Part Two
Earlier That Day
Maggie's alarm clock rings at 4 to wake her from her sleep. She may not have been sleeping that well though because the anxiety for the chemistry final that day was beginning to sink in. Maggie stretches out her feet and turns on her bed room lamp. The light stings her eyes blinding her for a second. She rises from her bed and walks clumsily ,still a little drowsy from her sleep, to get her backpack in the kitchen. The christmas tree lights are off but even so it still looks just as cheerful. She reaches down and holds the navy drawstring bag in her hand, worn out from all the books she carries in it. As she flings the heavy bag across her shoulder, it bangs into the wooden table. Maggie's heart stops for a second as she hears an ear crushing sound of something being smashed to pieces. Maggie, now wide awake, imagines what could've possibly broken. Her eyes frantically dart on the floor to see what the sound was. Her eyes are glossed over with tears as she suddenly realizes what has taken such a great fall. Lying in hundreds of broken bits on the kitchen floor is a Christmas ornament, but no not just any average ornament. It was her mothers favorite. This ornament resembled everything that was ever good in Maggie and her moms life. Dad had given it to her for Christmas two years ago. This specific traditional ornament always held a special place on the christmas tree. Now as the memories faded in Maggie's head looking at the broken ornament, she began to cry. Her dad was always so sweet to Maggie. She remembered her dad tucking her in at night and reading her stories, especially The Night Before Christmas on Christmas eve. She could still here his deep voice reading the calming words written on the page to her. She might've been avoiding it but the broken ornament forced her to come back to reality. The reality was that she was never going to see her father again.