Chapter 9 - The Studio in the Sky
The spring of 2026 arrived in Mexico City with a spectacular display of golden sunlight and warm breezes that cleared the valley’s winter smog.
In the attic studio of the Lomas de Chapultepec estate, the light poured through the grand skylights, illuminating a massive canvas that sat in the center of the hardwood floor. The room smelled beautiful—of fresh oil paints, linseed oil, and the sweet lavender candles Catherine liked to burn while she worked.
She was standing in front of the canvas, wearing a pair of paint-splattered denim overalls, her hair tied up in a loose, messy bun. She was laughing as Annie, wearing a matching miniature pair of overalls, used a large brush to add a streak of vibrant bright blue to the corner of the painting.
"More blue, Mom?" Annie asked, her face dotted with yellow and red smudges.
"As much blue as you want, sweetheart," Catherine smiled, leaning down to wipe a speck of paint from her daughter’s nose. "The sky has no limits today."
Victor walked up the wooden stairs, carrying a tray with three tall glasses of fresh orange juice and a bowl of strawberries. He stopped at the top of the landing, watching his wife and daughter work. The memory of the little girl rescuing bread from the trash bag behind the Grand Oak Plaza felt like an old, bad dream—a dark chapter in a book they had finally closed.
"Is the masterpiece finished?" Victor asked, setting the tray down on a rustic wooden table.
"Almost," Catherine said, turning to look at him, her eyes bright with a profound, radiant peace. She walked over, wrapping her arms around his neck, unbothered by the fact that her paint-stained hands were leaving marks on his casual linen shirt. "Annie says the painting needs a house in the middle. A house with a big garden and no gates."
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Victor pulled her close, his eyes moving to the canvas. The painting was an explosion of color—a beautiful, swirling landscape of purple jacaranda trees, golden sunlight, and paper stars that seemed to rise from the concrete ground into a brilliant, open sky.
"We don't need gates anymore, Catherine," Victor whispered, his lips resting against her temple. "The world knows exactly who we are now. And nobody is ever going to close the door on us again."
