Chapter 36

The next morning, Carmela woke up feeling anxious and restless. She missed her kids so much, and she was worried about how they were doing. 

But she didn't want to worry Max, so she kept her thoughts to herself. She got dressed and went downstairs to the sitting room, where she found Max painting. 

The canvas was covered in bold, vibrant colors, and the scene he was painting was full of life and movement.

Carmela stood for a moment, watching him work. 

He was so absorbed in his art that he didn't even notice her.

"Good morning," Carmela said softly, breaking the silence. Max looked up, startled, then smiled when he saw her. He came over and kissed her on the forehead. 

"Good morning, love," he said. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did," Carmela replied, smiling back at him. "What are you working on?"

"Oh, just a little project I'm doing for fun," Max said, gesturing at the canvas. "I thought I'd redesign the house a bit, with you