again.”
Todd noted the husband staring into the distance, his face bland with boredom. He wasn’t going to be interrupted just yet. “Why was that?”
“Frank couldn’t handle his little girl being a thief, I guess. He made poor Sia’s life a living misery. There were times I was close to calling the police the yelling was so loud. And the drinking was out of control. So when I found some oil paints in the back of our shed, I thought I’d give them to her and see if she couldn’t find some respite from her life in doing a bit of dabbling. Who knew it was her talent?”
“That’s enough.” The husband grabbed her arm. “I want out of here.”
The couple left and Todd turned back to the painting, but he wasn’t really seeing it.
Instead, he watched the last desire to hurt Sia wash way. It was clear that her life had also been badly affected by what she’d done. He’d lost a father — she’d lost her reputation and the respect of hers. And from what Charles had said, the problems between Sia and her father had lasted to this day.
No wonder she’d so readily identified that he felt guilt over a bad relationship with his father — she was feeling the same.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” A voice called out over the crowd. “If you’d all gather, Sia is going to unveil the centrepiece.”
Todd was tall enough to hang at the back of the crowd but still see clearly. Looking around, he judged there were around a hundred people here. It was an impressive gathering for Oberon.
“Thank you.” Sia pitched her voice so all could hear. “I’m so happy you could all join me tonight. Having a solo exhibition in Sydney is an achievement I’ve dreamt of for years, and I’m glad I can celebrate it with all of you.”
Close to her stood Mary and a man Todd thought must be Jim, and Charles. On the other side, a taller blonde woman that looked enough like Sia to have to be her sister. No sign of her father.
“This is a painting that I struggled with for a long time. It called on every part of me, and for a long time I was scared I wasn’t good enough to create it. But finally it’s here, and it’s my greatest work. I give you, Nine One Seven Five.”
The covering was pulled away and again, Todd was transfixed by the perfect representation of the emotions that drove and captured him.
The crowd gasped then broke out into applause. He heard people murmuring around him, talking about the fierceness, the sadness of the work.
It was the fierceness and sadness of him. Something Sia could recognise because she felt it too.
Well, he knew one thing for certain. He was going to own that painting.
It was nearly midnight when the last painting was safely secured in the back of Mary and Jim’s station wagon for the trip to Sydney the next day.
The evening had been a remarkable success to Sia’s mind. The feedback from the crowd to the works had been overwhelmingly positive and it was always nice to see people laughing and having a good time.
Best of all had been Todd’s reaction — not any anger in his voice as he spoke to her, and he’d again been captivated by his painting. Maybe his animosity toward her was finally over.
Now, she could only hope that the reaction in Sydney would be as strong.
“We have to celebrate.” Sienna slipped her arm around Sia’s waist. The sisters stood with Jim, Mary and Charles outside the town hall. “Let’s go to the pub for a few drinks. Unless you oldies can’t hack staying out this late.”
Sia laughed. “The kids —” she began.
“Say no more,” Jim said. “I can see my beloved wife is hankering for more social time. I’ll take the car home, release the babysitter and Brock and Ebonny can continue to sleep soundly with our kids.”
“You are a treasure of a man.” Mary gave him a kiss.
“I’m only letting you stay cause I know you can’t get into trouble.”
“Yeah. There are times that pregnancy sucks.”
“I was talking about Sia controlling
Todd noted the husband staring into the distance, his face bland with boredom. He wasn’t going to be interrupted just yet. “Why was that?”
“Frank couldn’t handle his little girl being a thief, I guess. He made poor Sia’s life a living misery. There were times I was close to calling the police the yelling was so loud. And the drinking was out of control. So when I found some oil paints in the back of our shed, I thought I’d give them to her and see if she couldn’t find some respite from her life in doing a bit of dabbling. Who knew it was her talent?”
“That’s enough.” The husband grabbed her arm. “I want out of here.”
The couple left and Todd turned back to the painting, but he wasn’t really seeing it.
Instead, he watched the last desire to hurt Sia wash way. It was clear that her life had also been badly affected by what she’d done. He’d lost a father — she’d lost her reputation and the respect of hers. And from what Charles had said, the problems between Sia and her father had lasted to this day.
No wonder she’d so readily identified that he felt guilt over a bad relationship with his father — she was feeling the same.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” A voice called out over the crowd. “If you’d all gather, Sia is going to unveil the centrepiece.”
Todd was tall enough to hang at the back of the crowd but still see clearly. Looking around, he judged there were around a hundred people here. It was an impressive gathering for Oberon.
“Thank you.” Sia pitched her voice so all could hear. “I’m so happy you could all join me tonight. Having a solo exhibition in Sydney is an achievement I’ve dreamt of for years, and I’m glad I can celebrate it with all of you.”
Close to her stood Mary and a man Todd thought must be Jim, and Charles. On the other side, a taller blonde woman that looked enough like Sia to have to be her sister. No sign of her father.
“This is a painting that I struggled with for a long time. It called on every part of me, and for a long time I was scared I wasn’t good enough to create it. But finally it’s here, and it’s my greatest work. I give you, Nine One Seven Five.”
The covering was pulled away and again, Todd was transfixed by the perfect representation of the emotions that drove and captured him.
The crowd gasped then broke out into applause. He heard people murmuring around him, talking about the fierceness, the sadness of the work.
It was the fierceness and sadness of him. Something Sia could recognise because she felt it too.
Well, he knew one thing for certain. He was going to own that painting.
It was nearly midnight when the last painting was safely secured in the back of Mary and Jim’s station wagon for the trip to Sydney the next day.
The evening had been a remarkable success to Sia’s mind. The feedback from the crowd to the works had been overwhelmingly positive and it was always nice to see people laughing and having a good time.
Best of all had been Todd’s reaction — not any anger in his voice as he spoke to her, and he’d again been captivated by his painting. Maybe his animosity toward her was finally over.
Now, she could only hope that the reaction in Sydney would be as strong.
“We have to celebrate.” Sienna slipped her arm around Sia’s waist. The sisters stood with Jim, Mary and Charles outside the town hall. “Let’s go to the pub for a few drinks. Unless you oldies can’t hack staying out this late.”
Sia laughed. “The kids —” she began.
“Say no more,” Jim said. “I can see my beloved wife is hankering for more social time. I’ll take the car home, release the babysitter and Brock and Ebonny can continue to sleep soundly with our kids.”
“You are a treasure of a man.” Mary gave him a kiss.
“I’m only letting you stay cause I know you can’t get into trouble.”
“Yeah. There are times that pregnancy sucks.”
“I was talking about Sia controlling
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