Maire teaches Tomás to picture his grandmother in his mind and he does, remembering her for the first time in a long while. He learns he can recall memories by 'painting' them in his mind. They then see a rainbow and she promises to take him into one someday. That night, Maire has an argument with Alec, telling him that he shouldn't have left Tomás waiting. The next day after school, Tomás comes home to find that Maire, has taken sick, a doctor (Gerard Bonner) at her side. He goes to stay at Katie's home, with her children, Seamus and Nancy. He buys Maire a very colourful tablecloth, as she likes colours, and later goes visiting her in hospital. Tomás learns that Maire is going to die, and distraught he rushes to her bedside, crying at the thought of her passing. Alec asks Tomás to leave, and later at the house Alec tells him that she has died. At Maire's funeral, Alec and Tomás are both distraught, but Alec still won't bond with Tomás. Tomás says that Alec needs him but Alec continues to be brusque with Tomás. Tomás also learns from his friends that the orphanage will soon reclaim him, as Alec never signed the adoption papers. Alec starts to drink to soothe his sorrows, and burns all of Maire's possessions because "she's gone". When Tomás finds out, he tries to stop Alec, blaming him for Maire's death, and runs away to Katie's. She explains how sad Alec is about losing Maire. The next day, Tomás goes to feed Smudge, asking it to pass on a message to Maire, asking her 'what he should to do'. A rainbow appears, the 'end' of it bathing Tomás and Smudge in colours, and Tomás has 'received' the guidance he was looking for. When Tomás returns home he finds Alec drunk, slumped in a chair. Tomás wakes Alec, giving him a red scarf Maire had 'smiled' into for him earlier, as a memento to remember Maire by. Alec goes to bed, snuggling with the scarf, as he hears Maire's laughter. In the morning, after packing up his possessions, Tomás goes out in the boat to deliver Smudge to his 'Mum'. When Alec realises that Tomás isn't at home, he attempts to rescue Tomás, but doesn't reach him in time.