Chapter 9: Colors of Healing**
Mark had advised Peter to get the kids into therapy immediately, both for their well-being and to strengthen the custody case. Dr. Evans, a child psychologist with a gentle voice and a playroom full of toys, became a weekly fixture in their lives.
While Drew struggled to articulate his feelings, preferring to aggressively build and destroy Lego towers, Lily found her voice in paint.
During their fourth session, Peter was invited into the room. Dr. Evans pointed to an easel where Lily was meticulously painting.
"Lily, do you want to tell Uncle Peter about your picture?" the therapist asked.
Lily turned around, her smock covered in bright yellow and blue streaks. "It's our house," she said, pointing to a gray square with a brown roof.
Peter knelt to look closer. He noticed a crucial detail. In all her previous drawings, she had colored a heavy black square at the bottom of the page—the basement. Today, there was no black square. Instead, beneath the house, she had painted bright green grass and blooming flowers.
"It's beautiful, Lily-bug," Peter said, his voice thick with emotion.
"There's no downstairs," Lily stated matter-of-factly. "We don't need it."
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It was a small step, but to Peter, it felt like a monumental victory. The grip of their trauma was slowly loosening, replaced by the vibrant colors of a real childhood.
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