Katie

[nola_maddie]

There was a big mural outside the Phoenix Effect coffeehouse that caught Xara's eye. If someone asked her, she'd say it was the colors, or the shapes, or the general energy of the piece, or the novelty of seeing public art that hadn't been immediately tagged (this was a very different world than L.A.).

But it wasn't any of that.

Xara understood it on a deep, inborn sort of level. The imagery, the references, the intent, she knew them. Knew these people.

She hated it.

None of that was on her face as she stood looking at the mural, though, looking calm and thoughtful as she sipped an iced latte, and waited.

Comments

[nola_jeangrey]

"You're in luck," Katie chirped, because this was a topic she felt strongly about. "Everyone I've met who works here is really nice, and really good at making coffee. I wouldn't go anywhere else in the city."

[nola_maddie]

"And their artists seem really nice too," Xara said with a smile. God, did all Jeans have to be so sweet and perfect? And how? Not even Sinister could recreate that in a lab. "Are you looking for more commissions?"

[nola_jeangrey]

"Thank you so much!" Whatever unease Katie was feeling, she had to let go of it, because this woman was a sweetheart. "I'm always looking for more commissions. Do you need some art?" Katie was available for art!

[nola_maddie]

"I think I might! Something big and eye-catching for my office. It'll be filmed, though—would you be okay with that?" Who wouldn't be okay with that?

[nola_jeangrey]

Katie considered it for a second. Filming was a lot, but hey, being called an artist on insanely popular reality show wouldn't suck. "I think I could be okay with that. But what kind of piece would you want? I don't want you to recruit me for it unless I can really deliver on what you want." That was fair, right?

[nola_maddie]

"Something big, dynamic. Colorful." Xara was making this up on the fly and thought she could do better. "Do you have pics of any of your other work? That might help make sure we're on the same page."

[nola_jeangrey]

Big, dynamic, colorful was pretty vague, but also, not the worst direction. “Sure I do.” Katie took our her phone, navigated to an album of artwork — her murals, particular paintings she was proud of — and handed her phone to Xara. “You can scroll through this album, see what you think?”

[nola_maddie]

"Why don't we sit?" Xara suggested, gesturing to the metal cafe tables set up outside the coffeehouse.

[nola_jeangrey]

"Why not?" Katie smiled, sliding into the nearest chair without worry. She had nowhere to be, and a famous person was looking at her art. She could spare all the time in the world.

[nola_maddie]

Xara sat across from her, which was perfect, because it'd be less obvious when she swiped away from the art and into the photos. "I can't get over how great these are. What's your inspiration?"

[nola_jeangrey]

"Thank you so much. I'm still starting out, so I'm still finding my art, really. But I guess mostly I just want people to look deeper at the things they look at every day." That seemed like an easy way to describe it.

[nola_maddie]

"I definitely looked deeper at the mural in the alley," Xara said. The photos weren't telling her much—no one looked familiar like Katie had—so she went back to the art. "Is it symbolic?"

[nola_jeangrey]

"In a way," Katie admitted. "I mean, the phoenix imagery was obvious with the coffee shop name? But it really resonated with me, and after I painted it, I realized that I had put in more references than I thought I had, to people I know." That was the safest, non-insane way of describing what had happened. "Like, for example," Katie's one non-weird example, "my favorite barista and friend Andy makes this certain latte art, so I built that art's motif into the phoenix feathers, in a certain place. But I also really wanted it to represent the possibility of change and growth and how starting over can be a blessing."

[nola_maddie]

God, she was such a Jean.

"That's so sweet!" Xara said. "I'll have to get a latte from him." And see if he was worth paying attention to.

She paused in the art folder, then turned the phone toward Katie. The shot was some sketches clearly intended for a child—princesses, dragons and everything. Xara'd seen pics of a kid.

"This is the cutest! Do you have a child?"

Her heart was racing.

[nola_jeangrey]

"You should, he's the best," Katie replied, then leaned forward and looked at her phone screen. And promptly grinned. "It looks like I have one, doesn't it? No, this is for a cool eight year old kid I know, her name is Scottie."

[nola_maddie]

Seriously? "A girl named Scottie!" Xara mused, smiling. "I like it. Sounds like it has a story behind it."

[nola_jeangrey]

"Probably! I haven't learned it yet, though. I babysit her all the time, her dad's name is Caleb. We're close. Anyway, Scottie has this wild imagination, which is why there are dinosaurs and warrior princesses all at once..."

[nola_maddie]

Scott wasn't named Sam in this world, so this wasn't as need-to-know as it could have been. But still, couldn't be a coincidence, right? Xara took the phone back and flipped to another image before minimizing the window to check out the app situation. "Too bad dinosaurs don't exactly match my aesthetic. Maybe if I had a child."

[nola_jeangrey]

"I'm not sure if this is anyone's aesthetic but Scottie's! Would you want kids?" What, it was a natural question!

[nola_maddie]

"My late husband and I always planned on having one." She didn't look up, but let her expression go a little sad. But she was actually examining the queer dating apps with surprised glee. Scott must have loved finding out about that.

[nola_jeangrey]

"I'm so sorry. That's awful." Katie felt a wave of compassion for Xara, who she still sort of felt weird about, but compassion was stronger than weirdness: she placed a gentle, sympathetic hand on her arm.

[nola_maddie]

Xara navigated back to the images with a swipe of his thumb. "Thank you," she said softly, giving Katie a small smile. "Some things just aren't meant to be." Then she took a deep breath, making a show of composing herself. "Well! On that note, I think this one's closest to what I'm imagining for myself." She passed the phone back to Katie, the screen showing a more abstract design. "Something pretty and interesting, but not too distracting if it's in the background of a scene, you know?"

[nola_jeangrey]

God, imagine losing your husband, the man you wanted to have children with. And having to be filmed all the time while you were going through it. Poor Xara. Katie nodded, though, just giving Xara her moment without being studied, and she took her phone back to stufy the image. "I can maybe come up with a few options? If you let me know about colors and the light in the room, all of that. See if we can come up with something you might like."

[nola_maddie]

"I'm thinking lots of yellow and green." They'd been signature colors of hers before...well, before. "I'll have to get back to you about the lighting, though."

[nola_jeangrey]

"That's a fun combination." Katie smiled, thoughtful. "Warm or cool tones?"