Page 79 of Angels Above

Mia laughed and opened the last box and pulled out a gemstone bracelet. “Cal!”

“You need some color in your life. I noticed you like to wear bracelets. That will go with just about anything.” He took it out of her hand and put it on her wrist. “Perfect fit.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said. “Thank you.”

At nine they were walking in his grandfather’s front door. “Hey, Grandpa.”

“Merry Christmas,” his grandfather said to him and Mia.

“Merry Christmas,” Mia said back. Cal didn’t say it to anyone. He had a feeling that Mia noticed too, but he didn’t think it was that big of a deal.

“Did you two eat anything? Can I get you some coffee or food?”

“Cal cooked breakfast for me,” she said.

“He’s a good boy. Glad I taught him something.”

“Oh, I’m sure you taught him a lot,” she said.

They stayed for about two hours visiting, listening to his grandfather tell Mia stories about his life as a child and what was going on in the community he lived in, then they drove to Morgan’s house.

“Looks as if we might be the last ones,” he said.

“Caden and Sarah had breakfast with Sarah’s parents at Harris’s house. They kind of all move around some,” she said.

He never did that as a kid. He didn’t have enough family. His mother wasn’t from the area and the little family she had, he hadn’t seen in years.

“A busy day for all,” he said.

They grabbed the gifts out of the back seat of his truck and then went into Morgan’s.

The place was cheerful and happy. Something he hadn’t had in years on this day.

It didn’t hurt as much as he thought it would. He supposed in the scheme of it, he was a pro at blocking it out.

After a few hours, everyone was ready to call it a day. He brought Mia back home and grabbed his stuff.

“I’m sorry if today was a long painful day for you,” she said, going into his arms.

“It wasn’t,” he said. “And that is surprising if you want to know the truth.”

“I’m glad. And now it’s over with.”

“Just another day,” he said, forcing a smile.

“You know that’s not true, but if it helps you get through, that is all that matters.”

She said it with a grin. He was glad that she felt comfortable enough calling him out on it.

It told him she wasn’t walking on eggshells at this point even if he didn’t want to hear the words.

“As you said, it’s over with now. I’m assuming you’re staying here?” he asked. As much as he wanted her in his bed every night it was way too early to ask that. Just like she’d pointed out weeks ago. Almost as if she knew how he was feeling or what he was thinking.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m not too busy this week but still need to get some things done.”

“Then I’ll let you go,” he said. It was close to four at this point and for someone who didn’t mind people, he was looking for some quiet.

Only when he got home he realized that the quiet came with loneliness again.

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