What Is Christmas Without You? (Watty Awards 2012)

Mason & Jade

Make my wish come true, all I want for Christmas is you.

-Mason & Jade-

24th of December, Christmas Eve

It’s time.

I stared back at my reflection in the mirror. My hands were trembling slightly when I adjusted my tie. I took one last look at the diamond ring inside the box to see if it didn’t magically disappear. When it obviously didn’t, I shoved it inside my pocket safely.

The thought of proposing to her made me tense up and nervous once more.

Yes, I’m proposing today on Christmas Eve. I had wanted to propose on Christmas day but decided against it because if I propose on Christmas Eve, we would have time to celebrate on Christmas day. But honestly, the biggest question I’ve been worried of is, will she say yes?

Okay now, this isn’t the time for negative thoughts. “You can do this, Mason,” I said to myself, but without any confidence.

I had been practicing for weeks now and let’s just hope when it’s time to pop the question; those weeks of practice will pay off.

I was going to propose to her at this beautiful quiet park, where people rarely go and where we first met. I was going to play her a song while strumming my guitar. She loves it a lot when I play the guitar and sing, especially to her.

Thinking of her brings a smile to my face without my knowing.

She’s perfect even though she denies it every time.

When I was still practicing my lines in front of the mirror, my phone rang.

It read: Jade.

Naturally, I smiled broadly; Jade has no idea what I have in store for her today.

“Hey sweetheart!” I said too cheerfully, but instead of hearing her sweet voice, a man’s voice came to my hearing.

“I’m sorry, but this is not Jade,” the man said and my face immediately fell. I was filled with bewilderment. Why is he talking instead of Jade?

I immediately asked, “Who is this?”

“We have no time for that. Jade is unconscious now. She got into an accident just now; I used her phone and dialed the first name I saw in her contacts that she uses most. Are you a family member?” he inquired, but the words kept replaying over and over in my head.

Jade is unconscious.

She got into an accident.

“Hello?”

“I’m her boyfriend. Where is she now?” I asked in a sudden rush. I knew I was panicking, but who wouldn’t in this type of situation? All of the negative thoughts filled my mind instantly. What if … what if she...?

Snap out of it, Mason! She’s going to be fine, I know that. She’s going to be alright.

“We brought her to the hospital.”

After the man told me the details, I drove to the hospital. My knuckles were white from holding the steering wheel too tightly. I also got rude comments from other drivers for driving too fast, but I didn’t care at all.

Not when I knew something bad happened to my girl.

I sprinted to the first nurse I saw and asked, “Is there a patient named Jade Maria?”