down,” she said. “Somewhere safe.”
“It’s perfect,” I told her, hugging the journal to my chest. “Thank you.”
The next gift was from Lily and Liam, a hand–drawn picture of all of us standing in front of a house. Lily had drawn hearts around everyone and written “FAMILY” at the top in big crooked letters.
“We made it ourselves,” Lily said proudly.
“It’s beautiful,” I told them, and I meant it. “I’m going to keep it forever.”
There were more gifts after that. Sarah had gifted me something else, a set of art supplies because Orion told her I used to draw
when I was younger. I couldn’t help but accept it with a smile, that was years ago.
A first aid kit from Derek that made everyone laugh because of course Derek would give something practical, but I loved it.
A book on meditation and mindfulness from Orion with a note that said he thought it might help me find balance.
Each gift made my chest feel tighter and my eyes burn more. I hadn’t expected any of this, hadn’t thought I deserved any of this, but
they’d all come together to show me I was wrong.
Tristan hasn’t gifted me anything, wasn’t he going to?
“There’s one more,” Tristan said after I’d opened everything on the table. “But you have to come outside to see it.”
“Outside?” I asked, confused.
“Trust me,” he said, holding out his hand.
I took it without hesitation and let him lead me to the door. Everyone followed behind us, their voices and laughter accompanying us
as we walked.
When we got outside, I stopped so suddenly that Tristan almost bumped into me.
There, parked in front of Orion’s driveway, were two vehicles. A sleek black motorcycle that looked fast and dangerous and beautiful, and next to it, a dark blue car that was newer than anything I’d ever owned.
“What is this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“The motorcycle is from me,” Tristan said, squeezing my hand. “I know you have one, but I wanted to also get you one. To be part of
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your today and tomorrow.” His words made tears gathered around my eyes, that I just needed to blink for it to fall out like a dam.
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“The car is from me,” Orion added, stepping up next to us. “Something reliable and safe for when you don’t feel like being reckless. I also noticed you need one to drive to work, it’ll make it easier.”
I stared at both vehicles, unable to process what I was seeing. They’d bought me a motorcycle and a car. Two major, expensive, life- changing gifts that represented more than just transportation.
They were breathtaking, exactly how I love it. The tears were threatening to spill but I held it back, I won’t let it fall.
“I can’t accept these,” I said, shaking my head. “They’re too much.”
“They’re not,” Tristan said firmly, turning me to face him. “Athena, you’ve spent so much of your life running from things, hiding from who you are, being scared of what you might become. We want you to start running toward things instead. We want you to live your life.”
“You’re safe now,” Orion said, his voice thick with emotion. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore. You can go wherever you want, do whatever you want, and you’ll always have a home to come back to.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
