Aashiqui - Winner's Anthology

The Christmas Carol

Here's the entry that won our hearts this month, but December was a little hard this time around - more than one entry made us feel the feels. Here's December winner from our monthly contest series "Mohabbatein".

Here's "The Christmas Carol" by KiaraWrites910

The delicious smell of gingerbread cookies spread throughout the small house located on the outskirts of the town. A Christmas tree was placed in the corner, the lights adorning it casting a soft glow. The little girl's skin tingled when a cool breeze wafted in through a gap in the wall.

"Milo, stop!" she heard her mother cry.

The woman was holding the remaining gifts above her head as their dog wagged his tail with the anticipation of unwrapping the presents.

Marianne would have helped her, but she was enjoying the scene far too much.

Hearing the creak of the wooden floorboard, her head snapped towards the door at the end of the hall. The light from the room illuminated the dark corridor as the door creaked open. A wrinkled, shaky hand quickly shut the door when he caught her looking.

Marianne never understood why her Grandpa changed after last Christmas. Her mother had told her it was because he lost his best friend.

She knew it was her Grandma.

She was still upset with her. Marianne had written her a letter, wishing her good luck on her journey to heaven, but received no reply.

"Marie, go check on your Grandpa," said her mother, who had finally managed to appease Milo with a few cookies.

She jumped down from the sofa, her small feet pattering against the floor as she reached his room. Her dainty hand rose to knock at the door, but she immediately stopped when she heard faint music coming from inside.

Cupping her ear, she leaned against the door, her brows pulled in a frown when she recognised the tune.

It was Grandma's favourite carol.

Her lips quirked in a smile when she recalled the day Grandma had played it for her.

The six-year-old huffed as she waited, her fingers caressing the corners of the certificate she had received. Marianne had been promised a surprise if she won the singing competition, but here she was, with her grandparents. Her parents couldn't go out with her tonight and she felt awful.

"Okay, you can come in, Marie," she heard a fragile voice call out.

Rolling her eyes, she stomped towards the room, knowing that nothing miraculous was waiting for her.

She was wrong.

The large piano nestled against the corner looked elegant and out of place in the dingy room. She had only seen it in movies.

"Do you like it?" asked her Grandpa, his arms wrapped around her Grandma's shoulder.

"I-It's so pretty," smiled the young girl, mouth wide open as her fingers glided across the smooth surface.

Her Grandma clapped with glee, her glasses sliding down her nose. A chuckle escaped Grandpa's lips as he pushed up her glasses, laying a tender kiss on her forehead. The old woman offered a shy smile in return and he took a seat before the grand piano.

When the light of the moon illuminated the room, she watched her Grandma's silver eyes sparkle with love. Marianne had never seen her eyes shine so bright.

The music stopped and she leaned further until the door gave way and she stumbled to the ground. She wobbled back up, eying her Grandpa apologetically.

The man simply stepped back and returned to his place before the piano. Marianne shuffled towards him, a relieved sigh leaving her lips when he didn't rebuke her for sitting so close.

His fingers hovered above the off-white keys, twitching slightly. Perhaps, he needed a little encouragement.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas," she began. Her lips puckered when she couldn't continue. Scrunching her nose, she racked her brain for the next line.

"Just like the ones I used to know," came her Grandpa's raspy voice as the music started to play.

A large grin crept up her face when he finally greeted her with a small smile, eyes shining as bright as the star atop their Christmas tree.

"Where the treetops glisten,

And the children listen,

To hear sleigh bells in the snow, oh, the snow."

As Marianne watched her Grandpa's smile grow wider, her eyes fell on the ruined photo taped to the wall. The edges were partially torn, but she could identify the young boy as her Grandpa and the spectacled girl beside him who was shyly holding his hand could only be her Grandma.

Maybe Marianne's letter got lost on the way because she knew that her Grandma always loved her family with all her heart.

In the silent night, the two continued to sing, the melody weaving its way through the souls of all those who listened, mending the broken hearts.

***