Frequency of love

Nora Evans leaned into her microphone, her voice a warm contralto

s, where secrets find a home in the dark

nel. The familiar thrill ran through her veins; someone else's story was about to beco

fessions. Who am I sp

ckled through the speakers.

at..." Nora glanced at the digital clo

rfect on paper: good job, kind to my friends, remembe

s, she caught her producer Tess giving her a thumb up. Tess had impe

ed. "I keep waiting for that spark, you know? Am I being ridiculous t

publicity photos, but the genuine one that reached her e

wake up in the morning and realize you'll s

uess? That I

ment? Not a

like comfo

s, Jessie. Safety and comfort matter. But here's the truth as I see it: you

e line told Nora

ulfilling you. Sometimes 'I don't feel the way I want to feel' is en

feeling? What if I'm chasing

re a pendant used to hang. "That spark exists, Jessie. I pro

naling to Tess to find their next caller, Nora seamlessly transitioned

oulders, releasing tension she hadn't noticed building. The digit

ans telling hard truths to

exactly what to say? @NoraEvansMC saving

ving Jessie advice she should have taken

made her st

en rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You k

e the internet loves

Last week. Said something like, 'I hope Nora's givi

, stabbing her sandwich

t worked - the minute he mentioned

"So now my heartbrea

retending it's not content," Tess said with a smirk. "

land, where the arts community was vibrant but small enough that everyon

es back on, pushed thoughts of Darren firmly aside, a

be some kind of re

mug of coffee. Outside the windows, rain painted the streets of Portland in shifting ref

. They're proposing to Night

sleep." Tess tapped her pen against her notepad, where she'd been j

lueberry pancakes for Tess, despite the 2:30 AM timestamp

me tag) commented with a tired smile. She'd been serving them their early morning meals

f her sandwich into the soup. "Speaking of which, what did yo

. " Nice deflection. F

segments for upcoming shows, and deliberately avoiding any mention of t

d her a ride, but Nora declined. The twenty-minute walk to her apartment in the Pearl District had become another ritual; the time

pt, with exposed brick walls and tall windows that offered a view of the Willamette River cutting through the city. During the day, light flooded th

id she allow herself to glance at the shelf where framed photos used to stand. She'd removed them eleven months ago, but sometimes she

zed with a te

nts, Evans. I mean i

were supportive, but some couldn't resist connecting her advice to her own public breakup wit

e. She closed her eyes and tried not to remember the morning she'd arrived at the station to find Darren discussing their br

red to her empty room, "is that it's

ust pulled their hoods tighter, walking faster with shoulders hunched. Nora pressed her palm against the cold glass, feeling the vibration of each droplet strike.

g Jessie permission to leave something that wasn't enough, wondering if perhaps she should

e one who spoke with confidence about love and loss and all the spaces in