Chapter 18: Wall Card

The room went still.

Willa pressed the microphone to her chest and let her tears run.

"My sister is a wonderful person," she said. "She is also very sick."

A murmur ran through the room, and I felt Gavin move.

I held his hand tighter.

"I painted these," Willa said. "Every one.

"I painted them in my mother's garage at night, in the worst year of my illness."

Miriam made a small sound.

"Cassandra begged me for a legacy," Willa went on. "She said she would be gone soon.

"She wanted something with her name on it, and I couldn't say no to a dying woman."

She looked at me across the floor with her eyes full.

"I let her take them," she said. "I'm sorry, Cass. I think she believes it now."

For a breath, nobody spoke.

I watched ninety faces turn from her to me.

Some were pitying.

Some were disgusted.

A reporter by the door lowered her phone, then raised it again.

"Cassandra," said Miriam, loud and sharp. "Is that true?"

I let go of Gavin's hand and walked across the gallery floor.

I did not hurry.

I held my palm out to my sister.

"May I have that?" I said.

She hesitated.

Miriam was watching, and so was the press, and she could not refuse a request that gentle.

She gave me the microphone.

"I'm not going to shout," I said to the room. "I would like to show you instead."

I turned to the gallery owner.

"Could you bring a brush, please? And a small canvas board from the back."

She brought them, with her mouth open.

I held out the brush to Willa.

"One stroke," I said. "The green window from Green Hour. You painted it for three weeks, so it will take you a second."

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