Chapter 42
Tabby got ready for her day. She checked her messages, her heart dull. That done, she went over to the window, pulled aside the little curtain, gazed out.
The pines and the mountains, all were the same, as was the clear blue British Columbia sky. Somehow, though, they weren’t getting through to her.
“Oh,” she murmured, as a text sounded. She’d missed a call from Nathan, it seemed. She quickly dialed, found herself speaking to the man who was fast becoming a friend.
“Hey, Nate. What’s up?”
“I’m leaving town, Tabby. But we can still work together if my style works for you. I noticed you looked at my portfolio, and if…”
Tabby was having none of that, though. “Hold on. You’re leaving? What’s going on? How come?”
A pause, and she could feel the indecision he had in confiding in her.
Especially now, though, with what she was going through, she felt even more for the lonely Nathan Gentael. A talented, yet tortured artist.
But he was so much more than a stereotype to her. “Look it, you don’t have to tell me what’s going on. I feel like we’ve made a connection, however, and if you need or want a friend, I’m here.” She waited.
He sighed. “I was never going to stay for long, Tabitha. Truth be told, I’ve been through some rough times, and I guess I’m looking for something. Figure I’ll go all the way to the west coast, maybe up to Alaska. If it doesn’t suit me there, then back to good old, mainland, U.S.A. Not sure when I’ll find what I’m looking for, or if, but…”
“…but you want to find yourself, most of all. Am I right?”
He chuckled. “Bang on.” She heard the continuing reluctance in his voice to confide, but also the hope in it that he could.
What a sweet guy.
His voice brightened. “Are you sure you’re not a tortured artist, too, Tabby?”
“Oh, honey,” she said. “I’m a tortured everything, these days. And I know what it feels like. Listen. You do what you need to, but when I’m ready to do the illustrations, you’ve got the gig, if you want it.”
She could hear the flush of surprised pleasure in his voice. “Well, that’s great. Whenever that is, it’ll help pay for stuff. Food. Animal cookies. The necessities. You know.”
She chuckled. “I know, honey. Absolutely. You take care of yourself and keep in touch. Let me know where you are, okay?”
“I will. After a bit of solitude, I’ll be back in touch. Thanks for everything, Tabby.” He paused. “I’m glad I got to know you. Us creatives have to stick together. Be seeing you.”
The line clicked, and he was gone. Off to find himself.
Much like her, only she was going back to the currently familiar.
Not for long, though. She grabbed her laptop, and started on getting the departure times for buses and trains out of Dawson.