The sun had been up for a few hours already. With a ton of coffee and an edible for some longevity, Moira was deep into the painting she was working on. It was a wonderful mercy that the model she was using was one she had worked with before. She really understood what Moira needed and it was amazing. Especially for such a big personality. The hardest part Moira had with models is that they put too much of themselves forward. She wasn’t really painting them, they were just muses to make her creativity flow forward to fill in the gaps of what she couldn’t see. It was in that moment that the magic happened for Moira.


It felt sooo goooood to lose herself in her imagination. To completely forget about the world, its troubles, and her place in it all. Her gaze traveled to Candice Bryant. The model she was working with. She also happened to be her best friend. She had shifted poses, and kept that flat affect on her face. Suppressing emotion in favor of her body stating it. Her body was stating it was tired. Moira’s concentration broke in favor of small mercy. A break was needed. Even though she didn’t want to stop now, she knew it would be better for them both if they did. The sessions were intense, she understood this.


“Hey.. let's take a break Candy,” Moira finally said, putting down her brush with a little sigh. Her gears quickly flip back to being social and present.


Candy’s breath whooshed from her lungs in a relieved sigh. “Oh my fucking God, thank you! I didn’t know how much more I had in me in those poses. Holy shit girl you are in the zone this morning!” She came back to life and Moira laughed nodding a bit.


“How about some brunch?” Moira asked her. “I got the vegan bacon you like, some salad all prepped with all the little peppers in it and capers, I got some animal stuff for me, and cheese and some bread ready to go.”


Candy laughed heartily, throwing her head back and clapping her hands. Snapping her fingers and doing a little victory dance. “You did say you would pay me with my favorite things! I love it when I’m not disappointed!” She climbed up on a stool at the counter and as the food was arranged in front of her she dug in.


They were both quiet for awhile just enjoying the food and companionable silence. The light that filled the small studio was super bright and invigorating. The small space was a bit stuffy, and the fact that her bed was in this studio room, even with the curtains drawn to cover it, drew a smirk and sultry wink from Candy finally.


“You fucked anyone since you been up here?” She asked bluntly, watching Moira, and lifting her glass of sparkling water to take a long drink.


Moira swallowed a larger bite of cheese than she intended. She luckily got it down, but it kinda hurt. She coughed a moment and held up a finger, to gulp down some water giving Candy a sour look.


“What?” Candy asked innocently. “Saw that your bed was in your art studio. When was your last wide receiver? Huh? Is there no good dick in Sacramento?”


They both laughed at that, but Moira sobered and answered that bold as brass line of questioning.


“It’s not like that. I’m focusing on work, and the three R’s. Run, Read, Relax! Taking it back to basics and not getting anything complicated happening. Men are complicated and most are just a waste of time anyway.” She licked her lips slightly and sighed, setting down her own water glass.


Candy frowned and sighed heavily shaking her head. “Mmm uh mmm girl. You are in danger.”


Moira looked bewildered for a moment before asking, “Of?”


Candy folded her arms stubbornly. “Never recovering! I know he was your first everything but that narcissist has to be washed away with some new dick or you are gunna drop anchor in celebate-ville with the rest of the losers who can’t get past a shitty break up.”


Moira just stared at her with a ‘drop dead’ look on her face.


“Baby girl, let momma tell you how it is. You young girls. You got so much to learn sweet pea. A man ain’t nothing but a tool, and you know out here sometimes you gunna run into a crazy one! That doesn’t mean you drop anchor out in the harbor while everyone else is partying at the dock. Life goes on. You don’t have any choice but to go with it.” She paused and pointed at the bed and then her art easel.


“Clean this shit up! I mean it now. No more of this painting and passing out and avoiding life. Don’t think I don’t know what you are doing, hon. I have been there, done that, could write the goddamn book on the shit. All you are doing is avoiding it. You have to stay open, or you will let him win.” She paused a second. “He’s still controlling you.”


Moira forced air deep into her lungs, and her breath shuddered out in a long controlled sigh. “Damn Candy! You got heavy so quick.” She shook her head trying to gather some sort of resolve from her friends, frankly good advice.


“Alright. I hear you. I will stop draggin my goddamn feet!” Moira said with a bright laugh shaking her head. “I guess I needed to hear that. I will write you when I ride something dumb, thick, and juicy. With alllll the dirty details!” She promised, pausing to knock on the wood of the counter.


Candy grinned and nodded. “Don’t play with it, stay with it little momma. I know that’s right!”


They idly talked for awhile before getting back to work. The final product was incredible. In the silence following hurricane Candy, she let the beauty of it all fill her heart to the brim, and tears of joy and release fell down her cheeks. About three weeks later Candy received the letter Moira had promised.



3 successes

4 successes

3 successes

4 successes

5 successes


19 successes

Tied in Knots-Painting