They Left Me Out Of The Picture So I Created My Own Chapter 11
An unfamiliar number buzzed in the darkroom.
“Is this Avery? It’s Lauren. One of your old classmates gave me your number.”
Her greeting was immediately followed by a note of reproach.
“Where on earth have you been? We’ve been worried sick looking for you!”
It didn’t sound like worry.
It sounded like my departure had personally offended her.
“I’m in Rhode Island. I’m at school.”
“Oh, that’s good. Good for you.”
She brushed past the topic, her tone suddenly shifting to warm enthusiasm.
“By the way, Sadie told me your exhibition at school was a huge success. Your father is so proud of you.”
I held the glass measuring cup in my hand and said nothing.
“Listen, I have a charity gala next week. All the women in our circle are donating items for the auction. You should donate a piece—that award-winning one. We’ll put your name on it, and I can help promote you to all my friends.”
For the rest of the call, she described the hotel, the guest list, and the media that would be covering the event.
So she hadn’t been trying to find me.
She was trying to find a piece of art she could attach my name to.
“Sorry,” I said. “My work isn’t available for auction.”
“Why not? This is a fantastic opportunity for you!”
I hung up.
The call timer read 2:03.
In that house, I could be their photographer, their babysitter, or a name they could show off.
The one thing I couldn’t be was a person worth caring about.
I put my phone down, checked the measurements again, and added more developer to the tray.
Under the dim red safelight, the outlines of a new photograph slowly emerged.
The call already felt like a sales pitch for a product that had nothing to do with me.