Beyond The Finish Line

11(When We Paint Together)

♥♥♥

It is my second day at Max's house and I was trying to stick to same routine like yesterday, but with a bit of change

After we finished the simple exercises to move his leg muscles ,  I helped him sit in his wheelchair ... then gently pushed him toward the kitchen

When we arrived , I left him beside the table , just like i did yesterday

"Today , I am thinking of cooking something  different from yesterday"

I said with a smile as I opened the fridge and started taking out the ingredients

"How about vegetable lasagna?"

Max barely lifted his head and looked at me with his calm eyes that didn’t reveal much

"It doesn’t matter"

he answered simply ... That was his usual way of responding , he is avoiding any real participation ... But I wasn’t going to give up easily

While I was chopping the vegetables—zucchini, eggplant, and colorful bell peppers—I kept talking

"I learned this recipe from a friend during my visit to her in Italy"

I said enthusiastically , trying to catch his interest ... even just a little

"Actually , Italian food is very simple but at the same time, it's full of flavors"

I knew Max wasn’t going to join the conversations but he was listening ... I could see how his eyes followed my movements

Sometimes, those glances were enough for me ...

"Food in Italy isn’t just a meal , it’s a form of art for them"

I said while adding the minced garlic to the pan , letting its fragrant aroma fill the room.

I started making the fresh tomato sauce and continued speaking

"I’ll bake this lasagna in the traditional way , using béchamel instead of too much cheese ... That’s the original method"

As I worked on the dish , I talked about my travels and how I enjoyed trying different foods ...

I hoped these conversations would help Max come out of his shell , even a little

he wasn’t ready to talk to me yet, but I felt that these daily talks , even if they were mostly one-sided, would eventually open the door for us to start connecting

After I placed the lasagna in the oven , I looked at him with a smile

"Well, now we wait for it to bake and you'll see how delicious it is"

We waited about half an hour for the lasagna to finish baking in the oven , During that time , I set the table, carefully making sure everything was perfectly arranged ..

When the food was finally ready, I took the lasagna out of the oven , steam rising with a delicious smell that filled the room