The scene that follows is almost out of a comedic movie. Daniel tries to help me up which I unhelpfully refuse and end up stumbling on my feet while slipping, I may add, three times. Like a fucking baby deer on ice. I'm Bambi on a Germanic ice art gallery.  

The curator shouts at me while the security officer holds my arm as if he is taking a prisoner of war. 

"Ist das notwendig?" Daniel intervenes releasing his death grip from my arm. (Is that necessary?)

"Sie ist eine Diebin" the curator responds. (She is a thief)

Daniel looks at the painting that is now being brought back to its original place. "Das Gemälde gehört ihr." (The painting belongs to her.) He looks at me. "The painting is yours."

"I know that..." I mutter. 

A squeal on the floor makes all our heads turn and there I see yet another two deers although these  particular ones are looking at me, at him and at the mess as if they are about to be hit by a truck and are staring at the bright headlights before their demise. 

"Is she okay?" George asks Daniel. 

I open my mouth in protest. I'm right here! So now I'm also invisible? 

Daniel gives me a look that I can't decipher. "Yes" he responds. "Just a misunderstanding..."

I release a deep throat laughter. One of those that you only release if either someone said something hilarious or something incredibly stupid. Daniel, you are not funny. So guess what? 

"You must be joking. A misunderstanding?" I raise my voice again. I'm fully aware I'm having some sort of emotional meltdown but I don't give a damn. "My face is plastered all over these paintings and you call this a misunderstanding?"

"I was referring to your painting..." Daniel says stoically. 

I really cannot figure this guy out. 

"Können Sie es bitte abnehmen, damit sie es nehmen kann?" he asks the curator that still looks as if she's about to explode any second. (Can you please take it down so she can take it?)

The curator nods curtly and Daniel looks back at me with his hands inside his pockets. 

"There. It will be given to you..."

I stand still not knowing what to say. This is the most infuriating thing I've encountered in a long time. He's acting as if I'm the one in the wrong here. 

"For fuck's sake!" George expletive words cut through the silence and tension in the room. "Can you both just cut the fucking bullshit and have a conversation that doesn't end with her blacked out in a Uber or you giving away your paintings like you're giving away candy?"

Marie puts a hand on his arm in an attempt to placate him but George dismisses it. 

"This is so tiresome. You are still in love with each other. We all know it but you two seem to be oblivious, too stupid or just too damn stubborn!" He looks at me with a wild expression. "He paints fucking portraits of you, Natalie. Who does that? This..." He starts pointing at the paintings. "Is all an expression of love..."

George turns to Daniel. "And, you!" He points at Daniel angrily. "You begged me for a chance to show how you feel and then you fucking ruin it! I told you needed to be honest with her! Just grow some balls, dude!"

He finishes his speech and we all stand silent until Marie snorts trying to stifle a laughter. George turns around and gives her an exasperated look. 

"Grow some balls, dude..." Marie says without being able to contain her laughter any longer. 

Slowly we all started laughing and the tension that cut through the air dissipates. 

Daniel looks at me and gives me a soft smirk. "He is right. It's time for us to talk."

*

I never expected that dinner could be so awkward in my life before but from the moment we sit together in this small Japanese place with low lights and a lot of background noise, we both fall silent which is only interrupted by minor remarks about the food on the table. 

Daniel steals occasional glances towards my direction. Twice it almost seems like he gained the courage to speak up his mind but his courage quickly vanishes within seconds and is replaced first with a sigh and then by picking up his phone and staring at it intently. I'm no better either at this. I feel a swirl of emotions but I just can't seem to find a rational way to express them. 

"How is your mother?" Daniel looks up at me and takes a sip from his Japanese beer. 

"She's fine. More than fine actually. She's a bit of an item with George's dad..." 

Daniel raises an eyebrow inquisitively. 

"Yeah, I know... We didn't expect it either but she's happy and to be honest it feels right. I love George's dad and he makes my mom really happy too."

"You also like George..."

I huff. "It has its moments with that Idioten." I reply using Marie's nickname.

"He's..." Daniel clears his throat. "very protective of you." He looks up at me and takes a bite from the sushi he was holding between the two wooden sticks. "That was very clear from the day I've met him." 

"What he said... back in the gallery..."

Daniel smirks. "It's true." He interrupts my thoughts knowing very well what I was asking. "On the boat we had a very honest conversation." Daniel chuckles to himself. "George doesn't really soften his words, does he?"

I smile and shake my head before looking down at my plate of food that I've barely touched. 

"You need to eat. You barely touched your food. You don't like Japanese?"

"I do... Just not very hungry lately." I take a piece of sushi and force it down my mouth. "Why did you paint me?"

Daniel takes a deep breath before leaning back in his chair and rubbing both his hands over his trousers. He's nervous. I can tell. 

"After the wedding..." He rubs his hands on his trousers harder. "I saw you everywhere. Your face was imprinted and wherever I would look, here or in New York, all I could see was you." He gulps his beer taking in every drop of the alcohol in his system. "The only way I could calm my mind was to paint you. I started with sketchbooks until I moved on to canvasses. I filled my New York apartment with your face."

"You did?"

Daniel nods. His eyes lock in mine. "I just couldn't forget you. And, I tried. When..." he stops and looks down. "Ava came to New York, I thought that she would be the person that could make you go away. I really tried to make it work with her. But, every year I spent with her was erased and all I could remember was the few months we had together." He picks up the bottle and avoid any eye contact with me. "She saw it through me too."

"But, you never called or made an effort to even try to contact me? If it wasn't for Emily and Gunther we would never speak again..."

"That's not true..." he interjects.

"Not true? Daniel you cut all contact with me. It was like I never existed!"

"My ego was bruised!" he defends himself. "You said you couldn't do long distance! I wanted to make it work. I wanted to try anything not to lose you but you were adamant that we had to be in the same place. It was an arrangement good enough for Harry, but not for me!"

I stand still at his words. I've been so focused on my own pain that I ignored even the possibility that he could have been as hurt as me. I slump in my chair. 

"It feels like we are stuck. You will still have your life between New York and here, and I will still have my life in London. I guess that's what they say. Another time, another place, this might have worked..." I sob ever so lightly at my own words. 

"No."

I lift my head up and frown. "No?"

"No." he reiterates. "I won't accept it. I let you go once. I'm not doing it again." He looks up to me with an intensity in his eyes. "I will be travelling back and forth. I know your life is in London. But, what is today, doesn't mean it will be always. I said I would never paint again, and now I can't stop painting. We can do this." He reaches for my hands and holds them. "It will be though and at times it will drive us up the wall but we can do it. All I'm asking is for you to give this a chance."

I look down at his hands that hold mine tightly and then I look up at his eyes that still burn with the same intensity as they ever did before. For all the heartbreak with our time apart, it feels this fleeting opportunity can either make us or break us. I think of all the decisions in my life. Moving to Germany was the first time I tried something adventurous and what an adventure that brought me to him. 

I decide there and then to leave the cowardice to one side and take a leap of faith and without hesitation I hear myself say, "Okay, let's give it another chance."