The Christmas Wish

22

Lani

It's been two days since I've woken up at Mary's. The last that I remember, I was sleeping in her arms at her desk. I  then woke up in my own bed. Alone. I've tried looking for her, but she's nowhere to be found. I've even laid awake all night so I could catch her coming come yet she didn't. She hasn't come home.

Today was the day that I'd find her. I'm determined. She had to be here at the pole, she just had to. Something tells me that head elf wasn't telling the truth when I backed him up against a wall. He was hiding Mary's whereabouts.

At this point its pretty clear she was avoiding me but I couldn't let her shut me out so quickly.

"Mary!" I yell, chasing her through the snow. Her head turns to face me, head lulling back afterwards. She's doing a bad job at hiding. She's standing in plain sight.

I'm walking to Santa's home. I've been thinking of asking for a longer stay here. Eve if he is better, things might take a turn, or an elf may come  down with something. I didn't want to fear the man, but I'd say anything to stay longer.

To be near Mary for longer.

"Where have you been?" I let out a breathy laugh. Wanting to sound sweeter than bitter. I place a gentle hand on her shoulder, turning her to face me. She doesn't even spare me a glance, eyes casted down to the snowy ground.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I mutter, lifting her chin with a finger.

"Get your hand off of me." She shoves my hand away with her own.

"Why?"

"Do you think I want to be bothered, Lani? I haven't taken a step near you in three days for a reason." She started to walk and I follow closely behind her as she dodged two  elves throwing snowballs across the town square.

"You need space. I get that." I pant, trying to keep up with her fast pace.

"No. You don't get it." She states.

"I do, but Mary its been three days. I miss you."

She doesn't say a word to me. She keeps her eyes straight ahead.

"Mary." I urge, with emotion heavy in my voice.

"Jesus Christ, Lani. Take a hint for once." Mary growled, shoving past me to get by. I understood the words that left Mary's mouth, but I couldn't accept them.

"Don't go, don't do this. You're self sabotaging." I beg. My arm quickly caught hers in a deadlock before she could escape me. Nails digging into her soft skin, she bends my arm backwards to release herself.

"My father is well. There's no need for your presence any longer. Pack. I'll have driver elf take you and your family back to New York." She states with a strong and heated gaze before she left me alone in the alleyway.

My knees start to tremble along with my hands and lips. It radiates throughout my body. It feels like my soul has been ripped from my body as I watched her disappear from my eye sight.

"Mary." I whimper.

"Mary!" I scream loudly, marching after her. I start by jogging and that turns into sprinting. I find her still walking ahead, I could reach her.

"Look at me." I demand, putting a hand on her shoulder and turning her body towards me. She shrugged me off, and when I get in front of her she didn't stop walking. She barreled towards me like a bulldozer.

"Talk to me. Speak. Say something, please."

"You sound pathetic." She finally stopped walking.

"No I don't. I'm just trying to understand what happened. Was it something I said or did. Mary, please."

"It is simply your time to leave. You didn't think you'd stay here forever, did you?" She smiles widely as if her words were a huge joke.

Not to me.

"Yeah." I nod with tears stinging my eyes.

"Lani. You can't be serious." She said teasingly, tilting her head.

When I got the job opportunity, my intention was to get the job done and leave back to the city. That's where my parents were, it was home. I'd never been away for so long.

Every doubt and fear escaped my mind the moment I laid eyes on Mary. It wasn't her questionable clothing, or the lack of it.

It wasn't her pretty face. It wasn't her sharp attitude. It was her. Her presence. It's hard to explain it. I just knew.

Knew that she was mine. For me. I watch Mary's eyes widen a bit before they blink away emotion quickly.

"I lo-like you, Mary. I want to stay. We can work this out, don't just ship me out when you feel scared."

"Well, we don't always get what we want, now do we?"

---

these chapters are so short. I'm just trying to get them out before Christmas! I'll edit them later.