In the Shadow Of Memory

Chapter 27

The apartment was filled with the cozy glow of Christmas lights, reflecting off the shiny ornaments Lucas and Mia were hanging on the tree. Mia sat cross-legged on the floor, laughing as she struggled to untangle a string of lights, while Lucas adjusted the star on top of the tree. The atmosphere was light, comfortable, the kind of ease they hadn't shared in years.

"By the way," Lucas said, breaking the silence, "Daisy invited me and Dennis to a Christmas party. Thought it'd be fun."

Mia looked up, a slight crease forming on her brow. "A Christmas party?" she echoed. "But... I'm supposed to be with my family. Are you saying I'll have to miss it?"

Lucas shrugged, turning back to the tree. "You don't have to miss anything. You could come after, or we could figure it out. Just thought I'd mention it."

She hesitated, the idea of missing out on her family celebration tugging at her for a moment. But then, looking at Lucas, a calmness settled over her. She had always felt at peace when he was around, and now was no different. "It's fine," she said, brushing off her earlier worry with a grin. "We'll make it work. I wouldn't mind hanging out with you and Dennis anyway."

Lucas smirked, continuing to hang an ornament. "Good. I figured you'd be up for it."

They continued decorating the tree in comfortable silence for a while, but Mia couldn't shake the question that had been gnawing at the back of her mind since the previous night. She hesitated before finally speaking, her voice low. "Lucas... do you know what happened to your parents?"

The question hung in the air, and for a moment, Lucas didn't answer. His expression darkened as he turned toward her, his eyes cold and distant. "Yeah," he said quietly, the chill in his voice unmistakable. "They're dead. The Mafia found out who killed them, and they... took care of it. So did I."

Mia blinked, the coldness in his voice surprising her. She hadn't expected such a blunt, emotionless response. "So, the Mafia... helped you?" she asked carefully, trying to process what he had said.

Lucas nodded, his gaze fixed on the tree. "They did. I got the revenge I needed. After that, they made sure I had a new identity, a new life. But even with everything that happened, I couldn't just leave you behind."

He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Don't freak out but I kept an eye on you. I saw you moving on, getting on with your life, and... I figured I'd just make things worse by coming back. You were fine without me."

The vulnerability in his words struck her, and Mia felt her heart ache. He had been so close all this time, yet so far away. "You thought I didn't look through the diary, didn't you?"

Lucas's jaw tightened, and he gave a small nod. "Yeah. I hoped you didn't. That way, you wouldn't get mixed up in all this mess."

Mia shook her head with a soft smile. "I'm glad I did. It gave me a clue... and I needed it. I missed you so much, Lucas. More than you know."

Lucas swallowed, emotions tightening in his chest. His heart raced, wanting to say more, to admit everything he'd been holding back, but he couldn't. Not yet. He fought the words, keeping them at bay.

Mia broke the tension with a laugh, standing up and brushing off her jeans. "I need to run to the store, get some more ornaments. You finish up here."

Lucas nodded, grateful for the reprieve. "Alright. I'll handle the tree."

Mia slipped on her coat, heading out into the cold evening. The air was brisk, and she shivered slightly as she walked toward the store. Her mind was still on Lucas, on everything he had told her, when she saw Detective Jonathan standing on the corner, watching her.

"Mia," he called, his tone sharp. "Did you find anything? Any new leads on Mason?"

She tensed, her heart skipping a beat. "Oh, um, no... nothing new," she stammered, glancing at her watch. "I really have to get going, though. I'm in a bit of a hurry."

Jonathan frowned, clearly not buying her excuse. "You were so determined before. What happened? You seemed so sure you'd find something."

Mia forced a smile, taking a step back. "I just... I have a lot on my plate right now, you know? It's the holidays." She waved him off, quickly walking away before he could ask more questions.

As she disappeared into the crowd, Jonathan stood there, his brow furrowed in confusion. Something was off. She had been so focused, so driven to uncover the truth about Mason, and now she was acting like she didn't want to talk about it at all. He couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something, and it gnawed at him as he turned to walk away, deep in thought. 

.............

Weeks passed in a blur, with Mia spending nearly every day with Lucas. Their bond grew stronger as she slowly adjusted to his new identity. His old life as Mason seemed further away with each passing moment, and she found herself becoming more comfortable with Lucas—laughing with him, teasing him, and sharing secrets like they had never been apart. The connection they had five years ago was still there, but now it felt deeper, more complex.

As Christmas Eve arrived, Mia was back at her family's house. The living room was a mess of wrapping paper and brightly colored ribbons, and the scent of fresh pine filled the air from the tree in the corner. Ellen, Mike, and Mark were gathered around, everyone laughing as they unwrapped their gifts.

"Mia, you've outdone yourself again," Ellen said warmly, holding up a handmade scarf Mia had gifted her. Her auburn hair was loose tonight, streaks of silver catching the firelight as she smiled at her daughter.

"You're spoiling us," Mike added with a grin, tearing open his box to find the new tools he'd been hinting at for weeks.

Mark, on the other hand, was busy inspecting a new set of headphones, his eyes lighting up. "Finally! You actually got me something cool this year," he teased, earning a playful swat from Mia.

Laughter echoed through the room, the warmth of family togetherness making the night feel magical. They shared stories, poked fun at each other, and made the kind of memories that Mia would hold onto for years. The atmosphere was filled with joy, each moment feeling like a snapshot of pure happiness.

As the night wound down, Ellen's expression softened, and she asked quietly, "Mia, are you coming tomorrow? For Christmas Day?"

Mia hesitated for a moment, then shook her head gently. "I'm going to a party with my friends," she said, trying to keep her tone light.

Ellen's smile faltered slightly, her disappointment barely masked. "Oh, I see. I just thought... well, it's Christmas. It would've been nice to have you here."

"I know, Mom. But I'll come by afterward, I promise," Mia said, offering a reassuring smile. Ellen sighed but nodded, knowing her daughter had made her choice.

"Just be safe, alright?" Ellen said, her voice soft with concern.

As Mia began gathering her things to head back to her apartment, Mike caught up with her in the hallway, his face serious. "Mia, wait a second. I wanted to ask you something."

She turned, seeing the question in his eyes before he even said it. "What's up?"

"The investigation," Mike began, lowering his voice. "You were all over it, trying to find Mason. But lately... you haven't said anything about it. Are you still looking?"

Mia paused, her heart skipping a beat. She'd been avoiding this conversation for a reason. "No," she said simply, her tone light. "I don't really think about it anymore."

Mike frowned, his suspicion growing. "What do you mean, you don't think about it? You were obsessed with it for months. Why the sudden change?"

Mia forced a casual laugh, waving him off. "I've just moved on, Mike. I've got other things to focus on now. Besides, I hate walking home at night—it's getting late." She glanced at her watch, hoping to end the conversation before it went further.

But Mike wasn't so easily swayed. "Mia, this isn't like you. You wouldn't just stop caring about finding Mason. Something's off."

"I'm fine, really," she said, avoiding his gaze. "I'll talk to you later, okay? I have to go."

Without giving him a chance to press further, Mia slipped out the door, her heart racing as she stepped into the cold night air. As she hurried down the street, she couldn't shake the feeling that Mike was onto her, that he sensed there was more to her sudden disinterest than she was letting on. And he wasn't wrong.