"That day was important because that was the day I would later come to realise I met the only person who would ever be a parent to me. You persisted with me when I did not know how to trust and love
and rely on people and somewhere along the way we became family not by blood as many would point out but I say to them that I just don’t care to me you are the mother I never knew I needed but on some level always longed for."

How she was not crying I do not know but as Peggy stood to embrace her the tears on her face were clear for all to see and so were the ones on the faces all around me. I reached over to place
the large package in Andy’s hands for her to hand over as the embrace ended.

            "Peggy, I hope this goes some way to show you what you have come to mean to me and if not rest assured I will keep trying till I say it well enough."

Peggy unwrapped the large flat package before leaning it against the table and stepping back to take it in
with a look of awe on her face. I waited for her to take in the painting in its whole and to see the name in the bottom right telling her who had painted it. Not many people knew that my wife could paint, beautiful vivid brilliant art that she had all but stopped after university where she only did it in private,
given up to do what she felt she needed to, a more solid and certain career
that she could excel at and know that it would not rely on others to be a
success. Though she had turned her law career back to art in the end, her heart
was drawn to it. Only a few knew she did it let alone had seen any of her work
and this was a first for Peggy as she took in the painting that Andy had done
for her, it was of Peggy and Andy walking on the beach at sunset. She had done
it from a photo that I had snapped a few months ago. The centre focused on this
scene moving into abstract towards the edge of the canvas and it was stunning.