The bell above the door chimed as she walked inside, her eyes searched for Deckard automatically. With his height and dark hair, he was easy to spot above the shelves. January knew he was working, and she didn’t want to distract him, so she went in the opposite direction toward the housewares to grab the white tablecloth she needed. A few candles caught her attention with their red and silver swirls, and January added those to her pile as well.
Stepping from the aisle, she made her way to where she had seen Deckard earlier and found him adding some flashlights to the shelves.
“Hey.”
He flipped his head in her direction in surprise and smiled widely when he saw her standing there. She walked right up to him, lifted her free hand to his cheek, and kissed his bottom lip. She loved that he quickly responded to her by kissing her in return. They had a magnetism that she couldn’t explain, or ever wanted to.
As she pulled away, Deckard said, “Wow, this is a welcome surprise. What brings you by?”
She lifted her items a bit higher to catch his eye. “Just a few things for tonight. Stopped by on my way home.”
“Well, I’ll be heading your way shortly. Just finishing up a few things for my grandma.”
“Okay, see you then.” January lifted on her toes to press another kiss to his lips. His arm was still wrapped around her waist and he didn’t loosen his hold as she tried to take a step back. “What?” she asked him.
“Everything okay?” he questioned, concern evident in his voice.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know.” Deckard paused before he freed her from his embrace, adding, “I’ll be close behind you.”
She waved at him as she left the aisle he was working in, tossing a farewell toward his grandparents working at the front of the store after she had her items rung up.
At home, she made quick work of tidying up her house after she placed the ham in the oven. The small dining table was replaced with the larger buffet table, adding a mixture of chairs around the setting to accommodate everyone. January laid the covering and the placemats on the table. Using some evergreen clippings she had snipped from her own Christmas tree, she tried her best to make something festive out and situated it around the candles she had picked up at the general store. She thought it looked nice, but something was missing. It wasn’t nearly festive enough.
January looked around her space searching for a regal centerpiece to bring the design together, but nothing seemed to fit. The monogram that was working as a makeshift tree topper would work, but she didn’t want to remove it. Shrugging her shoulders January gave up her hunt and decided to relax before she needed to get started on the side dishes.
She remembered Deckard saying he would be over soon, but that had been over an hour ago. Needing to kill some time, January went ahead and changed into the red body-hugging dress she planned to wear for the night. The material was soft cashmere that ended just above her knees, sleeves that stopped at her elbows, and a scooped neckline. Her hair still maintained its bouncy waves from this morning, so she only needed to do a quick touch up of her makeup.
Back in the kitchen, January poured a glass of her favorite red wine, a local merlot, and started some of the side dishes that she hadn’t prepared the night before. With everything, almost ready to go, January took the chance to relax. Relax as much as a host could with the feelings weighing on her chest. She grabbed her phone from its dock in the kitchen and shuffled toward the living room, taking in the beautiful space that Deckard and her family had helped decorate.
With the flip of a switch, January’s fireplace roared to life, and she stood back to take in its beauty. She always found the flicker of a flame beautiful. It was never constant, ever changing its shape and color; it pushed and pulled against nature.
Flipping through a playlist on her phone, January queued up some soft music to play through the wireless speakers she had situated in the house. Standing a few feet from the fireplace, January took a large sip of her wine as she watched the flame dance to the music.
“Wow,” a voice called out in wonderment.
January looked over her shoulder to find Deckard approaching her, the look of awe evident on his face. He reminded her of a child that received his most wished Christmas present.
“You are absolutely stunning, January.” The compliment sank deep into her heart and she knew that she’d treasure it for eternity. He leaned forward and kissed her softly, pulling back before she was done.
“Let me take off my coat and I can help you finish things. Sorry that I’m late. I got tied up.”
“That’s okay. I have most everything ready to go, so we have a bit of time to relax before everyone arrives.”
“Well, I’ll definitely take a glass of whatever you’re drinking,” he added as he made his way toward her coat closet to hang up his jacket.
“Sure.”
January left her post in front of the fireplace and went back to the kitchen to pour a glass of wine for Deckard. Just as she placed the topper back on the bottle, Deckard walked up to her with a small bag in hand.
“This is for you.” He held the bag out toward January, who traded him for the glass of wine. “Happy birthday, sweetheart.” She had been peering down into the bag, but at the mention of her birthday, her head snapped up in surprise.
“What? Thought I forgot?” he chuckled.
“No. I just. . .didn’t expect anything. You didn’t have to get me a gift.”
“I know, but I wanted to.” Deckard took a sip of the wine, then urged her to open the bag.
Inside the black bag with black tissue paper was a red velvet rectangle. January set the bag aside and held the container in her hand as if it were the most precious thing she had ever owned. Her eyes shot up to his again and he silently urged her to open it with a gesture of his hands.
