The Artists of Paris

August 23rd, 1793

Dear Diary, today Amélia and I had to close up the shop early because of the executions going on outside. When the Bastille fell everything seemed like it was going in the right direction, but now I fear we'll have to leave our home in Paris and flee to another country. Anyone accused of supporting the monarchy is put on trial and if they prove it, will be executed. Amélia and I looked at a map today to try and figure out where we could go. It looks like Belgium would be the closest place. It would be about a five day trip on foot if we travel during the day or night only, according to our neighbors, the Nightingales, who had family that had gone there last year.

It's hard to believe that Amélia and I just got married but are having to leave our home already. This house seemed like the perfect place for us, a shop on the first floor and our bedroom on the second floor. I suppose it would be if not for the protests and executions. But alas, we could only stay for a few short months. Maybe I can move my painting business to Belgium and not have to give it up as I fear I will.

I must go, my wife has our dinner prepared with what food we could find at the market today.

-Gabriel Fern

August 23rd, 2020

Dear Diary, the new paint shop down the street has been open for a few months now and a lot of my customers have been going to them instead of here. It's pretty awful timing because business has already been slow thanks to the Coronavirus. I really hope I don't have to move to a cheaper building, it's been great having my shop and my living space all in one.

Bella came over today to help me go over ideas to help bring new customers in. She said she could start advertising at the clothing store she works at. I'm going to try mixing some new paint colors and seeing if custom portraits will sell. I've been hesitant to sell my paintings in the past, but now I don't see any other choice. I think I'm going to try dying fabric as well. If my experiment goes well I could start supplying the clothing stores in the area.

Update, dying fabric is a lot harder than you would think. But Bella came over and brought a book on how to do it. I keep trying to build up the courage to ask her out but every time I see an opportunity I chicken out.

-Alexander Flemington

August 24th, 1793

Dear Diary, Amélia and I finally made up our minds. We're leaving to go to Belgium tomorrow. Today we're going to visit our families to say goodbye.

We've only been to Amélia's family's house at the edge of town and we're having to rethink everything. Her father has been accused of siding with the monarchy and is being taken to be put on trial. We talked it over with my mother in-law and we're going to talk it over just the two of us after we go to see my family.

"You should leave and save yourselves!" Amélia's mother, Mrs. Athlis, had said.

"We can't leave you here to take care of the kids alone," Amélia had said, "We could stay with you here and take care of Gabriella, Arthur, Eloise, and Jacques."

Then she looked at me for support and I said, "Yes, of course. We would be safer here than in town anyways." What I didn't ask just then is where we would sleep because it's a small two room house already full to capacity.

"Well I wouldn't be taking care of them by myself," Mrs. Athlis had insisted, "Gabriella is old enough to help with the younger children."

"She's only ten," when Amélia gets her mind fixed on something there's no changing it.

"Where would you sleep?" Mrs. Athlis asked my question for me.

It was decided that we would either sleep on the floor or make the trip back to our house to sleep. After a little further discussion we're now on the way to my parent's house a little further outside the city.

My parents have offered to let us stay with them at night and go back to the Athlis' during the day. So it looks like we're not going to Belgium as soon as we thought.

-Gabriel Fern

August 24th, 2020

Dear Diary, today I only had twelve customers. Twelve! That's it! I'm more than a little concerned about how I'm going to pay next month's rent. At least I've already paid for August. On the bright side, I did have a lot of time to practice my fabric dying skills. Yesterday I only did solid colors but today I followed the instructions in the book Bella loaned me to do patterned fabric. Tomorrow Bella's going to take the fabric to her boss and see what she says. I am going to start selling some of my paintings and advertising custom portraits in the shop. I've already painted the flyers for my portraits. Bella's going to come over after work for me to use as an example as one of my portraits. I convinced her to stay for dinner too, does that make it a date? I'm not sure.

Well, the sort-of kind-of could count as a date went well and I'm hopeful that I could ask Bella out for a for-real date and she would say yes. Oh, and I did paint her portrait and I think I can do more of them for more people.

-Alexander Flemington

August 25th 2020

Dear Diary, Bella just came in and told me that her boss loved the fabric and wanted to buy 30 bolts of it! I told her she was crazy and thought she was just messing around, but she was serious! But that also means I have to dye 30 bolts of patterned fabric. I'm not complaining, I just have to get to work!

-Alexander Flemington

August 31st, 1793

Dear Diary, I've been too busy to write in here until now with everything going on. But today has been a glorious day! Amélia's father has been cleared of all charges and won't have to go to a full trial! He's coming home and then my parents, Amélia's family, and the two of us will all be going to Belgium! We made that decision because of all that has happened to our family, we don't want to have to go through another family member being accused of supporting the monarchy. While I'm still a bit afraid to leave my country and start over, I'm hopeful for the future of my family!

-Gabriel Fern

August 31st, 2020

Dear Diary, business has been picking up in the store ever since I started selling my paintings and fabric. People have been really liking the portraits! Yesterday this lady asked me to come to her house to do a painting of her child and I said I would do it. When I got there the lady who asked me came out holding a Chihuahua and I asked, "Where's your child?" Then she said, "Right here of course!" As if I were dumb for not knowing her "child" was a dog.

I also finally got up enough courage to ask Bella out on a date! And she said yes! We're going on a picnic and then taking a walk to the Eiffel Tower on Saturday. I think this has been the best week ever!

-Alexander Flemington