After her phone call with Emily, Mari lay on her bed thinking about their discussion and wondering if Emily and Callan would truly be okay.

And then she smiled as she thought about their discussion advice she’d given Emily and how wise she believed she’d sounded.

If it was before she met Jax, she would most likely have taken Emily’s side and supported her stance on the misunderstanding.

But now that she was in a relationship herself, she understood something she didn’t understand before.

Love needed patience. And one had to be more tolerant in a relationship.

Who else deserved more tolerance than a partner?

As long as it wasn’t to her detriment and it wouldn’t take anything from her, she was learning to be more tolerant.

And sometimes it needed you to bend a little. Not to lose yourself. But to hold on to what mattered.

And that was the only reason she was reaching for her phone now to call Jax who had yet to call or text her since they last spoke last night.

She dialed his number and it rang six times before it connected.

"I’m so sorry," Jax said the moment the call connected, "I didn’t realize how much time I’d spent in here until your call came in."

Mari rolled her eyes, though a small smile touched her lips.

"Sweet morning to you too, sunshine," she said sweetly, "No ’good morning,’ no ’how are you,’ just apology?"

Jax let out a tired breath on the other end.

"Good morning," he said this time, softer. "How are you?"

She nodded even though he couldn’t see her. "I’m fine," she said. "No need to ask how you’re doing. I know you’ve been busy overworking yourself. You should take a break. When last did you sleep?"

There was a pause.

Then he exhaled, "I don’t know... two days ago?"

Mari sat up slowly. "Jax..."

"I’m fine," he said quickly. "I just need to get everything out first."

"And you won’t if you collapse," Mari cut in softly.

"I won’t break down. This is how I usually do it. I should be done by the end of today or tomorrow and then I’ll move to the site for the mural," Jax said.

Mari frowned slightly. "You’ve been saying that for days now. What exactly are you even working on? I thought the mural was the main job."

There was a short silence. Like he was trying to find the right words.

"It is. But this piece is important."

Mari frowned slightly. "I’m sure it’s important seeing how you’ve been at it for days now. When last did you have a decent meal apart from drinking coffee?"

He didn’t answer immediately.

She could hear movement like he was pacing or shifting things around.

"You don’t understand, babe," he said after a moment.

She leaned back against the headboard. "Okay... explain."

"The mural I’m working on is large," he continued. "It’s too large to just start without feeling it first."

She listened quietly.

"So this painting I’m working on," he added, "it’s like the heart of it."

"The heart?" she repeated.

"Yeah," he said. "It carries the story and emotion. What I want people to feel when they see the mural. This carries everything I want the mural to say."

Mari’s brows pulled together slightly. "So... this is like a draft?"

"No," he said immediately. "Not a draft. More like a base."

She stayed quiet, trying to understand. "You’re going to have to explain that better. What’s the difference?"

"A draft is just a rough version," he explained. "Something you do fast so you can fix it later. If it was just a draft, I would have finished it in a few hours."

Mari nodded. "Okay...."

"I don’t just paint walls, Mari," he said softly. "I tell stories with my paintings. And if I don’t get the story right here then the mural will feel empty. So this is the foundation," he continued. "The emotion starts here. The colors. The mood. Everything. When I move to the wall, I’m not guessing. I’m building on this."

Mari nodded slowly, beginning to understand. "Oh," she said quietly.

"I’ve been stuck for days," he admitted. "I knew what I wanted to say, but I couldn’t feel it. And if I don’t feel it, I can’t paint it."

"And now?" she asked.

"I feel it now," he said. "That’s why I don’t want to stop."

Mari smiled faintly. "Okay... that makes sense. But you still need to take care of yourself while at it," she said. "So what story are you telling this time?"

"You’ll see when the time comes. Enough about me. Tell me about you. What have you been up to?" Jax asked.

"Not painting," she said, and when Jax chuckled, she smiled, "I’ve been working as a relationship therapist for my best girl. Love can be so sweet and complicated, you know?"

Jax went quiet for a second. "Want to tell me about it?"

"Only if you’re not in a hurry to go back to your brush and paints."

"I guess I could use a break."

