In February the residency asks everyone to show one finished thing by spring.

Rosa has a portrait with the face turned away. June has a piece that is mostly sound. Ada has fifty pages and no title.

You have a stack of half things and a hip that will not stop aching.

AdaHalf is a real number. It's the most honest one.

JuneShe says that every year. She's always right and it's always annoying.

And then, because it is February and the studio is warm and the door is shut, one of them stops pretending.