I stretched both arms above my head and heard my back make small cracking sounds. Please tell me that this isn’t proof that I’m getting old. Fortunately, I had uploaded photos of my past artworks online so I could just download them and put it on my newly created website. I was right, once the photos were added in the website came to life.
Black and white sketches looked chic and minimalistic against the black and white color tone of the website while colored photos of my paintings added color and life to the website.
Smiling a little to myself, I clapped my hands together happily to applaud my own achievement for the day. If only my grandmother was still around, I’m sure that she would be the one applauding me for my effort and hard work right now. If heaven really does exist, then she’s probably watching me from up above...
After a few more hours, it began to get dark outside as the sun had set. Hayden should be back soon, hopefully. The website mockup was pretty much completed. I liked it and I prayed that Hayden would as well. I’ll find out his reaction to all of this very soon.
The real problem starts now...
I still didn’t have a pseudonym that I wanted to use as an artist. So far, I’ve been using my name. It wasn’t all that strange to use my name, but a pseudonym is probably cooler, I guess. I shook my head from side to side. Who am I kidding?
Although I didn’t want to admit it, I believed the reason Hayden suggested for me to take on another name was to conceal my real identity and my relations to Torex. The Torex corporate is legal in its own right but since everyone practically knows that they’re a mafia gang, everyone is especially scared. Even I knew all about that before I got involved with Hayden and the boss.
Back then, my reaction was the same as everyone else. Intimidated and scared.
I wondered if my association with the mafia would have an impact on my career as an artist...
...
"I’m on my way back..." Hayden informed me casually.
"Are you driving right now?" I asked suddenly feeling very panicked.
"Yes, of course I’m driving now," he replied like it was supposed to be obvious.
"Thank you!" I thanked her cheerfully.
...
Hayden is running a little late for dinner and I started feeling uneasy. I stared at the food laid out in front of me on the table as I clutched my mobile phone tightly in my hand. My brain started a debate whether I should give him a call or not. I knew well what this feeling was called and since Hayden’s accident, I have been experiencing it more often than ever before. Paranoia...
He was probably caught up in traffic but no matter how many times I told myself that my brain would stray off to conjure up more gruesome scenarios. I closed my eyes and threw my head back. If I want to spend my life with Hayden, I’m going to have to come to terms with his high-risk lifestyle or I’ll be worrying about him all the time until I went insane.
The door opened and my eyes immediately went to the man walking in through the door.
"Hayden!" I cried out his name happily as I got up from my seat and approached him.
"You look so happy that I’m back..." he said before smiling at me.
"I guess I am quite happy that you’re back. Was the traffic bad today?" I asked.
"A little..." he replied.
Together we walked to the dinner table where dinner was waiting for us. I wondered if the food had gotten cold already. Maybe I should get Auntie to heat it up for us.
"Is the food cold? Should I get Auntie to heat it up?" I asked.
"There’s no need. I want to spend time alone with you," Hayden replied so straightforwardly that I couldn’t help but blush a little.
--To be continued...