22.
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After Thanksgiving, Nia had not seen or heard much from Theodore. He seemed to be actively busy preparing for his inauguration in January, and she had been occupied with getting ready for the holidays. She spent the rest of November catching up on her workout routine, doing some holiday cleaning, and painting.
Despite all the distractions, her mind couldn't help but be consumed by thoughts of Theodore Knocks.
When November came to an end, Nia's father called her and asked if she wanted to go Christmas shopping. She agreed, eager for some quality time with him. They strolled through the stores, browsing for gifts and decorations.
"How about these? You know your mother loved them," her father said, showing her a pair of tiny Christmas ornaments.
Nia's heart skipped a beat. This was the one time of year when her father would smile more, gripped by the bittersweet memories of her mother.
"They look lovely," Nia replied, putting on a brave face.
As they continued browsing through the store, a sense of nostalgia washed over Nia. Her father had been doing better recently, and she could see the weight of Mr. Caldwell's absence started to lift slightly as his family had moved him to a closer home.
He had shared with her that her mother hadn't even realized he had simply disappeared, which brought a strange mixture of relief and sadness.
They continued to pick out ornaments and decorations that reminded them of her mother.
A silver Christmas ball to signify her love of winter, a star to represent her guiding light, and a tiny angel to capture her ethereal presence.
Each choice felt like a lovely tribute to the woman they both treasured.
Just as they were about to leave the store, Nia's eyes were drawn to a beautiful necklace displayed in the jewelry section. It was a delicate silver chain with a pendant in the shape of a heart, adorned with shimmering crystals. She couldn't help but feel drawn to it, a gentle tug of familiarity and longing. It reminded her of the necklace her mother had once bought for her when she was just seven years old.
"Can we get this necklace?" Nia asked, her voice filled with a mixture of hope and apprehension, as if this small piece of jewelry held the key to unlocking her connection to her mother.
Her father glanced at the necklace and then looked at Nia with a soft smile. "Oh Nia, it looks just like the one your mother gave you. We should definitely get it."
Nia's heart swelled with gratitude as they purchased the necklace. It felt like a special connection, a tether to her mother's love. In that moment, she couldn't help but feel tears welling up in her eyes. She wiped them away, kissed her father on the cheek, and held onto the necklace tightly. It brought her a sense of peace and comfort, reminding her that love transcends time and distance.
Finally, they returned home with their bags full of Christmas goodies. As they started decorating the house, Nia's father put on some holiday music, and they sang along while hanging up stockings and placing ornaments on the tree. The atmosphere was filled with warmth and laughter.
In the midst of their festive preparations, Nia's father paused and looked at her with a twinkle in his eyes. "Dear, I have a surprise for you," he said, his voice filled with excitement.
She raised an eyebrow, curious about what he had in store. "What is it, Dad?"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Opening it, he revealed a delicate silver bracelet with a charm in the shape of a key. "This is for you," he said, placing it around her wrist. "It symbolizes the key to your future, the key to unlocking all the happiness and good health for next year, I pray that many more things come your way. Good things, like Theodore Knocks,"
"Dad-" Her father puts his hands up stopping her. "I've always been the protective dad, ever since you were born. But you always seemed unhappy, even when you were with that scumbag. Now all I see is that smile that you inherited from your mother. I see it more and more everyday. I don't know maybe, it's because of him. Maybe it's not. But I hope it stays,"
Tears welled up in Nia's eyes as she hugged her father tightly, she hadn't expected the speech and loved every bit of it. "I love you, my angel,"
"I love you pa,"
The father and daughter both hug for what seem like eternity before letting go of each other and continue to decorate the house with plenty of Christmas decorations they got from the store. Night had eventually fallen, and unfortunately Mr. Well's had to leave as he had a flight to catch, which was last minute call. He hadn't fully explained it, but Nia didn't bother to pry, as she gave him a tight hug and wished him a safe trip.
They made promises to call, discussing Christmas dinner with both him and her mother.
Once already inside Nia was finishing up decorating when her doorbell rang, she froze into place as her dad had left just 20 minutes ago, with everything he brought in his hand so there was no possibility it was him.
Was it Theo? And her heart started to pound in her chest.
She quickly walked over to the door, and pulled it open to see a man standing in front of her, a large bouquet of flowers in his hand.
He didn't look like a delivery man, which was Nia's first thought as he saw the broad expression on his face. His eyes, moving struggling to look anywhere but her. "Delivery for a Ms. Well's, I don't have to say from who, cause it's quite obvious who sent these."
