CHAPTER 5

The party had been going on for about an hour and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Tionna sat alone in front of the fireplace, while the others was in the living room, watching TV.

She had cried the entire night, her eyes was still sore, and she felt so empty. She began

remembering the Christmas two years ago, when she, Allie and Zell had been playing cards the entire day, waiting for Santa to come. They'd had so much fun, all three of them. She smiled when the image of her and Zell kissing under the mistletoe.

She was startled when she felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up, meeting a beautiful pair of summer blue eyes, and she braced herself was what was about to come. Zell noticed her reservation.

" Don't be scared of me, Tionna. Please, don't pull away."

She both saw and heard the sadness in his voice, and slowly stood up. Zell looked at her a long time before stepping closer and putting his arms around her waist, pulling her near. Tionna hugged him back, never wanting to let him go.

" I'm so sorry", he whispered and Tionna never doubted the sincerity in his voice. She felt his body shaking and she started to cry too, the room becoming hazy.

After a while Zell pulled away, face streaked with tears.

" I can't tell you how much I regret what I said. I wish I could take it all back."
" It's OK, Zell."
" No, It's not! I had no excuse talking to you like that, I know you only been trying to help me. And I know now that you cared about Allie, even as much as I did. I was just so angry, because I was about to forget her and it made me feel guilty. I was thinking I betrayed her, because I was beginning to have someone else in my mind, instead of her. So I took all my insecurity, anger, sadness and guilt and lashed out at you. You, who always made me feel better, the only person I trust and love nowadays. That's unforgivable."

Tionna bit her lip hard, trying to keep the rest of her tears back. Zell took her hands in his and looked her deep in her eyes.

" Do you forgive me?"

She nodded, ignoring the tears running down her face.

" Do you remember what you said to me? When you said that I had no idea how much it hurt having someone you love disappear from your life? I got a pretty good idea when you said you never wanted to see me again and walked through that door. You took the majority of my heart with you. But I forgive you, for what you said, did and thought, 'coz I don't ever wanna lose you."
Zell smiled and drew a shaky breath.

" Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you."

" I have only one request."
" Name it."
" Attend my Christmas party. I think it's time for Santa to arrive", she said, placing the red Santa-cap on his head. " Deal?"
" Deal."
" We made another deal last night, remember? You were gonna put the star at the top. We never got around to that."
Zell smiled when Tionna handed him the star and pulled put a chair in front of the tree. He winked at her before climbing onto the chair, fastening the star and jumped down. He put an arm around her shoulders and she leaned her head against him.

" Merry Christmas, Ti."
" Merry Christmas to you too, Zell."
They stood there, admiring the now completed tree, putting their past behind them, waiting to see what the future had in store for them both.

" I think it's time for Santa to make a grand entrance, or what do you say?"
" I say so too", Zell replied looking down at her. " Do you have the gifts?"
Tionna nodded and disappeared into another room. When Zell was sure he was out of her sight, he hurried over to his jacket and revealed what he had hidden underneath it and held it behind his back. Tionna came out only seconds later, dragging an apparently heavy sack with her and placed in front of him.

" There you go, Santa. Now, make the kids happy!"

Zell smiled and Tionna turned to leave.

" Ti, wait a sec. I have something for you."
She stopped and turned back.

" What?"
" Come here, and I'll show you."
Tionna obeyed and stood before him.

" Closer."
She inched closer, leaving little room between them.

" Two years ago ", Zell began. " We celebrated Christmas together, the last one, I thought. But you proved to me that there IS life after death, and that I need to cherish what I have, instead of mourning what I've lost."
Zell held out his concealed hands and Tionnas big smile confirmed that he had done right. He held the mistletoe over their heads and looked deep into Tionnas glistening green eyes.

" You're my future", he whispered and kissed her.

THE END