Kiera's Moon

Kevin, a small man with a quick smile and trendy glasses, smiled as she opened the door.

"Good to see you, Kiera!" he said, rising to kiss her cheek. "I guess you got my message."

"Made my day! How many did you sell?" she asked.

"Two of the three you left me. And the best part-- one of my best customers wants you to paint Cannery Row. This is your second commissioned art project in two weeks!"

"Awesome, awesome, awesome!" she exclaimed, and clapped her hands. "I can start whenever!"

"I did the paperwork for the sales. Just need your signature," he said, pulling a file out of one of the drawers in his desk. "Sign away, and I'll get your cash."

Thrilled, Kiera looked over the paperwork outlining her first sales. Kevin's cut was hefty, but she didn't care: she was a real artist! Kevin crossed his office to the small safe and drew out a small pile of cash.

"I'll have him come in next week to sit down with you and discuss the project."

"The same guy bought the paintings?" she asked.

"No. The guy who bought your paintings I'd never seen before. His name is on the paperwork, if you're curious. It took me some time to convince Mr. Hardy you were the best painter in the area for his Cannery Row project."

She looked more closely at the paper she'd just signed and flipped the page to the receipt he'd stapled there.

Romas Qatwal. "Oh, damn you," she muttered, irritated her first sale was a pity sale and yet thinking even better of Romas for supporting his fiancée's hopeless friend. "I hope you charged him full price."

"He didn't even flinch. Here's your cut-- two thousand and forty three dollars," Kevin said, and counted out the money on the desk.

She looked at the money, unable to remember when she'd last seen that much in one place before. Her bank account was rarely over two hundred. Her first thought went to Evelyn's wedding, and another thrill went through her as she realized she could actually afford something nice for her friend.

"Congrats, Kiera!" Kevin said.

"I know, right? Took long enough. You want me to bring you a couple more paintings? I've got three more completed."

"Definitely. The Cannery Row project will make you a hot commodity around here. Then maybe, just maybe, you'll go out with me."