Chapter 4 of Nick's Talent
Ok here is a new chapter of Nick's Talent, enjoy. Check also my website for more stories at www.timsfunplace.com. If you want to send me an e-mail use noway16@hotmail.com
I was awakened by the sound of a knock on the door. I slowly opened my eyes. I realised that there was something on top of me. I looked straight into Alexei's face; he was smiling at me. I could feel James stirring behind me. Not only was his arm holding me in a tight grip but I could also feel his dick touching my bum. I started to blush.
I'd just realised what had awakened me as I heard another knock on the door. Before either of us could say anything, James said in a quiet voice, "the door is open, come on in."
I definitely could feel Alexei now holding on more tightly, and I pushed my arm up, making sure that James had to move. With my other hand I grabbed the blanket and was able to pull it over me.
"Hey, guys ... sorry to disturb you but do you have any idea where Nick is? I went to his room as breakfast is ready, but he's not there."
James must slowly have started to realise what he'd gotten us into, I thought, as I could feel his hand now moving under the blankets, trying to find me.
"Hmmm ... yeah, we sort of know where he is," Alexei said.
"Oh, good. I was afraid that something had happened again."
"No, nothing happened. I found him last night downstairs in the lounge at 3 a.m. and he didn't want to go back to his room."
"Oh, did he go home then?"
"No, of course not. Do you think that I'd allow him to drive after the amount of alcohol he'd had?"
"I guess not," David admitted.
Suddenly James's head appeared, moving under the blanket.
"You OK?" I could hear him whisper.
I just nodded.
"Hey ... what are you doing, James?" asked Alexei.
After James had emerged, he answered (and I could hear the chuckle in his voice): "Just checking to see if Nick was OK."
"What?"
I guess it was time for me to throw back the blanket.
"I'm right here. Sorry I didn't make it to breakfast on time, David."
"Oh, well ... as long as you're OK. I'll see you in 10 minutes then ... that is, if you're still up for breakfast."
"Yeah, that sounds like a plan but I think I need at least 15 ... OK?"
"OK ... I might have some fun, too, with Kathy," he said as he left the room. "Hmmm ... guys, I'm sorry. If I'd known that you were here, I wouldn't have shouted that the door was open," James said apologetically.
"No, it's fine. It'll give those brain cells of David something to think about."
"But how did you end up in between us? If I may ask, brother of mine?"
This got a chuckle out of Alexei, and I could feel my cheeks starts to blush again.
"I think Alexei only wanted me to get some sleep and it seems to have worked."
"Well, that's good for you ... but what were you doing down in the lounge at 3 a.m.?"
"I think I'll leave that up to you to tell, Alexei. I think I'd better get out of bed and have a shower or I won't make it on time for breakfast."
"Oh, I'm not sure David would mind," Alexei interjected.
"Hmmmm ... I know my brother and he just said that to let me know I'm not off the hook ... not yet. He wants to know why I was with you two guys curled up in bed. Not that I minded, to be honest. You do a very good cuddle, you know, James."
Now he was the one to blush.
"OK ... let me pass, you guys."
I threw over the blanket, not sure that I was ready to see their two big bulges. "I think I'd better leave you to it," I said with a smile.
"Hmmmm ... you could always stay if you wanted," James said seductively.
"Shhhhhh," Alexei said. "Not now."
"What?" I said, looking from one to the other.
"Later, Nick. Go get dressed and shower, OK? David is waiting for you."
"OK," I said, a bit grumpy. What was that all about? Well, I had enough to deal with. I stepped out of bed, got dressed and went to my room to have a shower. (In David and Kathy's bedroom)
"Hey! There you are. Where's Nick?" Kathy asked David.
"Oh ... having fun, I guess," he said.
"What do you mean, David?"
"He wasn't in his room, so I checked to see if Alexei and James knew where he was. Well, I found him, in bed between the two of them! You know ... I'm not sure who I'm more mad at ... Nick, for doing this, or Alexei and James, for putting him in this awkward position in relation to Francis. This is not going well."
"Oh ... I'm sure it wasn't anything like that. I'll bet if you ask Nick, he'll have a good explanation."