The hinges squeaked as she popped the lid and it snapped in place. Nestled inside the box was a delicate bracelet. It was so unique, January had never seen anything like it. This was no ordinary jeweled tennis bracelet. The links were a series of intertwined snowflakes with small diamonds situated in the center. In the middle of the links was a thin, long rectangle.
January reached into the box and pulled out the bracelet, bringing it closer to her face to get a better look at each piece. The rectangle was engraved with her name and she recognized the script used as the same from the star Deckard had designed for her parents almost two weeks prior.
“Did you engrave this?” she asked him.
“Yeah, I did. How did you know that?” he asked in amazement.
“You engraved a star ornament for my parents. I remember the script.”
“Flip it over.”
Following his instruction, January flipped the bracelet in her hand and found another engraving on the opposite side of the rectangle.
“My wish,” she murmured as she read the inscription. “I don’t understand.”
Deckard slipped the bracelet from her hold and signaled for her to hold her hand out. He began to clasp the jewelry together as he said, “If I could make any wish, it would be for you.”
“Deckard,” she choked out at the reality of his statement. It was the sweetest non-profession of love she had ever heard.
Once the bracelet was clasped, she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face against the warm flesh.
“Thank you so much. It’s the most beautiful present anyone has ever given me.”
“You’re welcome, January. You deserve beautiful things.”
January wanted to tell him that because of the thing she had done that she didn’t deserve anything, but January knew he wasn’t going to listen.
Disrupting their embrace, the timer on the oven went off and January had to turn her attention back to the dinner that would be underway in a few short minutes. While she plated all the food, she instructed Deckard where she kept her matches to light the candles on the table. She only had a few minu
tes before her family was due and she found herself running to her bedroom to grab her heels, slipping them on her feet just as the doorbell rang.
She rushed past Deckard, who was standing casually against the opening to her kitchen, and then stopped short returning to where he waited. January placed both of her hands on his cheeks and left a hot, open-mouth kiss on his lips.
“Before I forget, I want to thank you for everything. And I want you to know that you look really really sexy all dressed up like this.” January seductively ran her eyes over his body clad in black slacks that hugged his legs and ass just right, and a gray button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. “Are you ready?” she tacked on as she walked backward toward the door.
“I’m ready for anything.”
Taking a deep breath, January opened the door to her parents, two of her three siblings, and their significant others. June had offered to babysit for the night since they all knew January’s home wasn’t large enough to contain all six children running around.
She poured everyone the wine or beers that they requested before they all took their seats. Deckard brought everything out to the table then took his place beside January. The holiday decorations were the first things her siblings commented on, their curiosity overwhelming. January could tell that they didn’t know whether to believe her or not.
Luckily, her parents were able to steer the conversation away from the decor and focus on a local game show the family had been watching – everyone but January. Even now, in her own home, she felt like the odd man out. Deckard must have been able to sense her change in mood because under the table he grasped her hand and rested it on his thigh.
“Oh, Tom,” her mother cried out to January’s father once Deckard offered to start clearing plates. “I left the solstice star for January in the car. Would you be a dear and go grab it?”
Dutifully her father donned his coat and went out to the car despite January assuring him that she could get it another time. She wasn’t even sure what a solstice star was, and she doubted that she actually needed it.
Her back had been facing the front door, so she didn’t see when her father reentered the house. The small flicker of the flame on her silver and red striped candle held her attention as her siblings chatted with her mother.
“Happy Birthday!” January jumped in her seat as everyone shouted in unison.
“What the?”
“Happy birthday, sweetie,” her mother said as she reached over to hug her youngest daughter. Her father carried a small sheet cake into the kitchen with a series of candles ignited on top. On impulse, January looked over to the kitchen finding Deckard carrying small dessert plates toward the table and he winked at her as she caught his eye.
The group sang to her, then her father helped to delve out pieces of the chocolate cake to everyone. Her family had even brought presents with them. Small trinkets that January would cherish.
She didn’t know if it was Deckard or her family that made this the best birthday ever, maybe it was both, but she was going to remember this day for the rest of her life.
Her family didn’t linger much longer after the cake since they all had to work the next day.
January wished that time would slow. Her time with Deckard was fleeting and she wanted to hold on just a bit longer.
The moment the front door closed, January slipped off her shoes and stretched. This was the last Christmas Eve she would have. It was painful to consider. This day that used to always overshadow her birthday no longer existed – it was a strange thought.
In the kitchen, she found Deckard elbow-deep in sudsy water, and despite trying to get him to leave the dishes for the next day, he insisted that he clean. So she grabbed a towel and started drying the dishes as he finished cleaning them. January was just happy to be with him, it didn’t matter what they were doing.
With both of them working in tandem, the task went by faster than they expected. He grabbed their wine glasses and filled them with the remainder of the merlot. Together they moved toward her living room, blowing out the candles on the dining table as she passed.
They left the lights off in the space allowing the light from the fire to illuminate the room in the soft orange glow. Deckard rested on January’s couch and he held his arm out for her to do the same. She sat beside him, tucked her feet up on the cushions, and cuddled against his comforting body.
