The moonlight glowed on the freshly fallen snow as a couple made their way through the snow covered pathway.
Although the snow that surrounded them was no more than a foot deep, the path was cleared, but with a light dusting of snow still covering the cement.
Varen often told Isobel this was the greatest place to go in the winter. In all honesty, Isobel had never thought that the park she had run through in fright nearly two years ago had never looked so beautiful.
The bright Christmas lights were wrapped around several snow-covered pine trees, as well as some oaks and boxwoods. Wreaths and lighted characters hung from telephone poles or sat staked into the ground.
It was a beautiful December night.
Varen pulled Isobel to sit next to him on a wooden bench. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. Isobel smiled up at him, murmuring, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Varen smiled as his breath came out in puffs, "I'm just amazed that you're father actually let me take you out tonight."
Isobel chuckled, "It took him a while to get used to you, Varen."
Varen smiled, "Remind me to invite you over for dinner on Christmas, I want my step-mom to meet you."
"Not your dad?"
"Well, if you count meeting my dad that one day while we were working in that project for Swanson, I'd rather not."
Isobel nodded sadly before asking, "What did you wish for Christmas this year?"
Varen looked over at her, slight shocked, "What do you mean?"
"You know," she rose her eyebrows, "making a list of things you wanted as a kid, like a toy or a sketch pad, then sending it off to Santa."
"We never did that… even after dad remarried."
"What?!" she stared at him in horror, "You never celebrated Christmas?"
"Only a few times, before my mom left. Also, my dad wasn't exactly around a lot of the time. He would always go to an art auction or a business party or even be too drunk to remember it was even Christmas."
"What about your step-mom? Didn't she try to do something?"
"She would try to have a special dinner of sorts made and have one or two presents for me, but we didn't put up a tree, make Christmas cookies, or any of that."
Isobel looked down at her gloved hands, tugging on her pink knitted scarf. Varen watched her, a saddened expression on his face, "I'm sorry, Isobel."
"What do you have to be sorry for?" Isobel asked, "Your dad is the one that deprived you of Christmas."
"What if you spend Christmas with us?" she suddenly asked.
"You mean me coming over to your place Christmas day and spending the entire day with you, your gamer little brother, your nice mom, and your sarcastic father who doesn't like me?"
Isobel shrugged, "You could even bring your step-mom too. I think she'd like it very much."
Varen smiled, "Is that your Christmas wish this year?"
"It was to have you again, but I already do," Isobel grinned, scooting closer to his side, "But, yes, that would be my Christmas wish this year, to spend the whole day with you and our families."
Varen kissed the top of her head, "I'd love to make that wish come true."
As the two of them returned to their usual silence, they gazed up at the twinkling stars above as snowflakes began their decent downwards onto the small city below and that Christmas had never looked so perfect.