The cloth dropped.
And the room filled with applause.I let my gaze lift to the mural fully for the first time today, even though I knew every line, every color, every detail by heart.Vibrant ocean blues stretched across the wall, deep and immersive, where the water felt less like a void and more like a sanctuary.Light broke through from above in shimmering beams of gold, as if the sun was reaching down to touch the very heart of the reef.
And scattered through it—
Pieces of wonder.
A great whale glided through the silence.Sea turtles drifted on unseen currents.And, of course, I had to include a few jellyfish for Lyra.Bright bursts of coral bloomed like wildflowers across the sea floor, and schools of gold-flecked fish were weaving through the water like quiet magic.
It was a world without a shore, where every corner held a hidden pulse of life.
It was peaceful, hopeful, and everything my sister loved about the open seas.
I stepped forward when they handed me the mic, the applause tapering off as I faced the room.
“I appreciate everyone being here.And I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of something like this.”I glanced back at the mural briefly before looking forward again.
“This piece…” I paused, choosing my words carefully.“It’s more than just art to me.I created it in remembrance of my sister.”
The room quieted even more than before.
“She loved the ocean,” I continued, my voice softer as a warm smile found my lips.“Loved the beach.Said it was the only place where everything felt… endless.Like nothing can touch you there.And it's exactly what children need to feel when they walk through these doors.So, thank you again for the opportunity to showcase this piece.”
I handed the mic off while the applause rang, lingering even as I stepped away.
“Now, how about we all go inside and take a look?”The vice chair waved everyone across, and one-by-one they filtered through the doors.
I gave a few polite nods and a couple handshakes as they passed me.My eyes caught Savannah’s across the room, noticing that her and Nerissa joined Benji and Jesse.Ari was, of course, trying to flirt with one of the nurses.
Murmurs faded into the background as they all disappeared inside and I strode over to the group, only to have a familiar reporter and her cameraman block my path.
“Jaxon.”
Katie Clarke stood a few steps away, already smiling like she knew she’d caught me mid-escape.
“Hi, Katie.”
“Hey,” she said, pointing her thumb to the mini camera behind her.“Have a second for a quick interview?”
I glanced past her briefly—at Savannah—before looking back.
“Yeah,” I said, nodding once.“Yeah, of course.”
Her smile widened, clearly satisfied.The cameraman shifted into position beside her, light adjusting slightly as she angled herself toward me.
“Alright,” she said smoothly, slipping into that polished on-air tone.When the camera guy waved a hand, she started.“We’re here at Westfort Medical for the unveiling of this incredible mural by Jaxon Cage.”
She turned to me.
“First of all—congratulations.”
“Thank you,” I replied simply.
“This piece has already gotten a lot of attention, and very well deserved, too.It's stunning!Can you tell us a bit about the story behind it?”
I exhaled quietly, my gaze drifting for a second—past the camera, back toward the mural.
“It started with my sister.She was a huge lover of the water, and whenever we would go down to Sunset Creek, she'd spend her days in the water.”I glanced back at Katie.“So when they asked me to do something for the pediatric wing…” I shrugged lightly.“That’s where my mind went.”
