Streaks of brown, white, and black swirled together at the brush tip, forming the intricate lines of a tree's sun-dappled trunk on the previously blank canvas.

Her hand moved skillfully, displaying a patience that, to most, would seem unachievable for a girl of her age.

Ellie had always been like that. While her classmates were off playing games with one another, she would spend hours in the garage, crafting masterpieces and transforming dull canvas into living, breathing, extraordinary art. It was her one true passion, the one thing she could always count on when her world seemed unbearable.

It had gotten her through her mother's death four years before, and Ellie vowed to never give it up.

Her mother had been an artist, too, and Ellie learned everything she could from her. Even though she had been a mere five years old when her mom died, she'd imprinted all of the kind woman's lessons as deeply into her memory as she could.

Ellie never wanted to forget her mother. If she were ever to disregard one of those painting lessons, she would be well on the road to losing all of those long-ago memories.

Ellie's gaze had wandered from her canvas, and with a shake of her head, the young girl returned her eyes to her artwork. Dipping a brush into the forest-green paint, she bit her lip in concentration. She fought to make a decision, contemplating the exact name for the color of sunshine on a tree's leaf, then began mixing the green with the faintest amount of white. There, she reasoned. It would still remind her of the dark leaves, but the lighter color would mimic sunlight perfectly.

Ellie grinned.

This painting had occupied her all afternoon, replacing thoughts of her dad's girlfriend with the blissful image of the forest across the street. Ellie wasn't allowed to go in there, but it still served as an escape for her in the form of these life-like reconstructions.

She could see herself sitting in one of those trees, touching the leaves that, on canvas, would still feel all too artificial.

The girl shook her head. She mustn't let herself feel so wistful; she had her artwork, and could paint her own pictures of the trees. She had no need to touch them when she could see them, in reality and in still life depictions.

Ellie sighed. There was no time for distractions; she still had to paint the sky before dinner.

She had just selected the purest shade of blue, submerging her brush into the paint, when the garage door opened.

"Elizabeth!"

Ellie's nose wrinkled. She hated when her dad called her that, especially because, nine times out of ten, it meant she was in trouble.

The girl turned around, finding her father on the threshold between the garage and the laundry room. He looked so deadly serious that Ellie's heart began to race.

What had she done?

No, she decided, this couldn't be something she had initiated. If she had forgotten a chore, surely he wouldn't be fiddling with his hands like that.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Ellie demanded, leaving the brush in the container of blue paint.
Careful steps led her to her father's side, where she looked up at him expectantly.

"Ellie, I need to talk to you." His brown eyes, so different from her light green ones, were filled with apprehension. Seeing how nervous her dad was, Ellie's anxiety only grew worse.

Following him out of the garage, through the laundry room, and into the kitchen, the young girl wiped her sweaty palms on the legs of her paint-splattered jeans.

The two of them found their seats at the kitchen table, the smell of pumpkin filling the air. Her dad was burning one of those fall-scented candles again. His girlfriend thought they smelled nice, but Ellie secretly hated them.

Her dad sat down across from her at the table, both hands resting on the surface. His fingers tapped out a nervous rhythm as Ellie watched intently. He cleared his throat, but the young girl paid no mind. She had noticed the ring, and time had slowed down around her.

Was he marrying the girlfriend? She hoped that wasn't it. Her suspicions were confirmed when her father finally spoke.

"I know this will be hard for you to hear, but it's time. We care about each other, and I know she's not your mom, but-"

Ellie couldn't breathe.

"You're getting married?"