"Maybe. Alexei said he found him early this morning in the lounge, reading. He wasn't able to get him back to his room seemingly ...so he ended up in theirs. But why?"
"Well, just be nice when Nick arrives. You know he's had enough to deal with."
"Oh, I think he's doing very well ... he's Mister Stardom."
"Yeah, he was a big hit last night, wasn't he? I'm so happy for him. He really deserves that, you know."
"I know. I was just hoping that we could talk a bit with him and let him see that Francis is just being selfish to impress him."
"They'll work it out, David, don't worry. Come here."
For the next 10 minutes not a lot was said, until there was a knock at the door.
"Come on in, Nick," Kathy called out. "Hey, there, Nick! Good to see you!"
"Yeah, sorry to be late, Kathy. I had some trouble sleeping last night."
"I'm sure," David said, too quickly.
"Shush!!!" Kathy said.
"I'm sorry you found us like that this morning, David. Believe me ... there was nothing going on between us. I felt just very very lonely and I didn't want to go back to my room to sleep."
"So you went up to Alexei's room instead ... just like that?"
"No, not just like that. He more or less forced me to go up with him."
"I always was afraid something like that might happen. I'm going ..."
"No, now stop it, David. He forced me back to their room ... but I'm happy he did ... as at least I got a few hours of sleep ... otherwise I'd probably have fallen asleep early this morning down in the lounge. So he did me a favour ... don't say anything to James or Alexei about it, OK?"
"So, you're doing better now, Nick?" Kathy said.
"Yeah, I'm feeling better. It's good to feel that someone is around for you and cares for you."
"Francis cares for you," David said.
"Well, he has a funny way of showing it," I said more harshly than I wanted it to come out.
"He's just trying to do his best for you, so you can be proud of him. He's really pushing himself."
"He should know better, David. I'm proud of him whatever he does. I just hate the both of us at the moment for not being able to talk normally about anything. I'm fed up with us ending up in fights all the time."
"We know. You just have to be patient. It'll get better again. Maybe you can come up soon for a visit to make things up."
"I'm not sure I can. I've got a job probably for the rest of the week and then I'll need to catch up with school quickly when I get back to that."
"You got a job?" Kathy asked, surprised.
"Yeah, I got an offer to go down to Orlando tomorrow to go and do a drawing for someone."
"Wow! That's great, Nick. I'm so happy for you."
"I haven't decided yet, Kathy, whether to accept. I'm not sure I'm going to do it."
"Don't you think it'd be better to go back to Francis during that time and make up?"
"No, David. I'm not running back to him. If he hasn't got time for me when something major is happening in my life, then I'm not going to be the one to do the running. You know what? I thought he'd call me last night. Well, he didn't ... so if he doesn't care ..."
"He does," Kathy said firmly. "He told us he was going to ring. He must have fallen asleep, I guess."
"I don't know and, for today, I'm not going to care. He spoiled yesterday ... today, I'm going to enjoy what is happening to me. So where is breakfast?"
"Oh ... if you feel like that, Nick ...," David said.
"It isn't that I don't care, David ... but I have to go for what I want, too."
"I think I understand," Kathy said.
I looked at David and saw that he was not convinced. He was not going to let go. We walked to the buffet table which was filled what looked like a full range of breakfast items.
"So how is the little one doing?" I asked Kathy, ignoring David for the moment.
For the rest of the meal we talked a lot about the little one and other stuff. The subject of Francis was forgotten for the time being. But more and more I thought about him. I'd made up my mind I was not going to let him bug me any more. I knew I'd have to deal with it in the end but we could do that the next time we saw each other. Maybe that would be a lot easier to do than talking with him on the phone.
It was almost midday when I left their room. It was fun talking with them and getting up to speed with all the things that were happening with the little one. I noticed that Kathy was missing him more than she led us to believe.
I called Randy and he said that Nick would meet with me at the hotel bar around 3 p.m. that afternoon, so I had a few hours to kill before the busy afternoon and evening arrived. At 5 I needed to be back at Tom's gallery to present the exhibition to the press. I had no idea how many people would be there. I knew I'd have one friend there for sure as Steve had used his press pass to get in as well. He'd said he'd be there for support if needed.
