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Christmas Fiction Holiday

โ€œMr. Film, mind if I ask what's the special occasion for baking cookies?โ€ I asked him, the smell of vanilla wavered in the air as I breathed the sweet scent in.

โ€œHow many times do I tell you Mia, call me Chris and do I need a reason to bake cookies?โ€ He mockingly questioned.

โ€œI suppose notโ€ฆ Mr. F- I mean Chris,โ€ I corrected, walking out from the warmth of the house, Mr. Film followed me outside.

The air was rich mixed with just a hint of winter jasmine touch as cold sensation grew even colder. I shivered in unison with the wind rippling through the deserted streets.

โ€œCold?โ€ Mr. Film asked.

โ€œA littleโ€ฆ I should get going anyway,โ€ I muttered, my lips were turning light blue, the hair on my skin vibrated with the air around me as my light bleached hair wavered across my face, annoyingly flying into my mouth. I restlessly removed the locks of my flying hair with every bow of the wind.ย ย 

โ€œItโ€™s getting dark out, why donโ€™t you stay for dinner?โ€ Mr. Film suggested.

โ€œI guess, thanks for the invitation.โ€

โ€œCome on Mia, donโ€™t embarrass me with your thank youโ€™s, youโ€™re like my daughter,โ€ He politely smiled.

Mr. Film was my neighbor, we met accidentally on market day and Mr. Film and I became very close friends. He had told me about his past when he worked in the army. I was fascinated, listening to his brave stories of how he protected the country. I was mostly intrigued by him because he reminded me of someoneโ€ฆ Iโ€™d lost long ago.

โ€œWhy Mia, whatโ€™s the long face?โ€

โ€œNothing... Chris,โ€ I half-lied, pasting a fake smile so my statement was more believable.

โ€œNow, shall we get started?โ€ Mr. Film inquired after Iโ€™d had some food in me.

โ€œStart what?โ€

โ€œBaking cookie of course.โ€

โ€œWhat for?โ€

โ€œAha, Mia you're such a curious little child,โ€ Mr. Film shook his head playfully, grinning.

โ€œIโ€™m not a child,โ€ I settled. I was almost 19, my mother sometimes says she was confused whether she was the parent or I. I was definitely the most responsible and mature person at my house.

โ€œJeez, take a chill pill Mia,โ€ Mr. Film teased, twirling my golden hair ironically.

I removed his warm hand away from my hair. Mr. Film always treated me like a baby which I definitely was not.

โ€œYou didnโ€™t answer my question,โ€ I reminded him, trying to change the topic.

โ€œOh yes, I was thinking about having a cookie exchange party!โ€ He declared, his hands up high in jazz hands as if heโ€™d won a million dollars.ย 

โ€œWhen?โ€

โ€œTomorrow night, and youโ€™re invited!โ€ย 

โ€œOh boy, I canโ€™t wait,โ€ I said, showing a fake joy, I was never a party person, all it was is a great way to make a whole lot of mess and disobey all the rules.

โ€œTsk, Tskโ€ฆ such a great enthusiasmโ€ฆ maybe you will enjoy this party, I have a surprise for you,โ€ His voice held my breath in place, I wondered what the โ€˜surpriseโ€™ was.

โ€œWeโ€™ll see,โ€ I shrugged, taking my coat from the coat rod as I wished him a good night, and closed the door behind me slowly.

Mr. Film was a very mysterious man, his light brownish, blondish hair was always combed to perfection, his gleaming eyes were mesmerizing, even to me. The kindness was visible in his clear golden iris, the way he stared at me reminded me of someone I knew.

Iโ€™d always been solo, ever since my mother remarried when I was 15, I was by myselfโ€ฆ mom was always busy gushing over the new gifts Steven; my step-dad bought for her. I was constantly annoyed by their presence so when I hit college I left them, mom sometimes visited when she wasnโ€™t busy with work or flirting with Steven.

I worked hard trying to buy a house and paying my school loans, which meant helping out Mrs. Glenn with babysitting her three kids, pet sitting Sasha; the cocker spaniel a street away and helping Mr. Film with his daily chores.ย 

I was always eager for more jobs but my community wasnโ€™t very social or huge for any more opportunities.

