Chapter 9 - Reclaiming the Sun
The next day, we finally tackled the project we had put off for over a year: painting the baby’s nursery.
The room had remained gray for far too long—a stark reminder of the voicemail Emily had left me on the night of the accident.
"Hey, don't forget the paint samples. The baby's room can't stay gray forever."
I set up the ladders and opened the paint cans. We hadn't chosen gray, nor had we chosen standard baby blue. Instead, we chose a warm, vibrant terracotta orange and bright sunflower yellow—the colors of Oaxaca daylight.
Together, Emily, Rosa, Lily, and I painted the walls. Lily painted tiny green leaves near the baseboards, while Emily and I painted a giant, glowing sun across the main wall.
Leo sat in his playpen, babbling happily and watching the bright colors transform his room.
When we finished, I stepped back and put my arm around Emily’s shoulders. The room was bathed in golden light, warm and radiant.
May you like
"No more gray," I whispered.
"No more gray," Emily agreed, resting her head on my shoulder.
