The carpet was red and the walls were white. 

She wore ivory but her slippers were always a powder blue. There was a time she did don red and around her long slender neck she wore sapphire, embedded with a rope of diamonds. That particular color was never worn any longer. It was a hue that made her face appear drained, pallid features lined with frowns of worry and ache.

The fire that danced in the mantle warmed her chilled skin but it never reached the inner core. Arms thin but toned, always embraced him with comforting hug. The fragrence of lavender and lilacs graced the surface of her skin and he inhaled her deeply, painting a field of oscillating flowers on rolling green pastures. The heavens were as blue as her eyes when he shifted back to observe the way her face lit up when in his presence. These moments were scarce but had always been greeted after shouts had subsided.

He often crawled underneath the baby grand piano, hugging his legs up towards his chin until the footfalls of his mother appeared in the study. 

Powder blue against red. 

The dark wood of the piano stool groaned under her weight; a signal for him to come out. Words were always fragile at first but she learned to clear her voice before speaking. She was always cautious what to show him, she never wanted to appear infirm in his eyes. It was a routine he was used to, a life that was all about regimes. This was just a scene that played constantly, a phonograph repeating the same song until the needle was brought away. 

It was then that he noticed she wore red tonight, a look that lined her features that was peculiar to him. Through all the events they had shared in this room he never noticed this color that outlined the bluest of her eyes. Noting the look of worry, she lowered those lids and he felt her hands against his back; strong and comforting. The vision of her red rimmed eyes were gone and instead rolling hills with lavender and lilac mixed throughout his senses. 

"It's complicated, Rufus." 

The carpet was red and the walls were always white.