36

HUDSON

I NEVER THOUGHT I would ever spend Christmas with the Delgato family again. The last Christmas I spent with them was when my mother was alive. Yet, here I am, in their kitchen, helping Luna bake cookies. I admired how cute she looked. Her brows furrowed in concentration as she read the recipe, ensuring everything was perfect. My intrusive thoughts took over my body, and I reached for a handful of flour. With a flick of my wrist, I tossed it at her. She squealed in surprise, flour dusting her hair and shoulders.

"Why, Hudson?" she asked, half-laughing, half-indignant.

"It was funny."

Unable to contain her smile, she retaliated, tossing a handful back at me. I laughed and charged towards her, wrapping my arms around her waist. As we playfully struggled, I glanced up and dragged her towards the doorway. I feigned surprise at the sight of mistletoe hanging above the doorway.

"Well, would you look at that." I said, with exaggerated innocence. "Mistletoe."

She raised an eyebrow, seeing through my act.

"I'm not kissing you." She said, however, her eyes sparkled with amusement.

I shrugged and loosened my grip around her.

"Fair enough. I promised I wouldn't kiss you until you started it."

With that, I moved to step away. Before I could get far, she grabbed my arm and pulled me back, her lips meeting mine in a swift, tender kiss.

"It's a rule to kiss under the mistletoe." She whispered against my lips, her voice soft and teasing. "And you know I hate breaking the rules."

Laughter rumbled in my chest, and I leaned down to kiss her again, deeper this time. The world melted away until the sound of a throat clearing broke us apart. We turned to see her mother standing in the doorway; her face radiating happiness, tinged with the satisfaction of a long-awaited moment. Embarrassment flushed our cheeks.

"I'll, uh, go find my dad." I said, stepping away and bolting out of the room.

I had no intention of finding my father. I'd been avoiding him ever since I'd found my mother's letter. We'd always had an honest relationship, at least I thought we did.

I wandered outside to the snow-covered patio, the cold air nipping at my skin. My mind churned as I gazed into their backyard, ignoring the cold seeping through my jacket. The festive cheers around me contrasted with the turmoil in my heart. As I stood in the stillness, watching the snowflakes fall, I couldn't help but think of Luna. Of how much she'd changed my world for the better since she'd returned to my life. It's as if she had woken me up from dormancy.

The quiet crunch of footsteps drew my attention, and I turned to see my father hovering in the doorway. Tension coiled in my muscles. He looked at me with a mix of concern and determination.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" My jaw clenched as I remained silent. He stepped closer until he was beside me. "Talk to me, kid."

"Why did you and Mom lie to me?" I asked, annoyance flaring up inside me.

His shoulders slumped as realization dawned on him.

"So, you opened the box."

I nodded, anger and hurt flashing in my eyes.

"You both let me believe everything was fine. Why would you do that?"

His face softened with sorrow and regret. He pinched the bridge of his nose, as if trying to hold back from breaking down.

"Your mother asked to keep it a secret. She didn't want you to worry or feel you could fix it, but we didn't want to keep it from you forever." We stood in silence, the weight of the past pressing heavily between us. My dad sighed before speaking, his voice thick with emotion. "Your mother would be so proud of the man you've become. And I know nothing would have made her happier than you rekindling with Luna."

My eyes filled with tears as I fought to hold them back. Nothing would have broken my mother's heart more than my estrangement with Luna. I reached out and embraced my dad, our shared grief and love expressed without words. We cried on each other's shoulders, finding solace in each other. After a while, we pulled away, and my dad looked at me with a proud smile.

"You have become an amazing young man, and I couldn't be prouder."

I smiled through my tears, a rare, genuine smile.

"Thanks, Dad. It's because I had an excellent influence growing up."

A soft voice interrupted us.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." Luna stood at the door, hovering with an apologetic smile. "It's time to eat."

My dad nodded, giving me one last squeeze on the shoulder before heading inside, leaving us alone. Luna stepped closer.

"Are you okay?"

I smiled at her, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders.

"I'm perfect." I said, wrapping my arm around her shoulder and leading her inside.

The warmth of the house and the smell of Christmas dinner greeted us, but more than anything, it was the comfort of knowing I wasn't alone that made everything feel right.

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The night had settled over the neighborhood, as the glow of Christmas lights reflected off the thin layer of snow that blanketed the ground. I noticed Luna standing alone on her front porch; her gaze lost in the tranquility. Grabbing a blanket, I joined her outside, wrapping it around her shoulders.

"Thanks." she said, her eyes fixed on the peaceful street.

We stood in silence, the cold air crisp around us, but the warmth of our closeness created a blanket of comfort. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but stopped, hesitation clear in her posture. Sensing her unease, I sidled up to her, so close our shoulders brushed with each breath.

"Is there something wrong?"

She took a deep breath, as if gathering courage.

"What are we?" My stomach fluttered with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. I'd always dreamed of having this conversation with her.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to play it cool.

She shook her head, looking away.

"Never mind, forget I mentioned it."

I gripped her arm, turning her to face me.

"Talk to me."

She looked into my earnest eyes, as vulnerability shone in hers.

"I have no idea when our fake dating agreement became real to me. And I've been so afraid of admitting it, but I needed to know if it was all just an act to you."

A slow smile spread across my face. I had to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming.

"I thought I'd made it obvious."

"Made what obvious?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

"That I'd always been yours."

She grinned, a light blush coloring her cheeks.

"So, I guess that means we're dating. For real. "

"I guess it does."

She folded her arms across her chest with a teasing grin.

"Have you ever been someone's boyfriend before?"

I smirked, shaking my head.

"No, but I'm already better than your previous one."

She giggled, the sound light and joyous.

"You are."

My heart almost plummeted into my stomach as she placed her hands on the back of my neck, drawing me into a kiss. It was otherworldly, sealing the promise of our newfound relationship. However, she pulled away too early for my liking. She reached into her pocket and handed me a small box.

"I got you something."

I couldn't help but admire her eyes shining with anticipation. Raising my brows, I opened the box to find an Oasis lighter. I chuckled, looking at her with a mixture of amusement and affection. She remembered they're my favorite band.

"I noticed you stopped smoking, but I thought you'd like it, anyway."

"I love it."

With a wide grin, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small jewelry box. She opened it and gasped in disbelief. My mother's sun and moon necklace.

"I can't accept this." She said, looking up at me with wide eyes.

"My mom would have wanted you to have it."

She hesitated, brushing her finger along the silver, before turning and lifting her hair, exposing the back of her neck.

"Help me put it on?"

I clipped the necklace on, my fingers brushing against her skin, sending shivers down her spine. She turned back around as we admired how it looked on her.

"It's perfect on you."

My mom gave it to me when I was nine. She told me it symbolized true love. I gagged telling her girls had cooties and I would never dream of it, but reflecting on it, I knew she wanted to leave something of hers behind. She knew she wouldn't have much time with me and wanted to cherish the moment. She told me it wouldn't be too difficult for me to find the beholder of my heart, and that she was closer than I thought. She'd been referring to Luna the entire time.

Luna gazed at me in happiness, before reaching onto her tiptoes for another kiss. This one was deeper, more passionate. The bracing air seemed to disappear, replaced by the warmth of our shared love and the promise of the future.

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