nights, only his ability to create art was lost.
Seeing his brother’s frustration, Dan added, “Don’t worry, it will come back to you.”
“Do you think I’ve changed in some way? I’ve been reading up on cellular memory.”
“You believe that shit? No, that has nothing to do with it.” He paused. “Nick, you’ve been through a lot these past years. What did you think? You were just going to bounce back and expect everything to be the way it was?”
Nick ran his hands through his hair, sighing. “I just thought when I decided … when I was ready … it would just come back to me naturally. I never thought it was something you could lose.”
“Stop being hard on yourself. Just give it time.”
“Yeah, I know.” He shrugged.
“Look, you painted that.” Dan nodded toward the large canvas.
“That’s different. It’s not what clients are used to seeing from me.”
“Why is that different? I’m not going to pretend to understand how your talent works or the business of art, because I just fucking don’t. Maybe you’re going to have to paint in a different way.”
“George is expecting abstract … not this.” Nick held out his hand to the painting he brought in, leaning against the wall. “He’s expecting me to bring him the stuff I painted four years ago. I don’t think I’m capable. Not anymore.”
George was the art director of DuPont Art, an exclusive gallery in Montreal. Nick had met him six years ago when he was nineteen. It was George that believed in him, gave him the opportunity to exhibit his work in his gallery. It was thanks to George, his canvas “ Life and Other Stories ” sold at a record price of sixty-five thousand dollars. Nick never thought he could have a career in art, let alone make a living out of it.
“You shouldn’t worry. You have a natural talent. I think you get that from Dad.”
Nick sneered. “Please don’t compare me to that man.”
“Nick, you can’t deny where you came from and pretend the man doesn’t exist.”
“Well, he doesn’t exist. Not for me anyway.”
“Look, I’m not trying to justify what he did, but at some point, you’re going to have to come to terms with what happened and just let it go.”
“Are you serious? Are we having this conversation again?”
Nick hadn’t seen his father in over fourteen years. He couldn’t wrap his mind on why his brother had kept in touch with him over the last three years.
“All I’m saying is you only know one side of the story. He’s trying to make amends, make things right. Why don’t you give the guy a chance to explain—”
“I don’t need to know his side. I was there, remember?” Nick replied. “Shit, he left Mom while she was sick. He left us with no financial support …” He paused. “Where was he when we needed him? He ran off to Calgary, making his fucking fortune. It was Mom who mustered all her strength to raise us.”
Dan walked back behind the counter. “I know, he made a mistake …”
“That’s not a fucking mistake.” Nick scowled. “You don’t do that to your family, not to the people you’re supposed to love.”
Dan gathered his paperwork up. “I’m not asking you to be best friends with him, or even like him. I’m asking you to at least listen to what he has to say.”
“You can fuckin’ forget about it.”
“At some point, you’re going to have to face him. He’s coming to the wedding.”
“Yeah, I know … with his new family. I still can’t believe you invited that asshole.”
“Look, don’t get upset …”
“I’m not getting upset. This is your life, and it’s your wedding. You can invite whoever you damn well want. Just leave me out of it.”
Nick didn’t want to believe his brother wanted to have their father back in their lives, but it had only been the two of them for some time. Dan was getting married soon and would start a family shortly after that. Nick could understand the desire his brother had to belong to
Seeing his brother’s frustration, Dan added, “Don’t worry, it will come back to you.”
“Do you think I’ve changed in some way? I’ve been reading up on cellular memory.”
“You believe that shit? No, that has nothing to do with it.” He paused. “Nick, you’ve been through a lot these past years. What did you think? You were just going to bounce back and expect everything to be the way it was?”
Nick ran his hands through his hair, sighing. “I just thought when I decided … when I was ready … it would just come back to me naturally. I never thought it was something you could lose.”
“Stop being hard on yourself. Just give it time.”
“Yeah, I know.” He shrugged.
“Look, you painted that.” Dan nodded toward the large canvas.
“That’s different. It’s not what clients are used to seeing from me.”
“Why is that different? I’m not going to pretend to understand how your talent works or the business of art, because I just fucking don’t. Maybe you’re going to have to paint in a different way.”
“George is expecting abstract … not this.” Nick held out his hand to the painting he brought in, leaning against the wall. “He’s expecting me to bring him the stuff I painted four years ago. I don’t think I’m capable. Not anymore.”
George was the art director of DuPont Art, an exclusive gallery in Montreal. Nick had met him six years ago when he was nineteen. It was George that believed in him, gave him the opportunity to exhibit his work in his gallery. It was thanks to George, his canvas “ Life and Other Stories ” sold at a record price of sixty-five thousand dollars. Nick never thought he could have a career in art, let alone make a living out of it.
“You shouldn’t worry. You have a natural talent. I think you get that from Dad.”
Nick sneered. “Please don’t compare me to that man.”
“Nick, you can’t deny where you came from and pretend the man doesn’t exist.”
“Well, he doesn’t exist. Not for me anyway.”
“Look, I’m not trying to justify what he did, but at some point, you’re going to have to come to terms with what happened and just let it go.”
“Are you serious? Are we having this conversation again?”
Nick hadn’t seen his father in over fourteen years. He couldn’t wrap his mind on why his brother had kept in touch with him over the last three years.
“All I’m saying is you only know one side of the story. He’s trying to make amends, make things right. Why don’t you give the guy a chance to explain—”
“I don’t need to know his side. I was there, remember?” Nick replied. “Shit, he left Mom while she was sick. He left us with no financial support …” He paused. “Where was he when we needed him? He ran off to Calgary, making his fucking fortune. It was Mom who mustered all her strength to raise us.”
Dan walked back behind the counter. “I know, he made a mistake …”
“That’s not a fucking mistake.” Nick scowled. “You don’t do that to your family, not to the people you’re supposed to love.”
Dan gathered his paperwork up. “I’m not asking you to be best friends with him, or even like him. I’m asking you to at least listen to what he has to say.”
“You can fuckin’ forget about it.”
“At some point, you’re going to have to face him. He’s coming to the wedding.”
“Yeah, I know … with his new family. I still can’t believe you invited that asshole.”
“Look, don’t get upset …”
“I’m not getting upset. This is your life, and it’s your wedding. You can invite whoever you damn well want. Just leave me out of it.”
Nick didn’t want to believe his brother wanted to have their father back in their lives, but it had only been the two of them for some time. Dan was getting married soon and would start a family shortly after that. Nick could understand the desire his brother had to belong to
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