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EMILY
Spending Christmas Evewith her family was wonderful, and a nice distraction from work… and missing John.
She didn’t want to focus on how much she thought about him all the time. His emails were always so very sweet… and he claimed he was going to try calling this weekend, she just hoped he didn’t call while she was at her parents’ house.
They had eggnog, snacked on gingerbread cookies, picked on Karen’s massive second wedding to Jace, and opened gifts. Chase looked thrilled for her, teasing Karen on a phone call about how he dated his ex-wife longer than she had talked to Jace.
The couple was spending Christmas in Massachusetts with Jace’s family this year, since she’d spent the holiday here the prior year while he was in Afghanistan.
… That was slightly disconcerting to Emily, knowing how things had ended for Chase, and hoped that it didn’t go as badly for Karen. She would be watching their relationship closely because of her own budding one with John. If things backfired for Karen, then maybe she needed to use a little more caution, so she didn’t end up getting heart-broken.
Not every person was relationship material… or capable of making a bond with another person. She had met people that seemed so nice, acted like friends, yet never contacted her again. Chase and Honey were a destructive force when they were together, tearing each other down…
“I talked with Jace, and the team is watching movies on base tonight with a special Christmas dinner,” Karen smiled on FaceTime. “I sent the team some sweets to share.”
“Nice necklace,” Chase said bluntly, looking at Emily. “Is that new?”
“Yes,” she said evasively. “A friend gave it to me.”
“A guy friend…?” her father asked, smiling.
“Let’s not do all the questions, okay?”
“I guess you have your answer, Dad…” her brother laughed, causing Emily to blush, realizing she’d been cornered by the duo. Her mother started handing out the presents, meeting Emily’s gaze, and effectively derailing the conversation before it grew to be more than she wanted to say.
She barely had a relationship with John – and sure didn’t want to discuss it with her jaded brother or her parents, when there wasn’t much to say right now.
Hours later, each of them hugged each other while being plied with large tote bags for their gifts, plates of leftovers, and firmed up plans for them all to get together in a week to watch the ball drop for New Year’s Eve.
Emily hugged her brother once again in the driveway before leaving. She’d taken several photos to share with John, and hoped he was having a nice holiday too. She hadn’t received an email in the last two days, making her wonder if he had gotten her present to him yet… and what he thought of it.
It was silly, completely sentimental, and honestly pretty lame, because it was just a keychain. Stopping at her mailbox, she opened it up and saw the orange security key. Opening it, she hesitated.
There was another box covered with stamps, smeared ink, and realized it was from John. Taking hold of the box, she stared at it in surprise and wonder, trying to imagine what it could be.
This was so much more than her silly keychain – and she felt like a complete idiot. The necklace he’d sent was so much and touched her deeply. She never took it off… ever.
Gathering up her box, she quickly turned down the road to park her car beside the single building that housed her office/apartment combination. Opening the side door, she closed it behind her and set the lock, climbing the steps to the living area. Turning on her little Christmas tree, she smiled and took a seat on the loveseat.
Opening the box, she hesitated as her phone rang. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was extremely late and knew it had to be John…
“Hello?”
“Merry Christmas, my Emily…” John’s voice was so warm, so soft, that she felt herself smiling almost immediately with a rush of happiness deep in her soul, realizing that he called her ‘my Emily’.
“Merry Christmas, John… how are you?” she breathed. “I’m so glad you called.”
“How could I not?” he said softly. “I would rather be there than here right now. Did you celebrate with your family?”
“Yes. I just got home and…”
“I got your package you sent…”
“You did?”
“I certainly did,” he replied quietly, keeping his voice down. “I loved it and keep looking at the little disc every chance I get. You know how much I adore that photo of us…”
“I know.”