The air in the room was heavy, both of them knew what tomorrow would bring. January couldn’t fight against the urge to ask if he was going to stay. Her heart would always wonder if she tried hard enough
The glass traveled to her lips and she took a sip of the grape goodness, needing the liquid courage.
“So, there is no hope in you staying?” January knew it was direct, but she needed to know, and there was no point in asking anything else.
Sadly, Deckard shook his head, the devastation was just as evident on his face as it was on hers. “The bank approved the purchase of the practice. I’m locked in for five years at that location. I just found out today.”
“Oh.”
Wishes had treated her poorly in the past and January guessed that this time would be no different.
“I’m sorry, January. Is there any way you’d consider moving to Atlanta?” he asked, but he seemed to already know her answer. There was no hopeful gleam in his eyes.
“My entire family is here. Living anywhere else was not something I ever considered.” And even though she and her family had rocky moments, January couldn’t imagine being more than a short distance from them.
“I know, sweetheart. Do you think we could try long distance for a while?”
January wanted to say yes. She wanted to tell him that she would do whatever she could to make it work. But that wasn’t a reality for them.
“As much as I want to say yes, I think we both know that it wouldn’t work out. You have a demanding job, and if I get called out on an assignment, I could be gone for days or weeks.”
Deckard stayed silent, but he pulled her tighter against him. There wasn’t much left to discuss about their relationship. Tomorrow she was going to have to say goodbye to the man that was going to take her heart back to Atlanta with him.
Their glasses emptied as they watched the fire in silence, and Deckard sat the cups on her coffee table before standing from the couch. Fear leaped through her at the thought that Deckard was going to leave. Why wait until tomorrow when he could face the inevitable today?
He stalked toward the tree on the opposite side of the room and stared at the lights, the glow illuminating a small gold-wrapped gift under the tree. It hadn’t been there earlier and January assumed that Deckard placed it there when she wasn’t looking. But he didn’t grab the gift as he crouched beside the bucket acting as a tree stand. He picked up a fallen ornament, and placed it on the small table, then reached back down for the gold box.
“Grab the green box, too, please.” She called out before he stood back up. Both presents in hand, Deckard sat back down beside her and sat the boxes between them. “You know, you’re supposed to wait until Christmas Day to open presents.”
“We could start a new tradition?” he suggested, and January joined in with his soft chuckle.
“You first,” January said to Deckard and he smirked at her enthusiasm.
He tore through the plain wrapping paper unveiling a generic white cardboard box. He lifted the box to find a scarf nestled inside like the one she had admired on him not too long ago, a small placard that said “Hot Doc,” and a handheld engraving pen. The other two items were insignificant; it was the engraver that she spent hours scouring the internet to find.
“Wow,” he murmured as he admired the engraving kit. He took time reading the box, then set it back with the scarf, and lifted the placard. “Hot doc, huh?”
“I think you’re quite dreamy. I bet all the girls ask for you.” He shrugged noncommittally, but the blush rose on his cheeks, giving him away.
Deckar
d placed the placard back in the box and grabbed the engraver again. “This is really cool. I can’t wait to try it out.”
“I want a picture of the first thing you engrave by hand. You’ll have to text me a picture.”
“Am I allowed to do that?” He asked, and against January’s better judgment, she knew that she couldn’t cut ties with him completely.
“Yeah. I’d like to think we can stay friends at the very least.”
“I don’t ever want to just be your friend, January,” he murmured as he set the items back in the box, moving the package aside.
January whispered in reply, “I don’t think that we have a choice.” Solemnly Deckard nodded his head.
“Your turn.”
Her finger slipped under the taped fold of the wrapping and she slid the box out of the paper. Like earlier, the hinges of the larger rectangle box screeched as she flipped the lid. She was surprised to find a pair of matching snowflake earrings resting in such a large box, but then the flap of an envelope caught her eye.
“These are beautiful, Deckard.” January wanted to make sure he knew how much she loved the gift. He understood the significance of the snowflake to her now more than ever.
January lifted the envelope and pulled the slip of paper from the unsealed flap. In her hand, she held a round trip first-class ticket to Atlanta available to redeem on any date she desired. He wanted her to come visit him.
Her eyes flew up to meet his. “Deckard. . .”
“Before you decide that Atlanta isn’t for you, I would love if you’d give me a shot to show you that we could make it work. I make a lot of money, January. We can fly back and forth whenever we want.”
But it’s going to hurt so much when it all comes to an end, she thought.
January didn’t want to be ungrateful, because she was far from it. He gave her the greatest gift of all – himself. If only she were willing to accept it. But this wasn’t a fairytale. Long-distance relationships rarely ever worked out, at least the ones January knew of. They’d make it a few months, maybe a year, but they would start to tire of the travel and resent each other. She was jaded, and she knew it, but she couldn’t turn it off.
A Snowflake Wish Page 14
