Topsy Turvy Kinda Love
chest. “Personal. That came from me—my thoughts, opinions, feelings. Now you’ve gone and shown it to someone else. How could you?”“They’re fucking good, Mia. I know it. Geoffrey knows it now. You know it, even when you choose not to believe it. Besides, you show them off at other galleries, what makes this one any different?”
“Don’t tell me what to believe.”
“Heaven forbid I try to do something nice for you.”
“I don’t need nice, Brooks. You aren’t my boyfriend. You’re my roommate. So what, I kissed you. I broke my own rules. Get over it.”
“Why are you being such a bitch right now, Mia? You don’t mean that.”
“Maybe I do, Brooks. Maybe I’ve always been one. Remove those rose-colored glasses, and we’ll find out, won’t we.”
“I don’t understand.”
“No, clearly, you don’t. I just can’t be around you right now. I need some… space.”
“Fine. You want space, done. I’ll just go into work like I planned to anyhow. Maybe Eddie will give me a few extra hours so you can have all the time you want to figure it out.”
I storm off from the gallery, leaving her there staring after me. Or maybe she isn’t, I don’t give a flying fuck. She isn’t ready to accept something real, and she’s lashing out because of how she’s feeling inside. Every border wall she’s placed around her heart is masking her real feelings and instead of accepting it, she’s going to fight it. So be it. If I have to fight her to get through to her, I will. Even if it kills me. Even if she hates me afterward.
Luckily, Topsy Turvy isn’t too far down the road from the gallery, so I walk there. A cold breeze blows around my shoulders and a chill creeps down my spine. Pulling open the door, I’m hit with the all too familiar bar smell. Eddie’s eyes are wide as he watches me walk behind the bar.
He furrows his eyebrows. “Thought you called off today?”
I shrug it off like it doesn’t matter. “Thought it was worth it, I was wrong. Here now. Keep me as long as you want.”
He nods. “Alright, well Zara’s here. Guess I’ll tell her she can head out.”
“Thanks, man.” He doesn’t ask anymore questions.
Setting up my station, I start working, getting lost in the endless movements of bartending. One shot, two beers, one fuzzy navel. I chide myself for wondering if Mia got home okay and if she’s ever going to let me in. Focus on the drinks and the customers.
“Well, you’re a sight for sore eyes, boy.” I watch as Willie meanders up to the bar and takes a seat in front of me.
“Sure I am right now.”
“Something happen with your lady friend?”
“Yeah, guess you could say that.”
“You wanna tell me what you did?”
My eyes widen. “What I did?”
He quirks an eyebrow. “Yep, normally the guy does something to mess it all up, so out with it. What’d ya do?”
“I got her a gallery showing at Rising Tides Art Gallery up the road. Don’t know what’s so wrong with doing something nice for her.”
“Huh, didn’t know your lady painted…”
I smile. “Sure does, she’s great at it too. Which is why I thought she’d like to get into Rising Tides. I found a flyer in the kitchen with the gallery name on it.”
He points at me. “See, there’s your first problem son, thinking. Second problem, you took something of hers and shared it with someone else without telling her about it or asking if it was okay. I imagine her artwork is personal to her. It’s something she created. Maybe it’s not meant to be shared with the world. Maybe she paints for her.”
“But she shares it with other galleries. I don’t see the difference. Plus, she said she would think about it.”
“Course she did. She’d be too smart to turn it down.”
I sigh. “Then I don’t get it…”
He makes a weird noise of agreement. “She’s a woman. Look, don’t you go trying to understand them, because I have news for you. You’ll never ever figure it out. Sure, after a while, you’ll be able to read her tells. But it’s what makes them such an interesting creature. Keeps ya guessing.”
My shoulders lift in a huff, and I blow out a long breath. “Yeah, well, it’s annoying. One minute she’s hot, the next she’s cold and closed off. Anyhow, what can I get ya?”
“My usual, please.”
“Whiskey, it is.”
I allow my eyes to drift over the patrons seated at the bar. My eyes make another pass when someone familiar catches my eye. No… it can’t be. My eyes find him again, and it’s not just a figment of my imagination. He’s a dead man walking. One I thought I’d never see again. My feet travel toward him without being told, but they move slowly as if he’ll disappear if I walk too fast.
“Matt?” My voice seems unsure, but how can I be? It’s been years since I’ve seen him. I’d know him anywhere, though. Why is he here of all places? At Topsy Turvy.
His eyes find me, widening. It’s unexpected. “Brooks?”
My mouth drops open. I thought I was going crazy seeing things. “You’re actually here. I was told… I never believed the stories, but dude, you dropped off the face of the earth without a trace. They said you were… dead.”
He shakes his head, and I walk around the bar to hug my old friend. “I bet they did. Spiritually dead is the same as dead to those brainwashers.”
“But how…”
He shrugs like it’s not a big deal. “Simple, I ran in the middle of the night. I couldn’t exactly say goodbye and take the chance that someone would come after me.” I nod my head, understanding completely.
“Why here?” I’m confused.
“There are others here from the compound. We all ran at the same time. I couldn’t stand there and let the leaders run my life anymore. I wouldn’t marry who they wanted me to, I couldn’t do that life. They wanted to strap me down