235

MAXINE

Ronan was worried, of course, and he quickly patted my back and offered me a bottle of water. "Are you okay?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." I replied, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

Ronan didn't notice my shift in mood. Or, he tried to get me out of it. He told me about the responsibilities and challenges he faced. He was a good storyteller. I could imagine everything he said. Soon, I found myself hanging on every word. The guilt was long forgotten.

I realized, that I was enjoying myself. It was nice. At one point, he reached for the small box of paints and brushes. "I thought we could paint," he said, a little sheepishly. "I’m not very good, but I thought it could be fun."

I laughed. I was genuinely amused. "You paint?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Not really. But I thought you might. And I wanted to try." He said.

We spent the next hour painting on small canvases. We laughed at each other trying to capture the