Chapter 40 Forty

• Six years later, and I still can't get Matteo's eyes right. I mix another shade of blue on my palette, trying to capture that specific color somewhere between Dante's dark intensity and my softer shade. On the canvas, our son's face takes shape, his smile wide and carefree.
• I add another stroke of sage green to the background, the color matching the walls of Matteo's nursery when he was a baby. A room filled with so many memories, both terrifying and beautiful.
• I discovered my passion for painting while at was at home taking care of Matteo as a baby, and the art studio was Dante's gift for my birthday last year. A space just for me, with north-facing windows that flood the room with perfect light. My sanctuary when the weight of our complicated life grows too heavy.