Echoes of a Fleeting Night

The room smelled of a faint pine. The light of the tree was broken by one missing bulb. Ornaments that once hung from the tree now decorate the floor. Scattered pieces of wrapping paper were hidden underneath furniture. A small TV hidden in the corner moved from its original spot, now outshone by the Holidays. A countdown played, where the newsman discussed the people’s hopes for the new year. Adrian sat on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket, talking out loud to herself but also partly to her father, who stood in the kitchen on the other side of the wall. “Only a couple more hours, and then comes new years.” She said. Her father walked into the living room carrying two mugs. “The new always comes to chase out the old,” he said with a smile, handing Adrian a mug. “Be careful, it’s hot.” “Yes, I know it’s not my first time drinking hot chocolate, and it’s in the name.” She said as she accepted the mug, blowing the steam from it. “Of course.” He said as he sat down, stealing some of the blanket from Adrian.

The room was quiet. Only the TV and the sound of the newsman interrupted it as the countdown continued. Adrian moved closer to her father as she cuddled up to him. Without hesitation, he moved his mug from his right hand to his left so he could place his arm around Adrian. “There’s quite the assortment of stuff by the door.” Her father said as he motioned with his mug.” Adrian laughed a bit as she quickly took a sip of her mug. “Well, I collected quite a few items over the past couple of days, and I want to share them with my friends. Also, it’s your fault for giving me so much stuff.” She laughed as she looked over to her father, who was giving her a look, not a mean look, but like an ‘O, so that’s what it’s gonna be like then.’ “I guess you’re right, but there was a lot of stuff over time to give.”

The room was silent but not hollow. It was warm, the soft glow of the Christmas lights, the warm mugs of hot chocolate, and the tender embrace between father and daughter. “I remember how it wasn’t too long ago, you would brag about how long you would stay up, and then only a couple of minutes later, you would be sleeping.” Her father said with a warm smile as he looked down on her. Adrian looked back up at him with a look that matched his from earlier and said, “I was little, every little kid falls asleep, and I bet you didn’t last too much longer, because when I woke up, you were on the couch asleep too.” He raised his eyebrow as he let out a chuckle. Her father sat there, staring at the Christmas tree with a look of remembrance on his face, as if every night they had shared before, like this, played in his mind. “I guess tonight will be the tiebreaker; whoever can stay up till midnight wins,” he said. She looked up at him with a bit of excitement and asked, “What do they win?” He gave a big smile and said, “Bragging rights.”

The room was full of quiet laughter and the faint sound of the TV in the background. Her father looked from the lights to the TV where the countdown continued, “It used to take forever to get to midnight. Now it feels like it’s flying.” Adrian, who just finished her hot chocolate, placed her mug on the ottoman before lying down fully on the couch with her head on her father’s lap, “Maybe you’re just getting tired? Time always seems to move by faster when you’re half asleep.” Adrian let out a small yawn as she nudged closer to him. “Maybe, but I’m pretty sure you just yawned. So I’m definitely gonna win.” He said, smiling as he began to rub her back. “There’s only a couple more hours,” she said with a tone of sadness in her voice. Her father quietly cleared his throat as if to clear a thought from his head.

The room was silent and grew a bit colder as the countdown continued on the TV in the corner. With the once warmed mugs now empty, resting on the ottoman, the room held its breath, waiting. “We forgot to make Cheese Board this year, like the last couple of years, we would snack on one as we got closer,” Adrian said, looking up to her father. Her father paused for a moment as guilt showed on his face, “We didn’t. But there’s always next year”. Adrian turned her head back to face the TV as she pulled the blanket up over her shoulder. “I guess.” She said, unsure in her words. “You know I kind of forgot how quiet it is here,” Adrian said. Her father nodded his head, and he said, “Yes, it is quiet here.” Her father searched around the room, looking for something to say. “I can believe that you forgot how quiet it can be especially with all those friends you have. Never a dull moment.” Adrian shifted around as she laughed, “Yeah, sometimes it’s so loud I feel like I can’t even hear myself think.”

The room grew tired as conversations grew longer, and the countdown on the TV prepared for the finale. “There’s only a couple more hours.” Her father said as he let out a sigh. Adrian looked up to him, laughing as she said, “According to the clock and the TV, we only have a couple more minutes. Did you fall asleep up there?” He forced out a chuckle, his eyes hiding sadness. His face grew serious but in a playful way as he said, “No, I wouldn’t dare, I don’t wanna miss those bragging rights.” She laughed very quietly and softly. The countdown continued as the excitement grew on the TV. Pulling the blanket off of himself, he used it to cover Adrian fully.

The room was quiet as the celebration commenced on the TV. The countdown was completed. Fireworks popped with flashes of colors, lighting the room dimly. “Looks like I won the bragging rights.” He said as he smiled down at Adrian, asleep in his lap. He never saw the New Year’s TV celebration, as his eyes were focused on something else. “Time is truly flying, and midnight never came so fast as it did tonight.”