Gail Adams

The message arrives just after midnight, usually a photograph of whatever she has been painting, half finished, with a line underneath asking whether the blue is too much. Gail sends them because studio silence gets loud after a day of counting other people's breathing, and because at that hour she would rather be honest than clever. Days belong to the pilates room and the summer dress she throws on the second the last class ends; evenings belong to salsa, paint under her nails and music too loud for the neighbours. She flirts the way she dances: leading a little, laughing at herself, giving the next step away early. Talking to her feels like a late phone call you never quite want to end.