Sailing With Destiny

Holiday Surprises

I flicked the little snowflake charm on my bracelet while my mind wandered. It was below freezing outside, and I was on my fourth cup of coffee for the day. Christmas was just around the corner, but I didn't feel very festive. 

It had been a couple of days since Mitchell saved me from embarrassing myself. At first, I was angry that he showed up but once sobered up, I was grateful. The next morning, he was gone but I remembered every little moment we shared and how well he took care of me. It was evident he still cared about me but stuck to his theory that our relationship wasn't what I needed.

He kindly sent over breakfast and had someone drop off a tall glass of forest puke as soon as I woke up. He sent a note and insisted I drank that awful drink to cure my hangover. If it wasn't for my headache and terrible nausea, I would've sent that green goo right back to him. But it was a miracle drink and helped with my hangover. 

As promised, he checked in at least once a day, and texting him felt natural yet foreign. It was good to have some contact but the constant reminder that we weren't together anymore messed with me. So, I didn't reply as much as I would've liked to. 

Leo was still a little distant but somewhat better. His health wasn't at its best and at his latest visit to his doctor, it was suggested he found a stem cell donor. I knew it meant that he wasn't responding very well to treatment and if he didn't find a donor, I'd eventually lose him. However, I kept those negative thoughts at the back of my mind and made it a mission to find him a match. 

Leo's parents and his brother got tested to see if they were a match and were still waiting for the results. I offered to test too but Leo told me to wait for his family's results first. I wasn't one to pray but I prayed to whatever was out there for at least one of his family members to be a match.

"Earth to Mila." Kelsey flashed her hand in front of my face. 

Kelsey was nothing but a kind friend. She reached out to me daily and tried to make me feel better in any way she could. She texted, called and even tried to stop by my place a few times. She once brought over junk food and said it was the best way to temporarily feel better. She didn't bring up Mitchell unless I did and together, we shared the grief of losing a parent. Kelsey felt like the only friend I had at that moment, and I grew very fond of her. 

I blinked away my thoughts and averted my attention to her. "I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

Kelsey shot me a sympathetic look. "You're thinking of him, aren't you?"

"I'm post call so you're going to have to forgive my half-functioning brain and be more specific." I took a sip of my hot chocolate.

Kelsey gestured with her eyes to the bracelet around my wrist that I fiddled with. "The one who gave you that."

"I've got a lot of different things on my mind," I replied honestly. "He might be hot, but he doesn't consume all my thoughts."

"Is that what you're referring to him as now? The hot one?"

"No, but I mean... he is hot."

Kelsey and I burst out laughing and after a long time, I didn't feel like crying amidst my laughter. While my eyes fell on the Christmas tree in the little café, it hit me that I'd never spent the holidays with Mitchell – something always went wrong between us around that time of the year. 

"If it's any consolation, he misses you. A lot," Kelsey spoke after a long moment of silence. "He seems to think occupying himself with work will distract him but honestly, I haven't seen him smile in a long time."

I half shrugged. "He feels being apart is the best thing and I can't counter that. It is what it is."

Kelsey looked at me sadly and placed a comforting hand over mine. "I don't quite agree with his decision but both he and his mom think it's for the best."