Moira’s art studio was a small corner in the garage that Uncle Martin set up for her tenth birthday after she won third place for her grade level in a painting competition in her elementary school. Ten-year-old Moira had painted a giant butterfly on top of a marigold, with a rainbow above them and a mountain enveloping everything. She told Uncle Martin that when she grew up she would hike to the tallest mountain in White Banyan and collect a jar full of the most beautiful butterflies. When Uncle Martin asked what she would do that for, Moira just shrugged and said it would be amazing to become an insect collector. Uncle Martin was so proud of her painting and told her that she would no doubt grow up to be an awesome scientist and become respected for her discoveries and inventions.

The painting was still there in the garage when Moira stormed off from the dining room, with Neesa trailing behind her like a duckling imprinting on a caregiver. Moira took a blank canvass down from the storage and pondered how she could express her anger through her brush. She was aware that Neesa was watching her, but she did not want to acknowledge her cousin, at least not until she found the right words to tell her that she did not mean to be rude or to make her cry.

“Moira, are you going to sulk all day and refuse to talk to me ever again?” Neesa whined. Moira pretended not to hear her and grabbed a tube of scarlet paint and squeezed the content out to her palette, mixing it with a bit of brown paint. Moira grabbed a pencil and began to outline a sketch of a tulip bud.

“Moira, are you painting a flower? You are talented,” Neesa tried to start a conversation. Moira couldn’t help but felt her lips moved upward slightly.

“Thanks, but I would slap you if you begin saying I should apply to an art school or something along the line just because I am artistic,” Moira colored the tulip in and grabbed another tube of paint, this time dark blue like the deep sea. She sketched an outline of a girl lying down under the tulip, eyes closed in a tranquil state and hands crossed on her belly. She then painted the rest of the canvass in a gradient of pinot noir purple and coal black, then once the paint dried a little she added rain drops with jasmine white paint. Neesa clapped and danced in circle.

“I think I know what you are conveying with your painting, Moira. The tulip is like your shell and the girl is yourself trying to be courageous. The raindrops are your racing thoughts as you are trying to stand on your own two feet. Well, how is my interpretation? I think your painting is relaxing to look at but also make me feel a bit sad,” Neesa stopped dancing and folded her arms. Moira stood up to look at her painting from a distance and gave Neesa a thumb up, she had stopped being mad now that she had time to clear up her head and indulged in her hobby albeit with some interruption.

“Neesa, I accept your apology. I am sorry too for the way I react to your news. You are right that I have many insecurities but I am not going to let them hold me back. However, I need a way to prove to myself that I am strong enough to survive in college,” Moira confided in her cousin.

“Have you ever considered getting a job? You could build up your curriculum vitae that way and maybe become more confident. Even if it is just something like mowing the lawn for our neighbor or helping out in the ice cream shop, the feeling of having your own money can give you this feeling of accomplishment. If you don’t want a job just yet, however, that is fine too, but I think I remember Dr. Kinoya saying that having a job is a great way to show the admission counselors at Blue Orchid that you have the maturity required of a prospective college student. What do you say?” Neesa perked up at the mention that her cousin was no longer angry at her.

“I would appreciate it if you can get me in touch with Dr. Kinoya and maybe give me some more advice on how to snag a job to impress the counselors,” Moira said hesitantly, nervous because she did not want her cousin to refuse to do her any favor due to how she behaved earlier.

“No problem! I will give you his number so that you can contact him yourself!” Neesa said happily, delighted that her attempt at motivating her cousin did not go to waste. “Could you clear up your schedule this weekend? I would be happy to assist you in writing him a polite yet warm email,” Neesa continued, carefully wording her suggestion so as not to sound pushy.

“Okay, it is not like I have any other plan. Should we do this over coffee? I want to buy you a cup of nice coffee to thank you for being supportive,” Moira wondered.

“Oh, you shouldn’t have to go out of your way! But yeah, coffee sounds wonderful. I’d be looking forward to coffee! I will do whatever I can to make sure you successfully matriculate at Blue Orchid if that’s what you want,” Neesa exclaimed.

With a solid plan in the calendar, Moira felt slightly more reassured that she would be mentally and emotionally ready to tackle the steps involved in enrolling at a university.