Release Date: February 2, 2021

Series: Come What May

A Month of Short Stories—Locked in, locked out, locked down. In four short stories released weekly, authors explore relationships born from, changed by, and discovered in isolation.

Summary for "Girl with a Pearl Earring"

In 1992, Laura and Thea live together in a punk house in Washington, D.C. Thea, a brash and unapologetic trans girl, lives the punk life to its fullest. But Laura leaves her leather and safety pins at home each day when she leaves for work in a government job—hiding her anti-establishment lifestyle from her co-workers and her mainstream tastes from her housemates.

When she invites Thea with her to see a Vermeer exhibit, Laura finds the courage to open up to Thea while viewing her favorite painting. Thea—normally critical of mainstream art—is charmed by both the painting and by Laura.