Just before I left the room to meet up with Nick the phone rang. Francis, I thought ... but when I got to it, I saw that it was Tom's number on the caller ID.
"Hey, Tom! What's up?"
"I just wondered if you could come in a half hour earlier as I want to make sure you're prepared for the press. I have been fielding requests all afternoon to see your exhibition, and I think there's going to be as big a press turnout for this exhibition as I've ever seen."
"Oh, dear ... now you've got me nervous! You think it's the notoriety of my past?"
"No ... as far as I can tell, no one referred to that at all. You know ... I wouldn't have let any of them in if they had. I think most of them are from the major art magazines and some local one newspapers as well."
"OK ... well, that's even more reason to be nervous."
"Well, just be there half an hour before the opening, OK?"
"I will, Tom."
"Good. Have you already decided on the job?"
"No, not yet. I'm meeting Nick in about 5 minutes downstairs in the bar."
"Good, just be open and ask whatever you want. He'll be OK with that."
"I will. Take care and see you later."
"OK. Bye for now, Nick."
I hung up and looked in the mirror. I think I'd dressed well enough that I could go straight from the bar to the gallery.
I found Nick already waiting for me. "Hi, there, Nick! You want something to drink?" he asked.
"That might be a good idea ... yeahh ... a dark beer. I think I need something to calm my nerves."
"Why is that?" he asked.
"Well, I just had Tom on the phone and it seems the press somehow got wind of something interesting in the gallery. He said he'd had quite a number of requests to attend this afternoon."
"Good! It worked then!"
"What??? You had something to do with this, Nick?"
"Yeahh, I hope that's OK. I called a few friends of mine to let them know that I saw the work of an amazing young new artist at a private opening last night. I hope you don't mind?"
"Oh,well ... I guess you have contacts like that."
"You didn't recognise me yesterday, did you, Nick?"
"No, to be honest. I asked Tom and Randy about you as I wanted to find out who you were. It's not often you get an offer like that."
"I know ... and I hoped you'd ask them. I wanted them to be honest about it all. So I guess you have some questions?"
"Yeahh ... several," I said.
"OK. I'm here. I'll answer them as honestly as I can."
"Why that ridiculous offer, Nick?"
"Hmmmmm ... that wasn't the first question I thought you were going to ask, Nick. I think part of it was because I want to make sure you know I value your work and I'm also absolutely sure that very soon I'll know how valuable your work will be."
"Oh, OK ...well, I won't take you up on your offer. I haven't decided if I'll sell that drawing as you might imagine ... but, if I do, it won't be for a price that I think is way too much."
"OK ... well, that is up to you, Nick. My offer stands. I hope you'll take me up on it as I really like what you did in that drawing."
"Yeah, you told me that last night. But that offer ... why do you want me to do a drawing for you?"
"Well, mostly because of that drawing of Francis, Nick. It's the way you did it ... the way you were able to put your feelings into it. I want a picture like that and I hope you'll be able to do something like that for me."
"Feelings of love, you mean?"
"Yes ... at least, that is what I see in that drawing. I want you to put that in the drawing you are going to do for me. too."
"Who do I need to draw, your girlfriend?"
He smiled. "No, I want you to draw my boyfriend, Thomas. Nick."
"Oh, you are gay then?"
"Yes. My family and friends know but, so far, no one has outted me to the broader public."
"Well, I wouldn't do that."
"I didn't think you would, Nick ... otherwise, we wouldn't be sitting here. I'll be honest with you ... I know a bit about your past. Randy told me what happened to him ... how he got rid of those bastards ... and how he helped you to do the same."
"Oh!!" I still wasn't ready to talk about those events openly. I'd locked that part of my past up after the trial and I wanted it to stay behind closed doors.
"But that's not the reason I told you. I just wanted to let you know that I trusted you ... otherwise, I wouldn't come out to you at all. I think you can understand the reason I need to be careful about this with people."
"I guess."
