compare scars

eighteen

"Hey sweetie." His mom greeted him, a cup of coffee sitting in front of her. He couldn't help but feel cold towards her.

She had never been very understanding. In fact she was partially the reason that he spent months on the streets. Well it was mostly his step father, but still.

"Hey." Dan half smiled, and sat down across from her.

He then ordered a coffee, listening as his mom went off about some drama that had occurred at her weekly book club. Something about how Sherryl didn't want to read the book Carol had picked.

He watched as she sipped on her coffee. It was basically milk, so white he would have believed there wasn't any coffee in it. His on the other hand was black with one sugar. He had always loved black coffee with just one sugar.

"How's work going?" She asked him, holding his hand in hers.

He then told her all about it. How he absolutely adored his students, and was loving his job. Dan then reached the topic of Kyle.

"I even met someone mom." Dan then gulped, feeling her plastic nails on his hand.

"Really? That's great! Tell me about her." She smiled, genuinely happy for her son. On the outside she might not have shown it, but Lorie really did worry about him.

"Well uh, it's a him." Dan told her, awkwardly scratching his neck.

"Oh." It took a moment for her to register.

"That's great honey! Tell me about him." She smiled wide, relieved that he had found someone. It wasn't a common occurrence, and because of that she didn't care who they were.

As long as they made him happy.

He then told her all about Kyle. He couldn't stop himself from spilling every little detail, feeling giddy on the inside.

She loved listening to him speak. Lorie absolutely adored the way Dan's eyes lit up when he spoke with such passion. She knew this man was incredibly special.

"Daniel?" She asked him, watching as he looked at her, waiting for her response.

"Do you wanna go to the art museum. I heard they're having a Frida Kahlo exhibit."

His eyes lit up at the thought. All his life he had always adored her, she had always been his favorite artist.

"Oh my gosh yes!" Dan said too loud for the quiet cafe.

The two then made there way to the museum.

"This one is my all time favorite. Something about the little girl and the skull mask, it's just brilliant." She watched as he read the information card next to the painting, despite the fact that he knew the information by heart.

It was a beautiful sight to see him smile. He had spent so much of his time with her frowning, hiding that beautiful smile.

But then all she could feel was an overwhelming guilt. When he smiled his longer tooth showed, something he was incredibly self conscious about.

She knew that the tooth had chipped on his days on the streets. She also knew that something terrible had happened to him during that time. The day she found him he was curled up in a ball, wearing only a ripped up shirt that was soaked in blood.

"Hey!" She was interrupted by Dan's voice and a hand in her shoulder.

Standing in front of her was Dan and a bearded man that she assumed to be Kyle.

"This is Kyle. Kyle, mom." He said, watching as the two shook hands. And then his mom pulled Kyle into a hug, whispering something in his ear.

The rest of the day the three walked around the museum, each marveling at the art.

That was until they reached the end hallway filled with art from local artists. Dan had hoped to avoid it, as one of his paintings hung right at the end.

One by one the three made their way down the hallway, until they reached his. Unlike most of his work it wasn't depressing, in fact it was one of his only pieces that used pastel pinks and purples.

At first look it was just a jumble of beautiful watercolor flowers. But the longer you looked you saw a man created by the different flowers.

"This was inspired by the man who makes life not as shit, the man who makes me wake up every morning, the man who has shown me that life is worth living"
-Dan Smith, London

---
(I know the painting in the pic isn't Frida Kahlo I just really loved the painting idk)

Just enjoy the happy parts like this haha bc storm coming