stick and he could come home.
"I'm glad, the sooner you get better, the sooner you can come home to Lucy and me." She assured him.
"Yeah that's the goal, I uh, I actually got my 90-day chip today." He informed her proudly. He couldn't wait to finish the program come home to his girls.
Tara grinned, "Oh, babe that's great! I'm so proud of you for sticking with it." She praised him, "I miss you so much." She whispered huskily into the phone.
"Oh god, babe." He groaned at the tone of her voice, "I fucking miss you too, so damn much."
"Tara, oh there you are." Tara's agent, Hanna, sighed in relief at finally finding the young artist, "Come with me there are some people I want you to meet."
"Hold on, Hanna, I'll be right there," Tara assured the frazzled woman.
"Where are you, baby?" Luke asked curiously hearing all the noise in the background.
"I'm at an art exhibit for this gallery. They're showcasing my work." She informed him with a bright smile.
"That's great, babe!" Luke exclaimed, "How's it going?"
"Good," Tara nodded her head as she looked around the packed gallery, "Everybody really seems to like my stuff."
"Well, of course, they do you're an amazing artist."
She blushed, "Thank you, baby, I got to go but I'll talk to you soon yeah? Your next free day is coming up and we can spend the whole day together as a family; and I'll bring Lucy by to see you real soon. I was trying to wait and let her immune system build up before I took her out."
Luke sighed wistfully he couldn't wait to spend a day with his girls, "That sounds amazing I love you, Tara. Give Lucy a kiss for me."
"I will, and I love you too, Luke."
Tara hung up the phone and slipped it back into her bag as she walked over to her agent.
She dragged the younger girl across the room and a group of people, "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you all to Tara Langer."
"Oh, you're the artist who painted all these lovely pieces!" One of the ladies exclaimed.
Tara smiled politely, "Yes I am." She answered as she shook everyone's hand.
"Oh well, we just love your work."
"You are so talented."
Tara felt her phone vibrate in her purse. She pulled it out thinking it might be Luke again. She frowned in confusion at the sight of Nell's name on the caller ID.
"Can I ask, where does your inspiration come from?" One of the gentlemen questioned.
Tara sighed as she forwarded the call and put her phone back in her back. She looked up at the group and smiled, "I'm so glad you all are enjoying the show. As for where I get my inspiration, it mostly..."
Rehab Center September 2012
Tara sat between Steve and Shirley in the rehab consultant's office as they went over the documentation. She nervously bounced her leg up and down until Steve reached over and place a comforting hand down on her knee.
She was worried about how much all of this was going to cost her, but if it would help Luke get better she would do it. Tara would do anything for Luke.
"Over the phone, you said he had insurance." The woman questioned the three of them curiously.
"Right, we thought so," Tara answered hesitantly, biting her lip.
"He told us so." Shirley sighed, exasperated, "This morning we tried to get the info..."
"It had lapsed a few months back." Steven finished, "He didn't..."
"He just didn't tell anyone." Tara cut in as she ran her fingers through her hair, a nervous tick she'd developed as a young girl.
"It happens all the time, I'm afraid," The consultant gave the three young adults a reassuring smile, "Especially with first-timers."
"We can still do this." Shirley informed her calmly, "We're going to split the cost." She motioned to the three of them.
"He needs to be here." Tara agreed, nodding her head.
"It's fine. Without an insurance policy, it's $6,000 a month." Tara's eyes widened in shock, six thousand was a lot of money that was two thousand between the three of them. Sure she had some money saved up, but she was currently working two jobs just to make rent while trying to get her art profession off the ground, "And we do recommend a four-to-six month commitment."
"I'm sorry, did you say $6,000?" Steve and Tara looked at each other, worried.
"A month." The woman nodded, "That's right."
"And obviously if he had insurance it would be in the ballpark of what we discussed on the phone." Shirley sighed in frustration.
"Yes, but if his policy has lapsed..." the woman trailed off.
Steve let out a sigh and leaned over to the two girls, opening his mouth but Tara stopped him, "We know." They all knew Steve didn't have the money to cover his end of the cost so it would have to be split between Tara and Shirley.
"The first month for sure," Shirley stated nodding at Steve, "And I can come back in two weeks with some more if I move some things around."
Tara nodded in agreement, "Yeah, and I'll need to move some money out of my savings account."
"That's fine." The consultant nodded, "We can see how the first month goes."
The two women nodded and wrote their checks splitting the cost between them. Tara looked down at her checkbook and it began to look bleary as her eyes filled with tears.
She really couldn't afford this, but Tara was willing to do whatever it took to help Luke get better. He just needed to get better and come home to her then everything would be okay.
"I'm sorry, girls." Steve sighed as the three of them left the office and headed back into the waiting room.
"I - It's fine." Tara shook her head with a tight smile placing a comforting hand on the older man's back.
"I can still..."
"You can pay us back when you're a famous writer," Shirley assured him with a smile.
Steve chuckled sarcastically, "You two might not wanna hold your breath." He informed them, taking his glasses off as the three turned the corner into the waiting room, "Apparently historical fiction is out of vogue."
Tara moved ahead of the siblings as Luke came into view. She wanted to go over and hold him close to her as long as she could before they all had to leave. He was sitting beside Nellie reading the rehab's pamphlet over her shoulder.
"You're all set," Shirley announced as they entered the room
"Yeah." Luke said standing to his feet and Tara moved over to him, "What do I, uh..."
"We're all set." The consultant informed them as she joined them in the room. Tara wrapped her arms around Luke's waist and laid her head against his chest, and he responded in turn by wrapping his arms around her tightly as well, "I'm gonna need a UA."
Luke looked up from staring at Tara, "What?" he asked nervously.
"Urine Analysis." She gave an understanding smile, "First time, huh?"
"Did you know they have horseback riding?" Nellie cut into the conversation, shocked, "They have horseback riding." She restated.
Tara chuckled at her best friend as she squeezed Luke closer to her and breathed in his scent.
"A UA, right." Luke reluctantly let go of Tara and moved closer to the woman, "What if there's still..." he lowered his voice not wanting his family to hear.
"It's okay if you're not clean." The consultant reassured him as she passed him the cup, "We just need to know how dirty."
"All right." He murmured in relief as he turned back to his family, "Aw, shit. Wish me luck."
Theo was the first to give Luke a goodbye hug, and after her came Shirley. She held him tightly to her, "We love you so much." Shirley whispered as she released him, "You can do this."
"Thanks." He breathed out going to hug Steve next.
"Anything you need." His eldest brother stated as he gave Luke a pat on the shoulder.
He then moved on to Nellie and the two held each close for a minute, "You got this." Nell praised him with a smile.
"Yeah." He breathed nervously letting her go and facing Tara.
Luke pulled her into his arms and the two gripped onto each other tightly. Tara didn't want to let go, she didn't want to leave him there alone but she knew this was what was best for him, that he needed this to get better so they could start their lives together, "I love you." She whispered.
"Tara." He whispered into her hair as he felt her tears stain his shirt, "I'm sorry, baby."
"It's okay," She pulled away and looked up at him with a watery smile, "You get better and come home to me."
Luke nodded as he tucked her hair behind her ear and pressed his lips firmly against hers one more time before they released each other and be began followed the consultant out of the room.
Tara and Nellie pulled each other into a hug as she watched him go with a sad smile on her face and waved goodbye when he turned to look back at his family, "They have horses." Nell called out to him trying to boost his spirits.
"He can do it." Shirley reassured her family as Luke finally disappeared from sight, "He's gonna do it."