The Colors of Healing

y quiet moment seemed to invite memories of Daniel's gaze, his voice, the way he had

ad learned the hard way to keep her heart guarded, to rely on h

e glow of her desk lamp illuminating unfinished sketches. She was

message.

vity. But I wanted to say your work has been on

pected to hear from him again, let alone so soon. She started

sent a simp

ee sounds g

It was the kind of place Maya loved-walls adorned with mismatched paintings, soft jaz

with a book in his hand. He looked up as she approached, and the smi

ding to greet her. "G

she replied, sliding int

vorite books, and the small joys of rainy afternoons. But beneath the sur

. "You're an interesting person, Maya. But I can't hel

rtled. "What mak

motion, but also a kind of... restraint. Like y

d seen so much in so little time. "I think we all have our

gaze steady. "I get

at about you?" she asked, her curiosity outweighing her hesitatio

be. Or maybe I've just learned the hard way t

ng. For a moment, neither of them spoke, thei

ve it," Maya said softly. "Sometimes, it's ab

esting his elbows on the table. "Okay," he said. "Let's take a risk. One q

to open up so easily. But somethi

," sh

before asking, "What's the on

e didn't. "Being abandoned," she said quietly. "

he nodded, as if he u

. "What's the one thin

t answer. But then he said, "Not being there for someone who nee

e a wave. She didn't press for detai

ttle afraid of losing pe

"But maybe that's why we

t was a fragile connection, built on shared vulnerabil

emotions. For the first time in a long time, she felt like someone had

ords. Maybe opening up wasn't about whether people deserve