Secrets On Tour ✔ [COMPLETED] (Sequel to Late Night Conversations)

*Chapter Seven*

Tyler

My heartbeat can't seem to decide if it should skip a beat or start racing erratically at hearing Anna's words. My hands start to tremble slightly, and thoughts are bombarding my brain at a mile a minute. I surely couldn't have heard her correctly, right? I probably misunderstood what she said. I try and calm down my entire being, so I can have a rational and normal conversation with her.

"Anna, what do you mean you're not coming back to Oregon with me?" I still feel like I'm close to having an anxiety attack, trying to calm myself down didn't work at all.

"I'm so sorry, Tyler. I've wanted to tell you for a while now, but somehow I kept putting it off. And then the other day we got interrupted." She looks at me, giving me a pleading look.

"You're really serious about this?" I ask her again, wanting to make sure she's really saying what I think she's saying.

"I wasn't at first, but I've made up my mind these last few days. I know I should have told you earlier, I'm sorry." She looks down at her lap, nervously playing with the hem of her shirt.

I'm sure I'm white as a sheet right now as the shock starts settling in. I'm momentarily at a loss for words, still hoping that this is just a bad dream, and that I'll wake up from it any second now.

"So you're just going to leave me like that?" The shock is still there, but now irritation and anger are very slowly coming to the surface too.

Anna looks at me with a shocked expression, tears starting to form in her eyes. "What? Oh my gosh Tyler, no no no. What are you thinking? I'm not leaving you. Are you crazy?"

Now I'm completely confused. "Anna, can you please just tell me what the hell is going on?"

She nods right away, but I can still see the shock linger in her expression. "Do you remember when we were in New York for the first time years ago? We went to the Aperture Gallery, and it was the most beautiful gallery I'd ever seen. You were praising me so highly to one of the owners, that he said I should send him some of my work."

"What does that have to do with anything?" I wonder out loud.

"Well, the owner and I have been in touch over the years, I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that before. Anyway, they want to feature me in their new traveling exhibition." She stops talking and looks at me expectantly.

"They do? Wow, that's awesome Anna. Congratulations." I stare at her, and the air between us is mixed with awkwardness. Despite my mixed feelings at the moment, I still feel proud of her for such an accomplishment though.

"Thanks." The worry in her eyes keeps growing. "Are you mad at me?" She whispers, her eyes filling with fresh tears.

"Not mad. I'm a bit disappointed that you didn't tell me before. I thought we talk about everything."

"We do. I don't really know why I kept it from you. At the beginning I wasn't even sure that I wanted to do it. I didn't like the prospect of being apart from you again, but then I thought it's only for a few months. We've done it before, so we can do it again." Her hands are still playing with the hem of her shirt, and I'm afraid she might rub a hole into the thin material soon.

"I see. It's only a few months?" I ask her.

"Yes." She nods. "The exhibit is going to start next month and will run for a little less than three months."

"Ok." I tell her, standing up. Anna gets up too, and we silently stare at each other for a few long moments. I bend down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. I can see flickers of worry and disappointment in her eyes as she gazes up at me. "I have to go figure out some stuff. I'll...I'll see you later."

Anna stays quiet as I walk away from her, leaving her alone in the hotel room.

*****

Well let me hear it. Good secret or bad secret? 🙈

Sorry it wasn't a baby! 😉

What do you guys think Tyler will do about it all? 🤷

Hope you liked the chapter. ❤