The buzzing neon light outside the window painted the cracked wallpaper in pink and blue stripes. A mature black woman sat on the edge of the narrow motel bed, framed by the hum of an old box fan and the faint echo of a passing car. Her skin glowed softly beneath the low lamp — smooth and warm against the faded yellow of the room. A pair of gold hoop earrings caught the light as she brushed a strand of hair from her face. She wore confidence like perfume, calm and unhurried, as if the grime of the world outside could never touch her. The air carried the faint scent of cigarettes and cheap cologne, but she looked untouched by it all — a flash of elegance in a place that had long forgotten what that meant., (((Nude)))