“So rather than journey down that dismal path, why don’t you take a look at your gift?” Halcyon handed Marina the package.

Marina sat it on the dusty counter and as she tore the paper wrapping off of it, a picture frame came into view. She pulled the rest of the wrapper off, then gasped.

It was a photo of her. But one like she’d never seen before. She was standing in her bedroom, wearing the dress she’d borrowed from Halcyon. But the background was blurred and the entire picture had been rendered in black and white. Marina was touching a lock of her hair and had her other hand on her hip. It looked like one of the old pinup girls’ pictures.

“I thought you could hang it in the shop,” Halcyon said, shifting nervously. “But if you don’t think it’s good enough…”

“Are you kidding me? It’s incredible. How did you— Oh my God, Halcyon. This is gorgeous. I’ve never looked this good. Not even at that moment, but this picture…”

“I just played around with it a bit in Photoshop. It’s no big deal.”

But it was a big deal. Marina didn’t pretend to know fine art, and Photoshop looked as hard as preparing a tax return, but she knew quality when she saw it. And the photo was simply beautiful.

“That picture you have hanging in your living room,” Marina said. “The one of the sunset over the bayou. Did you take that?”

Halcyon nodded.

“Wow.” Marina shook her head. “I thought you’d bought it somewhere. I knew you were a talented artist, but this…Halcyon, you have to do something about this.”

“Like what?”

“Take some more classes. Get some cool camera equipment. I have the money for it. Put up a website and sell these.”

“I don’t know…”

“Listen, you have a gift and you’re bored. The theater here doesn’t keep you busy enough and we both know you’re not going to move to a larger city. You have to find something more to do with your time and talent.”

“Sleeping and daytime TV are something to do,” Halcyon protested, but Marina could tell her sister was thinking about what she’d said.

Halcyon reached over and took Marina’s hand.

“You and I are going to take on the world,” Halcyon said. “Sisters—Act 2.”

Marina shook her head. “The Final Cut.”

About the Author

Jana DeLeon grew up among the bayous and marshes of southwest Louisiana, and she loves writing about the unique setting and the people that make Louisiana special.

If you enjoyed her humor, please check out her USA Today, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal bestselling Miss Fortune Series.

https://janadeleon.com

Paranormal Women’s Fiction

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