The Art World Sensation: KAZMIR
“You must have heard this from the others but I need to tell you that you’re a superstar!”
Ariadne did not stop makin’ this statement since she arrived at the house a while ago.
“I hope you feel good, too. What’s up?”
“Juice, ladies.”
I walked out of the livin’ room area with a tray.
“Do you want some food, Ariadne? I made somethin’ for us to eat not too long ago and you know fully well how invited you are to join us at the table, don’t you?” Settlin’ the tray on the table, I asked and settled on a chair while I watched them sip from their glasses.
“Sure,” Ariadne’s words cut short my thoughts. “I’m hungry, I mean. I could join your family at the table, most definitely. You know.”
Moments later, we sat around the family dinin’ table and ate from our trays.
I was the silent person while my wife and her guest talked loudly and laughed at occasions, leavin’ me out of a conversation I was so willin’ to join. “Is there somethin’ you need?” I asked them at some point and my wife, on their behalf, looked up, and shook her head before talkin’ to Ariadne once more.
“You should see the family,” to both our hearin’, Ariadne started. “You should see how they’ve changed from draggin’ the pieces with your wife to jubilatin’ with her for bein’ in the spotlight. Do you know what it means to find a missin’ piece of art? Everyone on the internet knows ’bout it too and I have you to thank, Kazmir. We wouldn’t have been here if not for you.”
A smile came alive on my face.
“I didn’t know it’ll brin’ us here,” pickin’ up my phone, I glanced at its screen and caught sight of many notifications poppin’ into it. “I mean, I would do more if I could. Isn’t it obvious that my wife is a star? A shinin’ star for that matter.” I stopped talkin’ and faced the food before me, smilin’ at the thought of how things happened and went even beyond our expectations.
From the moment when the video recordin’ was made, my phone didn’t stop beepin’ throughout the night. Initially, the woman I am married to was scared – especially when she knew ’bout the characters of the so-called family members who wanted a piece of the pieces and now don’t anymore. “I don’t like this, Kazmir,” she cried all night. “I need to reach out to Ariadne. I’m not sure she would like this either.”
And the next mornin’, Ariadne had come. “This is so beautiful, Kazmir!” She patted my back like I was her child or even brother. “Half a million reactions to this video. Can’t you see for yourself that your wife is ’bout to go viral, or have gone viral rather?!” She asked and looked at Nyssa who seemed to have become calm.
“I’m sorry,” at the end of the day she was pleadin’. “I thought my family members shouldn’t see it, Kazmir. Are you mad at me for shoutin’ at you?”
“Kazmir!”
I snapped out of my thoughts, meetin’ their gaze as I smiled. “Wh-what do you want? Who called me?” I asked and the women looked at each other. Ariadne got on her feet and snatched her bag. She smiled at me and walked towards the door.
“I would love to spend some more time, but I have a family to meet, you know-” she looked at me before lookin’ at Nyssa who didn’t speak.
“Thank you so much for havin’ me, and thank you for the meal as well. But I should be on my way at this point.” And with this, she pushed the door open and walked out next, shuttin’ the door while I looked at the meal in the tray before standin’ on my feet and leadin’ my way to the kitchen where I did the dishes.
“Is anythin’ at all the matter?”
I was walkin’ through the stairs when Nyssa called me back. “What do you mean?” I looked at the woman who walked closer and caught up with me who looked away.
“Do you want somethin’, baby?”
“No, Kazmir-” Huggin’ me, she shook her head.
“You know, I just thought I should spend some time with you this evenin’. We haven’t had a good time together since all of these started a few days ago. Do you want to tell me somethin’?” She asked and started walkin’, while I did the same but with thoughts runnin’ around my mind.
Instead of walkin’ through the stairs as it was, I stopped and carried the woman in my arms. “Come here,” doin’ this, a giggle ran out of her mouth, and in moments, I dropped her on the bed in the bedroom we’ve always shared. “How are you feelin’?”
“I don’t know,” our gazes met. “Are you mad at me?” Her hands wrapped around my neck and I smiled, fallin’ next to her on the bed. “I feel like you have somethin’ to say to me, and you’re not sayin’ it. What is the matter, Kazmir Draven?”
“Nothin’!”
I was laughin’.
“I’m just tired, happy, and mixed with fear at the same time. I feel like I have you this moment and the next moment I’m losin’ you to what I don’t know. I know I’m not losin’ you but that’s the feelin’ I keep gettin’ and I can’t help but be a worried person.”
“You have been nothin’ but a good husband,” she mouthed. “Why would I forget that? All of these are ’cause of you. Although I’ll admit that I was scared in the first place, it was ’cause of the family comin’ back for me like they’ve done. You know what? You are a wonderful husband, Kazmir Draven. What do I owe you for the kind gesture?”
I felt better.
More than better, in fact.
My gaze met the screen of my phone and I turned back to meet the woman who was also all smiles.
“Do you see the comments?” I asked and she gave a nod. “People who are into art and those who are not have been nothin’ but sweet towards you, even when they don’t know anythin’ ’bout art. All they know is that my wife brought back a piece that was on the lookout for a long time.”
“Thank you, Kazmir Draven.”
I nodded and lay next to her, my eyes shut for some time. The next time I opened my eyes, she was asleep. I looked at the wall clock before jumpin’ off the bed, changin’ my mind, and walkin’ back into the room so that I could cover her with the duvet.
Back downstairs, I hurried to the kitchen. I needed to make somethin’ for the woman and myself in advance for dinner. And with this, I set to work, listenin’ to the beepin’ sounds that came from my phone.
In the space of one hour, I was done with the cookin’. The woman had not come awake, so I walked back into the room and headed to the bathroom after snatchin’ my towel from the wardrobe. When I came out, Nyssa sat on the bed and rubbed her face with one of her hands. “Am I perceivin’ this nice aroma or not?” She met my gaze and I nodded, walkin’ to the wardrobe where I would select the outfit for the night.
“You cooked?”
“Yes,” I walked to the door and opened it. “You should wash your face and come down so you can have a taste and your share also.” I mouthed but she was on her feet and hurryin’ to the door without washin’ her face just as I asked. “Aren’t you goin’ to wash your face?”
“My face is clean, Kazmir Draven!”