So, what now?” I asked, standing there, feeling a bit awkward. “Should I just go…?”

The woman considered me for a moment. “I appreciate what you did for my baby, but I think that would be for the best, yes.”

“Oh, alright.” I ran my fingers through my hair, stepping back toward the door. “If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m right over there.” I thrust my thumb in the direction of my apartment. “101.”

She nodded.

“Well, I’m going now.” I had my hand on the knob, but something held me back. “I don’t mean to pry… but… do you need someone to talk to? I can’t imagine what it’s like to raise a baby on your own. It must be a lot of work. Is there a… dad… in the picture?” I stumbled over my words, but they nonetheless came tumbling out of my mouth. As soon as the silence settled between us, I knew I had spoken out of turn. Why did I always do that? “Sorry… I shouldn’t have asked.” I opened the door and stepped halfway over the threshold.

“Wait…”

I froze in place.

“I don’t have much to offer you, but would you like a cup of tea?”

I smiled brightly. “I love tea!” Happily, I stepped back inside. Usually, I liked to keep to myself. I had always been content with being alone, but there was something about this woman that made me want to be in her company. I didn’t quite know what it was, but it was like there was an instinct inside of me, yearning to protect her. Strangely enough, I had the urge to wrap her in my arms and never let go.

Odd.

As she prepared the tea, I sat down on her couch, looking around the apartment. It was pretty modest, but much tidier than my own. A few items looked like they were missing. In fact, as I continued to study the place, it looked barren. There was barely anything of value left.

Despite that, however, there were gorgeous paintings piled in a heap in the corner. Curiosity took hold. I walked up to them, admiring the skill of the painter. Most of them were landscapes, filled with a rainbow of color, showing a different perspective of our otherwise dull world. I picked up one of the smaller pieces, running my fingers along the paint.

The woman reentered the living room. “What are you doing? Don’t touch those!” She looked at me in horror before running over and snatching the canvas out of my hands.

“Oh… I’m sorry…”

“They aren’t yours to touch.”

“My apologies,” I mumbled. “But whose are they?”

She didn’t answer.

“They’re incredibly beautiful. I couldn’t help but feel drawn to them. Mind the pun.”

She just shook her head.

“It seems a shame that they’re just tucked away in a corner when they should be put on display, don’t you think?”

“Stop it.” She hung her head in her hands. “Stop talking about it.”

I furrowed my brow in confusion. I couldn’t understand why she was so upset.

“They’re mine, okay?” she spat out, as if the words had been lodged in her throat and had suddenly come flying out.

“Oh! You’re really talented,” I complimented, sitting beside her.

She scoffed. “Talented? I’m a goddamn failure.”

“Don’t say that… they’re really good. I like them.”

“You’re just mocking me. No one likes my work. If they did, I’d be able to feed my baby. Instead, I’m just some poor artist who can afford neither formula nor paint. I don’t know what to do…” Suddenly, she broke down.

It was like her body had crumbled. One second, she was fine, and the next, she had fallen into my arms, crying into my chest.

At first, I had no idea what to do. I just sat there like a statue with muscles tense and unmoving, but then my instincts kicked in. Naturally, my arms wrapped around her, holding her close. I pulled her into my body, cradling her in a protective embrace.

Without thinking, I leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Shh. It’s going to be okay. I think your artwork is fantastic, and if you let me, I’d love to buy the smaller piece. The lake in that one is breathtaking. Reminds me of a lake my dad used to take me to when I was a kid. I never swam in it, but it was nice to look at.” As I spoke, her crying ebbed.

She looked up at me with big doe eyes, her bottom lip quivering.

The sight broke my heart. All I wanted to do was hold her in my arms forever, to keep her safe. A beautiful woman like her should never have to cry or live like this. I wanted to do something for her – I wanted to help – but deep down, I knew there was a limit to what I could do or what her pride would allow me to do.

Slowly, she pushed away from me, sitting there, her hands on her knees, looking at the floral carpet under her feet. “Do you really want to buy it? You aren’t just saying that because you feel bad for me?”

“Of course not. I have a lot of artwork in my apartment. It’s one of my guilty pleasures. In fact, if you’re having a hard time selling your pieces, I know someone who might be able to help get you some recognition. He’s an art conserver down at the Saatchi Gallery. He knows a thing or two about paintings.”

She bit her bottom lip, considering the offer.

Please say yes, I thought.

She just smiled. “Thank you, but I don’t think I can let you do that.” Getting up, she crossed the room and grabbed the painting I had been looking at. She offered it to me. “Here, I want you to have it. What you’ve done tonight will keep me in your debt for a long, long time. It’s the least I can do.”

I returned her smile and took the painting. “Thank you. I’ll find it a good home on one of my walls.”

“I hope so.”