"Very obvious," Nia managed to reply, a hint of sarcasm filling her voice. "Can I come in to set it down?" Nia was hesitant for a second until she noticed one of Theodore's secret agents standing not too far. "Yes, you can place it right on the table," The man entered the apartment, carefully placing the vibrant bouquet of flowers on the table.
"Thank you,"
"Don't thank me, ma'am," His deep voice filled with authority. "Also your phone It should ring in 1 minute, I should leave. It was nice meeting you Ms. Well's," and he took that as his opportunity to leave just as her phone starts to ring, closing the door on his way out.
She picked it up, and her heart swelled at his voice. "Theo?"
"You picked up,"
"Well I did say I always will, and I mean it."
"You did. Darling I'm sorry, William's been holding me hostage with President Elect duty,"
"Theo, I understand," she replied softly, her voice filled with a mix of understanding. "Also I figured you were busy and thank you for the flowers."
There was a momentary pause on the line, as if Theo were contemplating his next words. Nia held her breath, the hollow sound of her own heartbeat reverberating in her ears.
"I miss you, Nia," he confessed softly, his words punctuated by a tinge of vulnerability in his voice.
The tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over.
It was in that moment that Nia realized just how deeply she longed for his touch, for his warmth, for his presence beside her.
"I miss you too, Theo," she whispered, her voice barely audible through the lump in her throat. And with that Nia could hear the sound of a vehicle starting, and immediately knew. "Theo,"
"Yes darling?"
"Where are you right now?" It took Theodore seconds to answer before she could hear the vehicle stopping.
He didn't answer for quite a while and the other end was dead silent. "Theo,"
And then came a knock on the door. "Open the door, darling,"
She immediately, ran to the door, and pulled it open to see a tired Theodore standing there.
"How did you get here so fast?" she asked, looking at him with tear-filled eyes.
"I was in the area," Theo replied, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes searched her face, trying to discern the depth of her emotions. "I needed to see you, Nia. I missed you more than words can express."
Nia's heart ached at his words, realizing just how much she had longed for his presence.
"Come here, baby," Theo murmured, leading Nia inside and closing the door behind them.
Nia looked at Theo, taking in the exhaustion etched across his features. "You've been working so hard, Theo. I know how busy you've been with your duties as President Elect."
Theo gave a weary smile. "Yes, it's been a whirlwind of meetings, preparations, and constant planning. But that's not an excuse for neglecting you, Nia. I'm truly sorry."
She reached out to caress his cheek, her touch tender and full of understanding. "I know, Theo. I understand the weight of your responsibilities,"
Theo leaned into her touch, his eyes filled with gratitude, he pulled her into a hug. As he held her tightly in his arms, a flood of emotions washed over him. It had been two long and agonizing weeks since they had last seen each other, and every second had felt like an eternity. But now, with her warm body pressed against his, he felt complete again.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her familiar scent, his heart swelling with love and adoration.
Nia said nothing but held him just as tightly, her grip on him almost desperate. He could feel the weight of her emotions, the longing and the yearning, radiating from her every pore.
His hand moved soothingly through her hair. With each gentle stroke, he tried to convey the depth of his feelings, to let her know just how much he cherished her. He knew that words alone would never be enough to express the love that filled his heart, but he hoped that his touch would translate his emotions into something tangible.
In that moment, time stood still. They were cocooned in their own little world, where nothing else mattered except for the uncertain love that they shared.
He kissed the top of Nia's head, savoring the feeling of her soft hair against his lips. It was a simple gesture, but it held a world of meaning.
For him, there was no greater honor, no greater privilege than being able to love Nia. And so, with every fiber of his being, he whispered those three words. "I love you,"
Fulling knowing that love isn't just a word, but rather something he would forever show her in every action, in every moment they shared together.
He truly did love her, always did.
And he would spend the rest of his days proving it.
_
The flowers on the table served as a reminder of the fragility of their love, but also of its beauty.
Ahhh I know he's said he loved her before but it's getting realll.
They will stay in their little Bubble of love in the next chapter.
Rant:
Wattpad has been testing my patience lately always acting up for no reason.
It's okay now 😭
*
I decided I wanted to treat y'all with a double update but I'm very exhausted right now so tomorrow for chapter 23. I apologize.
(Imagine this but like bigger)
See y'all next chapter 🫶🏽