Donalds Gallery

Anna drove steadily on the highway, her mind occupied with random thoughts when a call came in.

“ I heard your sister might marry Daniel De Martins” a voice came in through the speaker of Anna’s car as she was still driving.

“ He is the CEO of the company where Samuel works. How would Samuel feel if the CEO were to meet your younger sister ?” She sounded agitated on the phone.

“ Must you make him feel so small!” Mrs Badley bawled as she disconnected, leaving Anna teary eyed and frustrated.

She punched a few buttons on her phone, dialing Samuel’s number. It rang for a while but there was no response.

“ Mother” Anna called out loud arriving in the sitting room of their mansion as she carefully placed the painting wrapped with paper aside.

“ Anita” she yelled again, looking around but there was no one.

The house was empty.

While looking around, her eyes caught a picture of her mother and her sister, Anita. They both looked so happy in the picture as they smiled broadly.

She dropped the picture as she dialed her mothers number.

Meanwhile, Mrs Donalds, Anna’s mother stared at her phone ringing in her palm and ignored it, returning to what she was doing before the call interrupted- giving the workers an earful.

“Do you know what I hate most?” She questioned, looking ravishing and gorgeous in her long black dress with plenty of silver stones.

“People who don’t know their places” she told them, as they listened to her carefully, heads bowed.

“Who hung the paintings in this order without my permission?” She asked and was now facing a painting on the wall, annoyance in her voice.

She walked around as she spoke, a young girl holding a small frame, following behind her.

“Ma’am, we followed what we normally do and organized them by artist” the girl tried to explain while the others were already bringing down the paintings.

“No, not by the artist. You should’ve organized them by the collector” Mrs Donalds yelled.

“ Is this a mere gallery show?” She faced the young girl and asked.

“This is for the party celebrating our savings bank acquisition. Why do you think VIP collectors gladly let us rent the artworks they own?” She asked the question.

“To congratulate us,” the girl replied.

“Wrong. To show off” Mrs Donalds enthused.

“I bought all these artworks from this gallery. Check with companies their families own as well as their VIP tiers at our gallery and organize the paintings in that order” she instructed.

“Yes, ma'am,” the young girl answered.

“Miss Ruth. Do I have to explain these things to you?” Mrs Donalds asked, rolled her eyes and walked away, while Ruth hurriedly followed behind her.

As they walked down the stairs, a man wearing a black suit with glasses stared at them from where he was standing.

Suddenly, his phone started ringing. He stared at the caller and scratched his forehead.

“Ms Anna. How can I help you?” His deep voice asked.

“ Mr Kim,” Anna called.

“My mother and Anita are not here. Do you know where they are now?” Anna asked.

“Was the VIP party today?” She picked up a book calendar and asked, looking at the date.

“Yes. They’re all at the venue now. Shall I come and pick you up?” Mr Kim asked.

“Don’t bother. You must be busy” Anna said.

“ I have to pick up something anyway,” Mr Kim insisted.

“Would you?” He asked.

“No, it’s my job” He went on.

“It’s an important day. You should be there” Anna told him.

“Be careful. Is this all you can do?” Mrs Donalds yelled, her voice echoing through the call.

“Mother needs you there,” Anna said.

“ I’ll bring it with me,” she added.

“Where is it?”

“Then would you do that for me?” Mr Kim finally obliged.

Anna went to the drawers and started searching.

“ I’ve found the documents,” she told him.

“Thank you. When you get here, you should call your husbands too” Mr Kim told her.

“ Samuel?” She raised her eyebrows.

“He’s busy at work these days,” she said.

“Pardon me”

“ I’ll tell him to come and meet me there after work if he’s able to, “ she explained to him.

“Okay, sure” Mr Kim agreed and ended the call.

*

*

Cameras rolled, hung in the air as Anita climbed the podium. Samuel was there as well, his phone high up in the air recording her as we, with some other people.

Just then, Anna’s call came in as Anita was about to stray her speech and he ended it immediately.

“ Someone asked how you should look at a painting,” Anita started.

“How do you look at a painting? Don’t you look with your eyes? Like this” she asked and demonstrated and the audience erupted into a fire of laughter.

Samuel was all smiles, grinning from ear to ear.

“What kind of paintings do you like, Anita?” A dark curly haired girl asked.

“I like pieces from neoclassical and romantic movements. This is between us, right?” She asked even though she knew everything was being recorded and some were even streaming it live, making the audience burst out into laughter once more.

“ I like what’s pretty at first glance,” she continued.

“Being attracted to something pretty. Isn’t that instinct? Whether it’s about art or people”

The cameras shuttered and clicked as she ended her speech.

# Exhibition, auction, party, Anita, prettier than art #

The comments read online.

# I must go to the gallery just to see you #

# Why wasn’t I invited? Right, I’m not a celeb #

# I’m envious of the people who get to see her #

# You’re really so pretty # These and many more comments poured out online shortly after she ended her speech.

But then, Samuel still stood there with his phone, eyes and gaze focused on her like a man in love for the first time. His gentle and warm smiles spoke volumes.

“ Shall we move on?” Anna asked, gesturing.

“Okay” They chorused and walked behind her as she led the way.

Samuel quickly saved her videos on his phone and sent it to her before running after them.

“ Samuel, did you take a video?” Anita paused, turned back and asked.

“Yes. I sent it to you already” He answered, casually.

“You’re the best” Anita beamed, touching his hand slightly.

“Thank you” she turned and started walking.

Samuel couldn’t help but stare at her back as she left.

TBC