Leo smiled. But his hands were trembling. He had slipped the converter into his pocket. That night, while Alex slept, he crept into the garden and pointed the device at the moon.
Back in the spare room, he aimed the converter at the ‘Moroccan Flame.’ A lens extended, clicked, and hummed. A tiny screen flickered to life: ANALYSING… ral dulux colour converter
Leo’s finger hovered over ‘Yes.’
Then they laughed. “It’s a bit much,” they said. “But it’s our bit much.” Leo smiled
He thought of ‘Moroccan Flame’—the fight, the kayak, the second divorce. He thought of Alex’s approving nod at the serene, colourless wall. He thought of the cat, grey and quiet. That night, while Alex slept, he crept into
The tin can in Leo’s hand was a relic. It was a half-full can of Dulux ‘Moroccan Flame,’ a burnt orange so fierce it had witnessed three house moves, two divorces, and one ill-fated attempt to paint a kayak. His new partner, Alex, had taken one look at the spare room and said, “This needs to be ‘Serene Stone.’ RAL 7032. It’s the colour of a pebble after rain.”
It was perfect. Alex would be thrilled.