Chapter 46. Maternal Love

Camila’s paintbrush hovered in midair, the bristles quivering with anticipation above the canvas. The studio around her was quiet, save for the gentle tap of rain against the windowpane- a symphony to muse by. With a sudden, decisive flick of her wrist, she set the brush down and stepped back, eyes narrowing at the half-formed figures that danced across her work.

“Ugh, no. This isn’t it,” she muttered, the frustration evident in her voice. She reached for a rag, dabbing at the smeared colors. But as she started to wipe the canvas clean, her hand froze. A memory unfurled in her mind like the delicate wings of a butterfly, and her heart clenched.

“Mom...” The word was a whisper, a sacred invocation that filled the empty spaces around her.

With this invocation, something shifted within Camila- like the unlocking of a door long closed. She dropped the rag, her gaze softening. The image of her mother, warm and vibrant, filled her consciousness. Her mother’s laughter, th