The Vitamin Water Incident

Maya sat by the apartment complex pool, clutching her iPhone like a lifeline. The screen displayed exactly what she'd been avoiding: Mark's LinkedIn profile, now listing him as 'Senior Director at Bullhorn Analytics.' Three years of relationship, dissolved into a networking update.

A fox — the actual animal, not a metaphor — trotted along the pool fence, regarding her with detached curiosity. Maya had started seeing them everywhere since the breakup. Clever, solitary creatures that survived by staying moving.

'You going to swim or just catalyze a vitamin D deficiency?'

Maya jumped. Elena from 4B stood behind her, holding two waters. One label flashed 'Pomegranate Antioxidant.' The other: 'Unflavored.'

'Just thinking.'

'About the vitamin supplements pyramid scheme you almost joined last spring?' Elena sat anyway, offering the flavored water. 'Because I told you then, and I'll tell you now: multilevel marketing is just a bull market for people who enjoy losing friends.'

Maya accepted the drink. 'Mark got promoted.'

'Oh.' Elena's posture softened. 'The one who said your art therapy practice was 'cute but not sustainable?'

'That's the one. He's doing what his parents wanted. I'm...' She gestured at the pool, at her half-finished canvas propped against the lounge chair. 'Still figuring out if 'finding myself' is just a vitamin for my ego.'

The fox reappeared, drinksomething from a puddle. Maya watched its efficient movements, its complete lack of performance.

'You know what?' Elena said. 'I was in a bull riding phase in my twenties. Competitive. Thought I needed to prove something. Ended up in the hospital with three fractured ribs and a awakened sense of mortality.' She examined her manicure. 'The bull doesn't care about your narrative arc. It just wants you off its back.'

Maya's iPhone buzzed. A text from her mother: 'Have you considered law school? Your cousin's doing very well.'

She deleted it.

'Elena?' she asked. 'Remember that fox?'

'What fox?'

'Exactly.'

Maya set her phone face down, picked up her brush, and finally began to paint.