"So, are you going to do it?"
"Well ... I've given it a lot of thought and I think I will ... yeah. But during spring break ... so in 3 or 4 months. It'd be too disruptive at the moment with school work and all."
"I thought that you were going to say that, Nick, but I really want you to do it this week. If not, then I might have to go and find some one else ... although they might not be as good as you are."
"Oh, well ... if you're so desperate ... then you might be better off doing that."
"I'd hoped I could convince you to come down with Randy and I this week to do the portrait. I know you trust him ... and I think he'd enjoy spending more time with you, too."
"I know you asked him over to help pressure me ... but why do you have to move so fast?"
He didn't answer that one straight away. He looked away, then looked back at me and I heard him whisper, "It might be too late otherwise."
"What? You're not quarrelling with Thomas, are you?"
"Oh, no! Never! Hmmmm ... this is difficult, Nick. There are only a few people who know. Randy is one of them. I want you to come down with me this week because, because Thomas might not be here any more in 3 or 4 months. And if he is ... he won't look like he does now."
I looked at him strangely and waited for him to explain.
"He has AIDS, Nick, and hasn't got more than a few months to live," Nick said quietly.
"Oh! Damn! Nick, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you say so before?"
"It isn't easy to explain, Nick and I don't want you to come out of pity or paint out of pity. I want a picture, full of life ... full of the loving feelings that I know he has for me and I have for him."
We sat a few minutes in silence, sipping on our beers.
"So are you coming?" he asked softly. I could see he was waiting eagerly for the answer, almost afraid I would say no. But how could I no, after all he'd told me? I just had to go, and I knew it. Against love I couldn't say no.
"Yes, of course I'll come. Make the arrangements ... I'll fly with you tomorrow."
"Thanks, Nick. I'll make it worth your while, trust me."
"That's not the reason I'm doing this, Nick. I just want to make sure you have something to remember him by. I can see why you wanted a drawing to remember him by. I just hope that I can put the same feeling into it, though."
"We'll see, Nick," he said.
Nick left and I knew that my emotion-filled day was just starting. I was tired, tired of being alone, tired of people hurting others. But I'd help to change that if I could. Oh, yeah ... idealistic, I know ... but if I could bring pleasure to other people's lives, then I'd do my best to achieve that. My art was my way to contribute and it seemed so far to have worked.
I had to get ready for the next part of the day, the journalists. Nick had said he was sure there'd be quite a few around and I was not sure I was ready to handle them. I knew some might know about my past and I was definitely not ready to talk about that yet.
But I knew that Tom would be there and he would protect me for sure. OK, let's get this over with. I got my mobile out but no one had called. I had hoped that Francis would have tried to contact me by now. I got into the waiting car and decided to try him myself. He didn't answer. I thought about the message that I should leave but I had nothing g more to say. Not after the 15 or so I had been leaving since yesterday evening. I just said "Call me."
I called Randy as well and let him know I was joining him tomorrow. Now the next step might not be as easy, I thought. I called my Dad as he was definitely not happy with my plans but all he wanted was to make sure that I would keep up my university work. I told him I would. It was just a too good opportunity to let go. He tried to persuade me to do it later but I told him to trust me ... that it had to be now.
I was reasonable calm when the car reached the front entrance to the gallery. I was late, the doors were opened already, and it seems quite a few people had been in already. I found the strength to get up and face the music. Let's see what the real experts thought of my work instead of the wealthy in-crowd that had been there the night before.
"Ah, there you are, Nick! Please follow me. Tom is in his office with the other two." I followed him up.
"Good to see you made it, Nick."
"Sorry to be late, but it's been a bit of a rough night and day."
"Well, this won't take too much of your time, I hope. We'll go out, my press agent will introduce us all and tell everyone that they can walk around first. Then, after about 15 minutes, there will be a press conference where the four of us will be available to answer questions. Normally then there'd be individual sessions which will be arranged by my press agent. He'll talk with you to see if you want to do any. If you don't want to meet with journalists individually, then don't. I only ask you to spend the 15 minutes with the four of us. Is that clear?" he asked, paying a little more attention to my reaction than to the others.