Mr. Film paid me a lot more than my usual customer. I didnโ€™t know if he just had a kind heart or something else. Since the day he laid eyes on me, he treated me like his own, even if I was a total stranger to him, he always valued me more than even my mother hadโ€ฆ this always threw me back to my childhood days, I barely remembered him, the strong hands that held me and mom together, the way his kiss filled me with warmth as he would pick me up and throw me over his shoulders, how heโ€™d saved so many peopleโ€ฆ he was my hero. His hair would glissen in the sunlight, his eyes twinkle with delight. I vaguely remembered him even when I wished Iโ€™d stayed with him forever. Dadโ€ฆ that word stung me like a bee sting. Likeโ€ฆ poison. I felt empty when I thought of that three-letter wordโ€ฆ D A D.

My father was in the army, coincidently like Mr. Film. I was four when theโ€ฆ letter came. My mother sobbed so hard I thought she would get sick, mom began to stop eating, she would avoid attention and began to isolate herself from the world. I pitied her so I tried to get her back into a relationship again, hoping her aching heart would get relief. She denied all the men, until she met Steven.ย 

Now when I see her, she was the mom before dad died. Her wedding ring on, her hair always neatly combed as she began to adjust to this new lifeโ€ฆ without dad.

I was happy for her, Steven seemed like someone who could take care of mom apart from myself. But, after the wedding mom was completely changed, she began to go to parties, drink, do whatever she wanted. Steven never stopped her, he went along with her shenanigans. I was overwhelmed with having to make mom realize her responsibilities so I moved on, hoping one day momโ€™ll come to her senses.

I regretted living alone, my old tomcat died last month so it had been just me. Of course there is always Mr. Film next door, he never let me live a day without bringing me some cheer.

Thinking of Mr. Film, I was puzzled about his โ€˜surpriseโ€™ for me. I would have to wait until tomorrow night to discover it.

Oh right, I needed to make cookies for the party. Iโ€™d better whip up some of my special snicker-doodles.

* * * * * * *ย 

โ€œMia, glad you made it!โ€ Mr. Film planted a kiss on my cheek, patted my back and escorted me to my seat.

โ€œWouldn't miss it for the world,โ€ I joked, handing him my cookies Iโ€™d baked fresh and let them cool before sprinkling some powdered sugar on top.

He whiffed the warm, sugary flavor that wavered in the air, gave me an appreciative look and took the warm cookies from my hand and placed them at the center table where there were all kinds of cookies; Sugar cookie, chocolate chip, pumpkin spice, Vanilla, Oatmealโ€ฆ so many that I had to dig in right away if Mr. Film hadn't called for my attention. I grumpily placed the sugar cookie I held, back in its original place, following Mr. Film who surprisingly led me outside.

The air felt almost hyperborean, it was colder than ever before, the crisp air felt so thick I could cut it with a knife.

Yet, I felt snugโ€ฆ felt like Iโ€ฆ belonged for once in my life.ย 

โ€œMia,โ€ Mr. Film called for my attention, my eyes focused on his face again.

โ€œYes?โ€ I breathed out, my breath froze as the mist mixed with the air around me.

โ€œI need to tell you something,โ€ He kept his eyebrows low, his eyes down; staring at the ground beneath us as if he was embarrassed to admit something.

I bit my cold lower lip, huddling close to my jacket to protect myself from the cold as I nervously nodded for him to move on.

โ€œPromise you wonโ€™t tell your mother?โ€ He insisted.

โ€œMy mom?... umโ€ฆ ok?โ€ Mr. Film didnโ€™t even know my mother, why did he care if my mother knew or not, whatever he was about to tell me.

โ€œPromise you wonโ€™t get upset?โ€ He slowly met my hard glance, my eyes froze like the snow around us as I continued to bite my lower lip in confusion.

โ€œYes, cross my heart and hope to die,โ€ Iโ€™ve heard my mother say this whenever she promised something, it soundedโ€ฆ formal.

โ€œThis is my surpriseโ€ฆโ€ He picked something from his pocket and handed it to me. I curiously took it.

โ€œWhatโ€ฆโ€ My voice stopped short, in the photo it looked likeโ€ฆ me? I would always recognize this little me, the same red hat that my dad had given me for my third birthday, the dimpled smile with a sprinkle of freckles splattered across my cheeks as I blushed, my hair was shorter then, it was in a neat ponytailโ€ฆ I traced my finger against the photo, it was me. The paper was teared in one end where it would have been the middle of the whole photo. I glared back to see Mr. Film as I saw the slight outline of the hand that was curled around the younger me in affection. Dadโ€ฆ it was him with me in the photo. Our last photo taken before his voyage to the southern warโ€ฆ. where he never came back.

