IMPETUS

16

Several days passed. I must admit there were tears. And doubt.
Maybe I had been a bit hard on Ethan. But he'd been with another woman and the jealousy was burning through me like fire.
He was supposed to be mine!
Only mine!

In my deepest fits of self pity I had looked up the photos again. I'd stare at his smile. I would nalyse the look on his face and try to see what he had been thinking when they were taken. And all I could see was his happiness.

I was in my studio printing furiously and covering myself in ink to hide my dark mood when I noticed someone in the doorway. Ethan was stood there looking at me.

"Izzy..." he said when I pulled a paper from the manual press.

I ignored him, swiping ink on the block before putting the next paper in place. There was a brutal crunch as I pressed the lever a bit too hard.

"Izzy. Five minutes. Please," he pleaded.

I pulled the paper off the press and looked at it. The force had indented the paper a bit too much but the print was passable. I placed it in the rack to dry before reaching for the inkbrush.

"Izzy. Just... stop!" Ethan said firmly.

I stopped, plunged the brush back into the ink and turned away from him with a sigh.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this," I huffed to hide my hurt.

"And I'm not ready to throw 20 years away... Please talk to me!" Ethan asked.

I shook my head.

"Not now? Not ever?" He asked.

"Not right now," I said.

I wanted to hear him out, but with his smile from the photos burned onto my retina, I couldn't find the strength to speak with him.

The front door opened and closed softly behind him. Leaving a void that lasted several days.

All the while I was drowning myself in self pity, I was orgaising the gallery opening. The curator had thankfully taken care of the guest list and catering for the vernissage, but I still had the run of lino prints to finish and sign. The sale of the prints would benefit Elsie's Obstruction and the continued work for children around the world.
Since adopting his kids, Odd had increased his charity work and made his main job when Obstruction took our break five years earlier.
He had set up a fund in Brazil that financed an extra school and every month he sent food and supplies to the neighbour who originally helped Hale and Elsie. She in turn had built a better home and had managed to successfully support her kids through school and build a better life for her family.

I was sat, signing print 245/300 when Selma entered my house with two bottles of wine and a bag full of Chinese takeaway food.

"Ellen and Rhea will be here in five minutes. I suggest you get a shower," she ordered.

"I'm working!" I muttered.

"You can sign the rest after we've eaten. I'm ordering a girls night!" She told me and shooed me upstairs.

Feeling strangely relieved at someone else taking charge, I meekly followed orders.

"Yes bossy!" I mumbled.

My hair in a wet bun and wearing fresh clothes, I entered the kitchen a few minutes later to find my three closest female friends sat at my kitchen table waiting.

"I smell an intervention!" I muttered darkly.

"Now... why would you think that?" Ellen smirked.

I poked my tongue at her and sat down where Selma placed a glass of my favourite wine.

"Just because your beloved husband is currently at my house looking like whipped dog... doesn't mean we can't have some girlie fun!!!" Selma grinned.