"Congratulations, George! This is amazing!"

I smiled and nodded, thanking the man in front of me politely, as he gushed about the gallery and my new artwork that was currently hanging on the walls around us.

"I was very curious about this exhibit if a bit apprehensive, seeing as so much time has passed since your last one, but I have to admit that it is probably one of your best so far, if not the best. You should be very proud of yourself."

I thanked him, yet again, and sighed in relief as the man finally stopped talking and moved away.

I pressed my fingers against my temples, as the beginning of a headache slowly crept around the edges of my mind. I could feel it coming and felt less than thrilled about it.

I hated being in the spotlight, with a bunch of strangers fawning over me and making me feel like I was under a microscope.

You always have to be at your best behavior, smiling and chit-chatting with a bunch of people you barely know, because they are the ones who pay for the food and bills. So, if they are happy then they will open their wallets and buy the paintings.

"You okay, dad?", Bee asked me, giving me a glass of white wine as he did so. I smiled and took it, gulping it like it was the last one on earth, until the last drop.

"You, my boy, are a lifesaver!", I said once I was finished making my son smile and wink.

"I am fine, just not a fan of the crowd.", I continued in a slightly lowered voice while glancing around to make sure that no one would overhear.

"Well, they sure are fans of your work. And blind, apparently. If I have heard correctly almost every one of your paintings has already been sold. So, congrats dad.", Brady said cheekily as I smacked him across the head before he had the time to step away, laughing out loud.

"Ha-ha, very funny.", I said with a faux-glare in his direction.

"I am kidding. I mean it though, good job dad. I am proud of you.", he said and I hugged him tightly feeling the happiest I've felt in a long time.

It was short-lived though since I saw my parents coming our way over Brady's shoulder and panicked since the last thing I needed right then was to be trapped with the two of them.

I could already imagine how that conversation would go. My mother would congratulate me and then she would try to set me up with one of her friend's sons, while my dad would stand there and huff about the stupidity of the people here, and how they spent their money on useless paintings.

Yeah, not exactly my idea of a good time.

"Go left, and I'll distract them.", Bradley stage whispered into my ear when we parted and he saw his grandparents, making me grin at him before making my escape.

I made a mental note to give my son a bigger allowance, as I made my way to the bar. I was in desperate need of more alcohol if I planned to survive that night.

Two hours later, I was back at the bar, as the crowd finally started to disperse and I could breathe a sigh of relief that the whole ordeal was about to be over.

Just as I was about to take a sip of my drink, I heard a deep voice behind me, that made me freeze on the spot, as a rush of long-forgotten memories flashed through my mind, making me lose my breath.

"That's an interesting name for a gallery, don't you think?"