Keeping the photo in one hand I hunted down the other piece of the photo from my purse. My photo was old and dusty but Iโ€™d kept it in its preserved form for years, this photo was a cherishable part of my life. I couldnโ€™t really see my fathers glorious oval face but it was himโ€ฆ at least used to be him.

Breathing once I connected Mr. Filmโ€™s photo with my own. It matched perfectly!ย 

Mr. Film chucked quietly, his laughing eyes were lit up as he glimpsed my joined photo, tears filled up his strong eyes that surprised me, Mr. Film never criedโ€ฆ I didnโ€™t even realize him sob if his tears didnโ€™t glitter in the moonlight like diamonds, cascading down his cheeks. Unknowingly my cheeks began to feel wet as well.

โ€œDad?โ€ I pronounced every letter with satisfaction, closing in our distance as he pulled me in for a tight hug.

โ€œMia,โ€ He said the word as if it was what had kept him alive and running all these years.

He didnโ€™t let me go, we embraced for a long time, I began to feel the heat from his body, I squeezed my eyes tight hoping all this wasnโ€™t an elaborate dream.

โ€œIโ€™m so happyโ€ฆ I.โ€

โ€œShh,โ€ He put his finger lightly between my mouth, shushing me quietly as he brought me over to the porch.

โ€œIโ€™ll tell you everythingโ€ฆ I promise.โ€

Removing my hair from my forehead he kissed me, adrenaline kicked in and my tummy did flip flops but in a good way.

โ€œDad?โ€

โ€œYes?โ€

โ€œDonโ€™t ever leave me,โ€ He smiled, wiping my tears with the back of his hand, sighing.

โ€œI wonโ€™t,โ€ He casually replies after a breath of relief.

โ€œPromise?โ€

โ€œPromise, cross my heart and hope to die,โ€ He mimicked my statement as I giggled along with him. I knew he never changed in all these years.

โ€œCookie?โ€ He handed me a strawberry shortcake cookie; my favorite.

โ€œYou remembered!โ€

โ€œOf course,โ€ His laughing tone was replaced with a more serious face.

โ€œMmm, itโ€™s delicious.โ€

โ€œMy specialty.โ€

I licked the crumbs off my fingers, wiping them on my jeans as I laid back on the support beam.

โ€œI love you dad.โ€

โ€œI love you too, Mia.โ€ย 

I closed my eyes knowing tomorrow would just beโ€ฆ perfect.

December 08, 2020 02:10

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20 comments

Hey there Varsha! Thank you so much for asking me to check out this wonderful story!! I am so happy I did! I loved the entire mysterious tone to this story, and I think it's really creative of you to structure the entire story like that. I loved all the characters too! This was a well written Christmas story, and if I were to rate this story out of 5, I would give it an infinity. I loved it so much, thanks for asking me to read this! Also, I hope you had a great start of the week! :)

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Aww, thank you sooooo much Haripriya. Your comments gave me joy for sure:) Also thank you for supporting me from the beginning of my journey. And have a wondeful week as well!

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Scarlet Hayshay
18:16 Apr 17, 2021

Loved this story! ;)

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Akshaya Sutrave
03:12 Dec 08, 2020

Hi Varsha! I loved reading this story! It was so well-written and the surprise at the end was definitely unexpected, but it was a really nice thing that happened! The descriptions were realistic and I enjoyed them. Keep it up!

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Akshaya Sutrave
04:13 Dec 08, 2020

Welcome :)

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Sol Campbell
05:44 Apr 29, 2022

I'm not crying ! I just have glitter in my eyes ! Great story though

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Sol Campbell
14:51 May 02, 2022

You're welcome it's a great story

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Radhika Diksha
15:10 Dec 08, 2020

The perfect story for Christmas. It's a warm, fun, and heart-warming story. The daughter-father reunion was cute. Even I would love your feedback on my stories, do read them in your free time.

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11:29 Dec 08, 2020

Hello Varsha! Aww, how sweet! What a wonderful story! Heartwarming after all the heartbreaks in the world ;) Lots of love, Sythe <3

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Kate Reynolds
19:14 Dec 09, 2020

Hi Varsha! This story was sooooo good! I loved the twist at the end, and it was really well written! Great job! :D

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Kate Reynolds
20:25 Dec 09, 2020

Ofc!

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