"OK ... let's get this over with," I said. "I hate journalists," I whispered to the others.
The press agent made his introductions and invited the journalists to look around. I saw that Steve was there and smiled at him.
I watched everyone wander around the gallery, some stopping to look at individual items. Most of them though were making notes in my area and I guessed that I'd be getting a lot of questions over the next little while.
"OK ... let's get this going. I want you all to understand that I won't accept any duplicate questions. If the artist is not ready or willing to give an answer to a question, please don't follow his answer with a repetition of the same question worded differently. If you do then you'll be asked to leave. Let's see, who would like to start?"
Several hands went up. The first questions were directed to one of the women artists. After a few minutes the number of questions slowed down.
"Where did Tom find you, Nick? It seems that you have been an artist for some time?" I had unexpectedly had a question directed at me.
I smiled and answered, "No, I haven't been doing this for a long time. Tom invited me as we have some mutual acquaintances who though my work was worth his attention."
"I think it's more than worth a look. Your work has a warmth to it that has not been seen for a long time. I think you are going to be around for quite a while."
I'd missed who had asked that question but I just nodded to thank him for his kind words.
"I'm Steve, an independent journalist. Can you tell me which is your favourite? The drawings or the paintings?"
"To be honest, Steve, I don't know. I think that for the time being I would say drawing as I know my skills are better developed than in painting."
"You are still studying then?" he asked.
"Yes, I am currently following the arts program here at the university. I chose it especially to enable me to develop my talents at a higher level."
"Hello, I'm Jim from the Advocate. I can only say that I am touched by the emotions you are able to put into your work. I think everyone can see that the people that are in your work must mean a lot to you. Can you tell who they are?"
Oh, there we go, I thought. I looked over at Tom but he just smiled. It wouldn't be too difficult to get out of this without revealing too much personal information, I thought.
"The one with the baby is a relative of mine. When I made it I felt really a part of their little family. I felt that the love they shared was something profound that needed to be shown to people around the world to make sure everyone would know that those sentiments were still around and not lost."
"Well, the drawing captures that beautifully. I have one more question which I hope you are willing to answer. The other painting of the striking looking guy has a special meaning to you."
"Yes, he means a lot to me. He is one of the best friends I've ever had." I was not going to offer more information about Francis. I'd been surprised that the Advocate had sent a reporter to this opening to start with. I just hoped the guy would leave it at that.
Someone else asked me a question about how long I'd been doing art. I answered without to much enthusiasm. I could feel the gaze of the Advocate journalist still on me.
"OK, there is time for one more question." Someone asked something of Tom and he answered it. I must say that most of what was being said was going right past me. I knew I had agreed to do this question-and-answer session, but I'd make sure in future never to do it again.
The press agent came to me and said that several reporters had asked for an interview. He advised me to do two of them. I asked which ones. He said the Times and the Advocate. I looked at him. "It's up to you but I think that the guy from the Advocate will write that you're a gay artist, so you might want to make sure he puts the proper spin on what you think your work means ... so I suggest you talk with him."
I looked at Tom. "What do you think, Tom?"
"I must say, I was surprised he was here. He must be their arts reporter, otherwise he wouldn't have been invited. I think it's better to talk with him and suss out what he's going to write. You can use my office if you want the privacy."
"Let's get this over and done with then," I said, resigned to my fate.
I went into Tom's office and waited for the arrival of the guy from the Advocate. He came in and shook my hand, holding it, I thought, a bit longer than was necessary.
"I'm glad you agreed to this, Nick. I just have a few questions if that's OK."
"As long as I can read the article before it's published, then ask away," I answered as Tom had told me to do.
"That can be arranged as long as you understand it is our right to print it."
"Of course, I just want to know what I'm going to see in print. I hate unwarranted criticism and want to be ready to comment."
"You're afraid I'll out you, Nick?"
I smiled at him. "No reason not to cut to the chase, is there?"
Well hope you enjoyed this chapter, more to follow soon. Check also my website for more stories at www.timsfunplace.com. If you want to send me an e-mail use noway16@hotmail.com