156 reality

The night painted the sky, and Billy had some doubts. Perhaps, it was in his walk or his lowered head. If some people noticed, not many said anything about his attitude. Already on the second floor of the company, he decided to use the remaining time to focus on fixing the sketch he made for Cowboy Bebop, for its delivery and promotion. This comic told a sad, heavy, and long life story of a space cowboy.

Anne Hale was not present. He entered his office, the large room with a library that crossed from wall to wall, along with a giant window in front, the spacious marble desk, and a large chandelier with three lights that illuminated the room, along with another lamp on the elegant-looking desk.

A small leather armchair arranged in front of the library, facing away, and a glass table in front, spaced just enough between the armchair and the glass table to stretch one's legs a bit. Next was a long chair, leaning against the wall. On one side were three other chairs, perfect for sitting in front of the large wooden desk, and in one corner, a thick filing cabinet with a shelf on top, with drawing and comic creation tools.

The room was as impeccable as when he left it. There was his suitcase, occupied by Anne when she unloaded it in the morning. He opened it, and his Cowboy Bebop sketch, three episodes in one, is simple. The next job he has to do is to detail everything with extreme care. He spent a lot of time creating the best product, from hyper-realism to hyper-detail throughout the work. With great care, he created the comic's process, with many coloring and shading tools, almost as if it were a medical operation, as the perfection sought in this drawing, in particular, is at the highest level. For deliveries like The Walking Dead, Trigun, Evangelion, Samurai X, Slam Dunk, and Ghost in the Shell/Yu Yu Hakusho, he has created very good artistic impressions, even improving the composition of the deliveries as best as he could.

But for Cowboy Bebop, this has taken him to the highest possible level—creating an artistic composition that surpasses everything else in art. This, for the time, is a challenging task, as the drawings delivered by Lux Comics are the best in technical quality on the market. Even the old school knows that they are surpassed without a doubt, but it's precisely this that has made many fans fall captive to the artistic quality of the provided deliveries.

Someone knocked on the door with some force.

-Come in, - said Billy.

-I can't believe you're still in the company. Tomorrow, you have to record for The Lion King movie, and although I appreciate the work ethic, it's not good to have such excessive work hours. It's 10:23 PM, and you've been at it for four hours. That's enough, Billy, - said Anne Hale from the entrance, with a stern voice, but... also with a hint of fatigue?

-Come and look at the new delivery I want to launch, - said Billy.

Anne approached, crossing the hallway, her heels making noise. But something she had gotten used to since working at Lux Comics—dressing like an executive. An executive who usually had talks with powerful people, big faces, and experienced old ones. Many attacks and heavy work have molded her into a successful person.

-It's undoubtedly very beautiful work, -- said Anne, seeing the detail printed on the pages. -- This will win many awards, I can't be wrong about that, - she said.

She had attended all the award ceremonies, and they had only won two awards in all the publications. An insult. But the trend of DC, "Warner Fragmenting," is something she can't fight. Along with Ronald Perelman to the left, the awards are inferior. However, Billy has won awards, the most important of all for those interested in the comic industry. The one he has provided is a golden-painted metal plaque delivered at the grand comic meeting. It has three plaques, an unsurpassed achievement. Everyone always stops and looks at it with honor in their eyes. It's the hidden Oscar of the comic world.

Sealed by its confidentiality. The overwhelming gain of awards has earned several valuable items, such as original scripts, unpublished drafts, and lost stories from some series.

-The next series will premiere in December alongside The Walking Dead, - said Billy.

-Well, I'm glad your ideas don't run out, even when your mind is occupied and you have little time to think. However, come on, that's enough. I noticed in the parking lot that you didn't bring your truck. I'll take you home unless we run into Raimon at the arcade room, - said Anne.

Billy sighed. -I'll leave everything as it was. -

Fortunately for Raimon, he wasn't there, and only some animators from the Gargoyles series were still working. With the end of The Lion King, the Gargoyles series gained twenty new workers, clearing up work, and the sequence of series like Cow and Chicken also gained new animators to join the legion of animators.

Anne didn't speak during the drive, and Billy's already imprinted seriousness left them in silence until they entered the parking lot.

-I'm hungry, Anne. Would you join me for something to eat? - asked Billy.

-At this hour? No, thanks. Come, let's go to my house. Nana must have cooked something, - said Anne.

-Alright, - said Billy.

