𝙸𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛.
--
He leans into her, his breath warm against her ear as he whispers, "I'm not the jealous type...
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22. __
After Thanksgiving, Nia had not seen or heard much from Theodore. He seemed to be actively busy preparing for his inauguration in January, and she had been occupied with getting ready for the holidays. She spent the rest of November catching up on her workout routine, doing some holiday cleaning, and painting.
Despite all the distractions, her mind couldn't help but be consumed by thoughts of Theodore Knocks.
When November came to an end, Nia's father called her and asked if she wanted to go Christmas shopping. She agreed, eager for some quality time with him. They strolled through the stores, browsing for gifts and decorations.
"How about these? You know your mother loved them," her father said, showing her a pair of tiny Christmas ornaments.
Nia's heart skipped a beat. This was the one time of year when her father would smile more, gripped by the bittersweet memories of her mother.
"They look lovely," Nia replied, putting on a brave face.
As they continued browsing through the store, a sense of nostalgia washed over Nia. Her father had been doing better recently, and she could see the weight of Mr. Caldwell's absence started to lift slightly as his family had moved him to a closer home.
He had shared with her that her mother hadn't even realized he had simply disappeared, which brought a strange mixture of relief and sadness.
They continued to pick out ornaments and decorations that reminded them of her mother.
A silver Christmas ball to signify her love of winter, a star to represent her guiding light, and a tiny angel to capture her ethereal presence.
Each choice felt like a lovely tribute to the woman they both treasured.
Just as they were about to leave the store, Nia's eyes were drawn to a beautiful necklace displayed in the jewelry section. It was a delicate silver chain with a pendant in the shape of a heart, adorned with shimmering crystals. She couldn't help but feel drawn to it, a gentle tug of familiarity and longing. It reminded her of the necklace her mother had once bought for her when she was just seven years old.
"Can we get this necklace?" Nia asked, her voice filled with a mixture of hope and apprehension, as if this small piece of jewelry held the key to unlocking her connection to her mother.
Her father glanced at the necklace and then looked at Nia with a soft smile. "Oh Nia, it looks just like the one your mother gave you. We should definitely get it."
Nia's heart swelled with gratitude as they purchased the necklace. It felt like a special connection, a tether to her mother's love. In that moment, she couldn't help but feel tears welling up in her eyes. She wiped them away, kissed her father on the cheek, and held onto the necklace tightly. It brought her a sense of peace and comfort, reminding her that love transcends time and distance.