"How about you put your break into good use by going to get something to eat while we talk? That way you can kill two birds with a stone?" She suggested.

"Right," he said with a small smile.

"How are Chad and Venita doing?" Mari asked conversationally to see if he was aware they left the house.

"They’re fine I guess. I haven’t seen much of them since I started this painting," he said.

She bit her lip, contemplating whether or not to tell him they’d come visiting. Before she could make up her mind he spoke again.

"So, what’s up with love being complicated?" He asked curiously.

"Em had a little fight with Cal," she said. "Nothing too serious," she said, then told him about it.

"And what did you say?" he asked when she was done.

Mari smiled to herself as she told him.

Jax hummed softly. "That doesn’t sound like the Mari I met."

"I know," she said with a small laugh. "Old me would have taken her side immediately."

"And new you?"

"New me understands that love is not always about being right," she said quietly. "Sometimes it’s about choosing the person over choosing to be right."

Jax didn’t speak.

She continued, her voice soft. "As long as it doesn’t take from you. As long as you’re not hurting yourself. Sometimes you bend... just a little."

"You’re such a fountain of wisdom," he said, and she giggled.

Mari shifted on her bed, resting her head against her pillow.

"You know something funny? It’s always easier advising others until it’s you. Emily is pretty wise herself. But I just think there’s something about love that always makes our emotions cloud our judgment," she said with a sigh.

Jax was quiet for a moment. Then he said softly, "Yeah... it does that. When you’re outside, everything looks so clear. You can see what they’re doing wrong. You can even see the solution."

She smiled faintly. "And when you’re inside you’re just feeling. Not thinking."

Jax let out a small breath. "That sounds about right."

She could hear a faint sound on his end.

"Are you eating?" she asked.

There was a short pause.

"...Yes," he said.

Mari raised a brow even though he couldn’t see her. "You’re lying."

He chuckled. "I just got something."

"What did you get?"

"Leftover breakfast. So, do you think they’ll be okay?" he asked. "I mean Emily and Callan."

"I think they will," she said softly.

"Because of your wise advice?" he teased lightly.

She giggled. "Of course."

He chuckled.

"They love each other," she added. "And that matters." Then she asked, "From a guy’s perspective, how would you advise Em? Or Cal?"

Jax was silent for a moment. "Am I really qualified to give anyone relationship advice?"

"Is anyone ever qualified to give it? Even relationship therapists and counselors some times have broken homes. So shoot!"

Jax smiled. "Well, the way I see it, if she can’t respect his opinions because of his past then she shouldn’t be with him. It’s pointless being with a man you can’t respect. I don’t see how that relationship would work."

Mari frowned. "Are you saying they won’t be okay?"

"I’m saying they will be okay if they’re both willing to put in the work. From what you said Emily is still holding on to Callan’s past. And that’s going to be an issue if she brings it up whenever they have a misunderstanding."

She nodded. "Yeah."

"So, let’s talk about us. I miss you," he said.

She smiled. "Why do I doubt that?"

"Why do you?" he asked.

"I doubt there’s anything else in your head apart from that painting," she said.

"Wow," he said dryly. "Maybe my head is occupied by the painting but my heart is occupied by you."

She laughed. "Aww."

"I mean it."

"Okay. I’ll take that." Her voice softened. "But you need to take things easy."

"I will," he said.

"And eat properly."

"I am eating."

"You better be."

There was a small silence again.

Then Mari spoke again. "I miss you," she said quietly.

"Why don’t I believe you?" Jax teased.

Mari giggled. "Get out!"

He chuckled.

"I should let you focus on your meal. Make sure you freshen up and take a nap before going back to the painting. Please," she added.

Jax sighed. "Yes, mommy."

"Mommy’s gonna discipline you for being a naughty boy when she sees you," Mari said in a suggestive voice.

Jax chuckled. "I really do miss you."

"Same here. I have to go now. I’ll call you later in the day to check on you. Love you."

"Thanks for calling and not being mad at me. Love you more," Jax said.

Mari smiled. "You’re welcome," she said before hanging up.

Mari lowered her phone and stared at it for a moment.

A small smile rested on her lips as she thought about the possibility of convincing her father to let her pay Jax a visit.