The journey was short; Anne lived no more than 20 minutes from the company. A large house came into view; they parked and were greeted by an elderly lady—Anne's grandmother? It wasn't clear because they exchanged no more than a brief greeting. Billy took off his shoes, just as Anne had done. It was a quick movement thanks to the elderly lady, who handed him a pair of large blue sandals.

There was a large pot of pasta in the middle of the table, freshly heated. A plate on one side, and another one didn't take long to arrive, as Anne took it out. The house was beautiful, large, and spacious—refined in every aspect, very different from the uninhabited home he had with his father.

-You can eat as much as you want. I'll prepare a drink for you, - said Nana.

The pasta was exquisite. The table didn't have a very long conversation, just the clinking of metal against fine porcelain, and occasionally a sip from Anne's wine glass. She seemed so exhausted when she got home that Billy felt a bit embarrassed for imposing.

-Here's some ginger lemonade. I added ginger to protect you from colds. You come home so late from work that you're sure to catch a cold, - said Nana.

Billy smiled and found a certain resemblance to his grandmother.

-Thank you, - said Billy.

-By the way, young man, your eyes are so dark and heavy. I'd like to know your name, - said Nana.

-Billy Carson, ma'am. You can call me Billy, - he said.

-Nice to meet you, young man. Anna doesn't bring anyone to this house, and sometimes, I forget these social relationships, - said Nana.

Billy finished the pasta, and the old lady just smiled and served him another helping—with so much happiness that he had no face to refuse the second plate.

Anne just laughed, a faint glimmer, a subdued smile.

-Alright. I think I'm full. Thanks, Nana. I'll have some wine. Would you like some? - Anne asked.

Billy just wanted to escape from home, so he nodded without reluctance. Anne raised an inquisitive eyebrow but let it pass.

They poured two glasses of wine in silence while an old lady just sat and looked at the horizon with a joyful expression. Billy drank that wine slowly; Anne finished hers and just looked at him, eager for him to leave. However, what determined his departure was the taxi he had called.

-Good night, Anne, - said Billy.

-Rest, - said Anne, without bothering to wait for the taxi, heading upstairs.

-She's tired, -- said Nana, next to Billy. -- She comes home and sleeps until the next day. Tired from the long day and the extensive hours of work that drown her free time. -

Billy just nodded.

He was the boss, and partially responsible for Anne's exhaustion.

-Your taxi has arrived, - said Nana.

-Thank you. I hope you have a very good night, - said Billy.

He got into the taxi, almost on autopilot. He entered his home, and there was his new family: Thomas Carson, Ivanova Branovich, and Claudia Branovich in the living room. Thomas was reading a newspaper in his chair, while Claudia lay on the carpet, and Billy could see Ivanova's rebellious gaze.

-Good night, dear, - said Ivanova.

-Good night, - replied Billy.

-Sit down, - ordered Thomas.

The room became tense; Livy's previous smile disappeared, and Claudia could also feel the tension set by the two Carson individuals, almost like a reverberating suffocation, a struggle of invisible wills.

"Good evening, Father. I'll take a seat, but not before grabbing something to drink, - said Billy.

Thomas didn't take his eyes off Billy since he uttered those words. Billy poured himself some juice, refreshing his thoughts. The orange juice only gave him time to think with a clear head about his father's possible questions and counter-offers.

-Alright, now that you've had your juice, we talk to have, - said Thomas.

-I'm waiting, - said Billy.

-As you know, I'm going to marry Ivanova, and I hope you understand that Claudia will live here, and her mother will also live here, - said Thomas.

-Of course, no problem, - said Billy.

-Very well, the wedding is in December, especially because I postponed it due to the commitments we have pending—well, that you have pending. On December 6, you have to come, and first of all, we're planning a family trip to Texas scheduled for August 23. I hope you can make time. Even your grandparents miss your presence, - said Thomas.

-I see. Tomorrow I'll schedule with Anne. Although I may not be there for the entire journey, I'll keep December 6 reserved for the wedding. Anything else you need to tell me? - asked Billy.

-Nothing more. On Sunday, we're having a barbecue. You can drop by. I think it's two days before your trip. Without further ado, that's all I have to say for now. Good night, Billy, - said Thomas, downplaying and behaving as usual, now wearing reading glasses, but the book in his hand was handled the same way as the last 20 years.

-Good night, -said Billy, going up to his room.

Calming the anger that surged through his heart.

....