Page 1 of Her Holiday Arrangement
1
December 13th - Elizabeth
Elizabeth Coventry’s penthouse was the kind of space people envied and feared, a vast expanse of sleek glass walls that framed a panoramic city skyline, minimalist furniture in shades of steel and slate, and not a cushion or candle out of place. The cold gleam of polished marble floors reflected the sharp angles of modern art, and the only sound was the steady tap of her fingers on the keyboard.
She sat at her desk, a slender, black slab of perfection facing the windows, reviewing her calendar for the tenth time. The week was mapped in neat blocks of meetings, dinners, and holiday functions, none of which she particularly wanted to attend, but all of which were mandatory. The single red mark on her schedule glowed ominously:Christmas Eve with family, bring girlfriend.
Eight months. A record for Elizabeth. She didn’t know how that happened. Usually, she kept people at arm’s length, meticulously controlling every part of her life. But somehow, she’d let someone in, or at least tried to.
A soft chime from her phone made her glance down. Three new text messages, all from Sophia. She ignored them, sliding the phone facedown on the desk.
Her world was precision and control. Emotions were distractions, messiness a threat. But lately, there had been a crack in the façade, a distance, an unspoken tension that she couldn’t ignore.
Her phone buzzed again, this time a call. She declined it, took a deep breath, and stood, pacing to the floor-to-ceiling window. The city lights glittered below like frozen stars. The holidays were approaching, but she felt nothing but frost inside.
A sharp knock on the door startled her.
“Elizabeth?” Riley’s breathless voice called, carrying the faint scent of burnt coffee and winter air.
Elizabeth’s lips twitched in something barely resembling a smile. “Come in.”
The door swung open, and Riley stepped inside, a whirlwind of mismatched scarves, a too-large sweater, and a coffee stain spreading across her sleeve. She carried an absurd number of bags, each one bursting at the seams with papers, folders, and what looked like a sandwich precariously wrapped in foil.
“Sorry, I’m late,” Riley said, setting down the bags with a sigh. “Traffic was a nightmare, and then I spilled coffee on myself right before the exit. Of course.”
Elizabeth watched, cool and steady, as Riley fumbled with a stack of reports, papers slipping free like startled birds.
“Did you finish the end-of-year reports?” Elizabeth asked, voice smooth, controlled.
Riley blinked, a bit flustered but competent. “Yeah, all done. Just had to… rearrange some data after the last meeting.”
Elizabeth nodded, a flicker of respect in her eyes. Riley was chaos wrapped in a riddle, but she delivered results. Unlike some, she didn’t pretend to be perfect.
They moved through the penthouse like two opposing forces—Elizabeth poised and contained, Riley vibrant but slightly ragged around the edges.
Elizabeth handed her a cup of water, watching Riley gulp it down as if it were an elixir.
“You’re exhausted,” Elizabeth observed, voice softer than before.
Riley shrugged, cheeks flushed. “It’s December. Who isn’t?”
Elizabeth’s gaze softened for a moment as she caught Riley’s eye. There was a subtle warmth there, a light Riley didn’t realize she carried. She wondered, briefly, if Riley even noticed the way Elizabeth’s usual armor slipped just a little in her presence.
But Elizabeth’s expression hardened again, professional mask snapping back into place.
“We have the board meeting tomorrow. Make sure everything is perfect.”
Riley nodded, packing up her folders. “You got it. And… thanks for letting me drop these off late. I know you have a million things.”
Elizabeth waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t apologize. You’re the one holding it together.”
There was a brief, charged silence before Riley glanced toward the door. “Elizabeth… can I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
Riley swallowed. “How are you? I mean… really.”
Elizabeth’s eyes flicked toward the window, watching the city pulse with life below.
