In a Split Second || BTS

Chapter 22

I unlock the door to my apartment and shuffle forwards, exhaling deeply as I topple forward onto the sofa. My muscles ache with overexertion, and my eyes struggle to remain open after today's intensive dance practice.

I slowly lift my face from the soft cushions and gaze upon my wall of paintings. My eyes are immediately drawn towards my father's artwork depicting Durdle Door. Even from here, I can see the subtle sparkle of gold he placed in the child's eye, and I remember the pure childish joy I felt in that moment. It is as if my gaze follows a timeline of my childhood as I study each significant painting. Finally, my sight comes to rest on one picture that sparks a cascade of memories and reminds me of the upcoming holiday.

The painting depicts a glowing fireplace near a real pine tree that reflects the light of the fire. The ornaments shimmer, and the golden tinsel strung over the prickly branches looks real enough to touch. A young girl dressed in pink pajamas kneels beside the tree, eagerly tearing open a present concealed by silver wrapping paper and a red ribbon. Her mother sits beside her, smiling in contentment as she looks up towards where Father would have been sitting at his easel. I remember this moment like it was yesterday. My eyes slowly flutter shut, and I fall into the land of dreams.

--Flashback--

We had just returned from the evening Christmas service. It was the first year my mum allowed me to hold a candle by myself. The smile of unparalleled excitement was evident on my face in that moment.

"Go put on your pajamas, and get ready for bed, love," Mother said warmly after unzipping the back of my lacy dress.

"Bed?" I whined. "But it is Christmas Eve."

"Exactly," Father said, placing his hand on Mum's shoulder as she crouched next to me. "You will want to get to bed so that Santa doesn't pass over our house. You wouldn't want that to happen; now would you?"

"No..." I pouted my lower lip and looked up at him, purposely widening my bright eyes.

"Oh, Joseph," Mom sighed. "How can we say 'no' to that precious face?"

"We can say 'no', indeed. Do you hear me, Cherisse? You are going to bed this instant! Now, off you... oh, fine, just one present."

A giggle escaped from my mouth, and I scurried to my room, hurriedly changing into my favorite pajamas – a bright pink set with cupcakes embroidered onto the pants. Before my parents could fully comprehend what was happening, a blur rushed between them, and I came to a screeching halt in front of the beautiful Christmas tree. A small smile spread to my face as I caught my rosy reflection in one of the ornaments. My hand extended to touch a prickly branch lightly with my fingertip. I picked this tree out of all the others in the tree farm because it was tall and grand – the epitome of Christmas.

The warmth emitting from the fire slowly heated my cold hands, and my gaze flickered downwards to focus on one of the wrapped presents under the tree. It seemed to beckon to me with the silky ribbon attached to the tag that displayed my name in Mother's cursive.

"I don't know that I have ever seen you move so quickly, my dear," Daddy remarked, laughing as he sat down beside me. "If only you would have the same enthusiasm for bedtime."

"Do try to be quick about it, ma chérie," Mom noted, sitting down next to him with a mug of coffee. Even in the late hours of the night, she would relish in the warmth of her favorite drink – perhaps I inherited the same genes.

"Yes, Mum," I giggled, sitting down cross-legged and grabbing the present. My fingers lightly traced the silver wrapping paper with glittery snowflake designs, and I glanced outside, eager to see the same pattern engraved in the sky. Just as I hoped, the blue lights wrapped around the trees of our backyard illuminated the snowflakes lightly tumbling from the heavens in the pitch blackness of night.