"How are you feeling, Azura?"

My mother asked as she handed

her the cup of warm tea. Mother

had taken Azura in for good. She

had her own room, with enough

clothing and furniture.

"I'm hanging in there, Mrs. Ezra, and

thank you. For everything. I really don't

know how to thank you, and I really

don't deserve it."

"Oh hush, sweetie. All you need

to do is keep fighting for that angel."

Mother smiled at her warmly. "I've

always wanted a daughter-in-law,"

she winked, "And please call

me Grace."

I walked inside the room with a little

box.

"I'll leave you two alone." Mom got

up to leave as she gave me a small

smile.

"Oh Charlie, look what he did to you,"

Azura got up and gently touched the

bruise on the side of my face. I flinched

at her touch but smiled anyway.

I pulled her down next to me on the

couch filled with way too many pillows.

I gently pressed the box onto her palm

and leaned against the side of the couch.

She raised her eyebrow at me and slowly

tore open the wrappings. A gasp came

out of her lips as the tears knocked behind

her eyes.

Locked behind bars, her tears were

fed up by being under surveillance. They wanted

to be free. Meek and monotonous as the sea,

her tears whimpered as their blaring waves

washed over her skin. Staining her skin, they

tainted her pale valley with ice. The jail's doors

shut out, but too slow, and the tears escaped

from their dungeon.

"Oh my god, Charlie..."

[ written on a ripped pad paper ]

I painted these for you,

each with a different shade of blue

because everyone has different

shades of blue,

your shades are just a little darker.

—Charlie

And there in the box lay, paintings

from every single day we both

visited that cafe shop. From the

first day I laid eyes on her, to

the last painting of her in the

hospital.

And on the back of each painting,

written in small handwriting, was

three words of truth.

"I love you too, Charlie," she

gave me a kiss.