Page 34 of A Christmas Mystery

Daniela chuckles at this, but Tee gives her head a firm shake and says, “You don’t really believe in soulmates, do you?”

The disapproval in her tone surprises me since she’s been so gentle throughout this entire conversation. “I... I don’t actually know. It was mostly a figure of speech.”

“Good.” She smiles, softening her tone and her expression. “Because the idea that there’s only one person in the entire universe we can truly love and be happy with is appalling if you really think about it. Most of us would be wandering around lost and alone, never finding our one perfect mate. Because what is the chance that your one person in the entire universe happens to be your same town, your same school, your same church, your same circle of friends? But that’s where most people end up finding the person they love.”

I think about that for a minute and finally smile back at her. “I guess that’s true.”

“Our hearts aren’t made of Daniela’s marble, chiseled by force into a shape that only matches with one other person and then shatters into pieces when that matching piece is snatched away. Mija, our hearts are indeed fragile, vulnerable to being hurt. But they’resoft. Malleable. And like clay they’re also resilient. They mold themselves around other hearts, taking new shapes at different stages of life.”

Her words hit me hard. My eyes burn, and my throat closes. I blink away a few tears.

“This has always been true. Our hearts adapt to circumstances. We fall in love with the people around us, whoever they are. Even possibly our dead fiancé’s best friend.”

A few tears slip down my face despite my best efforts.

“If you want a real mystery to solve,” Tee continues, reaching over to squeeze my hand, “then I present to you the mystery of the human heart. Broken and remade a hundred times in a lifetime. Ever seeking to love and be loved.”

Before I can respond to these words that cover my own heart like a cloak—warm and heavy and true—my phone vibrates on the table, the buzzing and the motion making me jerk and gasp.

I grab for it and read the screen. It’s Theo.

Hey, just checking in after last night. Is everything all right between us? If you still want me to help with your mystery, I’ll be done with work by six. We may be able to catch a couple of them this evening. Just let me know.

I stare at the words for a long time, reading them once and then again and again.

“It’s him, isn’t it?” Daniela asks.

“Y-yeah.”

“Is he asking about seeing you again?” Tee asks that question.

“About... about helping more with my list of potentials. He wants to know if everything is okay and, if so, he can help me this evening after work.”

“Well,” Tee says with a smile, patting my arm again. “It’s just as I said. He’s a thoughtful, kindhearted man and not a pushy or clueless one. He’s making it easy for you to tell him you’re fine on your own if that’s really what you want to tell him.”

I gulp. Look at Tee and then Daniela and then back at my phone.

“You don’t have to tell him that, if you don’t want,” Daniela adds.

“But... but...”

“But what? You’re not announcing that you’re ready to marry him or something. You’re not even accepting a date. If you’re not sure about shutting him down, then just see him again tonight. Stop acting like right in this moment you’re having to decide the entire course of your life.”

Daniela’s wry voice is like a lifeline. I mentally grasp for it, holding the words in my mind as I process them.

“She’s right. You don’t know what you want yet, so why put up a brick wall? You can see him again tonight and see how you feel. You can end it then if you decide that’s best, or you can see him again. You don’t need to burden yourself with the weight of huge decisions right now. Did you have a good day yesterday?”

I very slowly nod. I had the best day I’ve had in a really long time.

“Then don’t close him down. Not yet. See how it goes tonight.”

Clearing my throat, I pick up my phone and pull up the text conversation with Theo. I start typing. Stop. Start again.

“He’s going to see you keep changing your mind,” Daniela comments blandly.

She’s right. I’m making a huge deal about something that isn’t one. Or that doesn’t have to be.

After all, I’m committing to nothing right now.

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