Fan Fiction
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Angelica’s Fifth Fourth ~ Chapter Eight
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Bette’s alternate career began that simply. The sculptress told a few other students and Bette assisted them. A faculty member noticed and suggested to some gifted MFA graduates that they seek Bette’s guidance. Bette would receive packages from those artists with pictures and the dimensions of the works that they were displaying in group shows. The artists knew that the curator of a group show would not have much time for any one artist’s display. Bette would ask for a general description of the space. She then made suggestions. Soon, she was traveling to New York to assist in person.
Much later, after she had worked for LA’s most prestigious gallery, she started her own. Almost every one of those artists had let her show their work. Those that had grown too important sent their regrets, but sent other artists her way.
She had loved her gallery.
She loved Tina more.
They had wanted a family. All of the forever and ever things. They talked about it constantly and Bette had felt stupid when Tina stated what should have been obvious — the unpredictable income stream from the gallery would be a factor to consider when starting a family. Bette was a hard-nosed business woman and ran the financial side of her gallery with the skill and style of an Ivy League MBA. However, nothing could change that it was always going to be a gallery and business skills could only manage, not eliminate, its ups and downs. The unpredictability of the gallery’s income stream was unavoidable.
Bette sometimes had awoken in the middle of the night thinking about what to do. Sometimes Tina was sleeping curled against her back as Bette reviewed the possibilities. She had thought that Tina would stay at the studio, where she was a wunderkind, leapfrogging over the heads of those who had logged more time, into positions of ever increasing importance. The stress, however, was affecting Tina and Bette worried. Bette considered becoming a museum curator, but those positions at major museums were rarely available. She considered becoming the curator to a private collector, but thought that she would soon butt heads with her employer.
The CAC offer had dropped out of the sky into her lap. The CAC had gotten a new Board of Directors that wanted to change the museum’s direction. The Board members that Bette met were enthusiastic and committed. The compensation package was very generous and the museum committed to a five year contract. After consulting with Tina, Bette took the job and closed the gallery. The plaque that had borne the gallery name outside its entrance had been at the back of a desk drawer in her office at the CAC and it had traveled with her to CU.
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”I apologize for no shout-outs.” – never worry about that, Spumoni!… especially when you’ve already said this: ‘Special thanks and gratitude for those who comment and PM. As other site authors have truthfully said, the encouragement keeps me posting.’… :-)
Enjoyed Bette’s late night thoughts, hopefully Tina will feel better soon and can join the discussion.
Nice to see another chap! I know it’s thought that I enjoy ragging on someone in particular, but I just call em like I see em, and a big question was presented in this very chap. Why should Person 1 in a relationship feel entitled to enjoy a career that is fickle and unstable, however much she might enjoy it, and be fine with this arrangement, if Person 2 had to leave the profession SHE loved and take positions that are killing her spirit, in order to ensure financial stability for the family? Oh, this one hurt, Spumoni, I have very fair skin and when I was a stupid kid, fried myself too often. I can still feel how sick I’d get and how much it hurt. Tina needs to put on a gallon of sunscreen.
gallery is a great idea, i hope tina feels better soon so they can talk about it….P.S. Angelica has better table manners than me :)
Thx for the thx. Once of those voice recognition programs would be good. I fell asleep in the sun once; what a mean burn. Inspite of cream etc. I still lost the skin off my back. Now Bette. I know what she means by ‘fraud’. I feel like that where I teach at a private high school for boys. Its like taking $$$$ under false pretences. I wonder sometimes what happened to honesty in education. Like Bette, the students would be best steered in a direction that could lead to a gainful career. Let her have her Gallery. She deserves it after all the shyt she’s survived. Let T be the big $$$$$$ earner, she likes what she does & she’s good at it. In fact, let Helena buy the studio out & put T in charge as part of her recompense to Bette and Tina for the damage she did. BETTE COULD MAKE THAT A CONDITION!!!! PPS
I fell asleep on the beach once, on a cloudy day, no sunburn on a cloudy day, right? WRONG..but only one side of my face was turned to the sun. Only one side burned and peeled and looked just lovely, the other half untouched. Quite a sight it was. Tina doesn’t need Helena to secure her career, she hasn’t had to sacrifice anything. I want Bette to do what she loves now, and is it odd that Helena has seen and cared about, what Tina hasn’t?
Brilliant writing, just brilliant! Thank you!!
Just doing a job b/c it is stable can kill one’s spirit. But Bette has responsibilty. If Helena is going to be her sugar mommy then that might work if it doesn’t belittle Bette.
I don’t want Bette to be belittled either, but I didn’t get the sense that Helena was trying to do that. Don’t lots of galleries have backers,sponsors, whatever they are called, etc?
Wow, three posts in quick succession. I enjoyed Bette & Boo’s carousel ride and all the arcade games that you oh so patiently and expertly described. Loved the quick glances that Tina and Bette made to each other and their daughter during the ride to and from the beach. Loved the ornate sand castle that the family built. It took time to build and they could have considered it a waste of time because the waves will simply wash it away. But I see it as a metaphor for their family life. It takes a lot of time and effort to build something beautiful like their family and they have to create and recreate their bond tirelessly every day. I love reborn junk-food-junkie Bette, smart-ass Tina who’s surprised and awed by Bette’s inner childlikeness and more importantly, the utterly cute and adorable Angie who burst into tears out of worry for her sunburnt Mama T. I love this story, Spumoni! Huge thanks to you!!! :>
Great post lady. What the heck is Helena really up to? PPS
The mind can play so man tricks on the psyche and one’s life. Bette is successful she just may not have proceeded to do what she wanted as a young adult. Life has a way of messing with one’s dreams.
Spumoni, just caught up with this story. I’m blown away. You capture the true voice of the characters beautifully. “She had loved her gallery. She loved Tina more.” That particular bit really moved me I think because we all make sacrifices for the ones we love. I will be anxiously awaiting your next update. Thanks for posting :)
again and again, simply this site’s most talented writer! that was amazing, in depth, well thought of, and did i say, amazingly written??! please post soon.
sunburn is the pits! i’m waiting for bette to share the idea of opening another gallery with tina. i think tina will back her and be perfectly fine being the breadwinner for a while!:)PPS