Chapter 1:  A Farewell Beneath the Mistletoe (Rhyleigh)

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    Christmas was always my favorite time of the year. It was something about the magic of it all that captured my attention and held on to it. The town that I grew up in, Evergreen Falls, Georgia was known for its picturesque scenery, and that scenery transformed into a magical wonderland during the holidays. It was one of the many things I would miss when I went away to college. Sure, I was only moving three hours away, but I was sure that my dorm room wouldn’t smell like gingerbread, hot chocolate, or eggnog. All three were staples in the Peters’ household during Christmas. 

    I sat in my parent’s living room, mind racing and filled with random thoughts. So much so that I didn’t hear the front door open or close. I didn’t realize that my mother was home from work until she was standing in front of me with her hands resting on her hips. Her A-line skirt and button-down blouse did nothing to hide the years of collard greens and cornbread that rested nicely on her hips.

    “Hey, Mom! How was your day?” I asked her quickly to cover the fact that her presence startled me.

    “Tiring. It seemed that everybody who had an account with us came into the bank today, and I had to decorate the lobby in between all of that,” she said as she crashed into the couch beside me, kicking her pumps off in the process.

    My mother, Evangeline Peters, had held the same position at the local bank since I was a little girl. She started as a teller, but she was quickly accelerated into the position of account manager. She loved her job, and it paid well. Between her job and my father’s position as fire chief, we were pretty well off.

“So, are you ready for Freshman move-in?” she asked, zeroing in on my face.

“I guess so.”

The sigh that accompanied my answer was a key indicator that maybe I wasn’t telling the truth. There was more to it than I was prepared to admit at that moment, but I knew that Evangeline was not going to let it go that easily.

“You guess?”

“I mean I am, but—”

“But what?” She interrupted, “Don’t tell me your hesitations are due to that boy.”

Her nonchalant attitude and the calloused way she said that boy rubbed me the wrong way, but I knew better than the cross Evangeline Peters. I knew that she didn’t have the strongest relationship with Ziyon, but he was my world.

It was my freshman year in high school. I was born and raised in Evergreen Falls, so I was pretty familiar with everyone and everything. Or so I thought until a mysterious teenager sauntered into Mr. Wells’ biology class. His frame was tall and thin, but there was something about his presence that commanded attention. He had a rich, deep complexion and waves that circulated the crown of his head. His eyes were deep, thoughtful, and seemed to glow as they peered out from behind silver, wire-framed glasses. His eyes scanned the classroom, and I could tell that he was unsure of his new environment. His confidence never wavered as he searched for an empty seat that he could claim. His eyes met mine, and I smiled gently before waving him over to an available seat next to me. We were joined at the hip from that moment in time and did everything together. I was his date for every homecoming and prom. I cheered for him as he played football and basketball. He was my best friend, and I was his ace. 

My mother always encouraged me to concentrate more on school and less on Ziyon. It irked my nerves. I felt like I was more than capable of handling both. We studied together and helped each other, so I didn’t see a problem with what we were doing. We were literally inseparable.

I sat on the couch staring into space as I reminisced about everything Ziyon and I had gone through. It stung me to my core to know that we were possibly about to part ways. We started making plans around the beginning of senior year, and we were now seven months past graduation. I knew that he wasn’t changing his mind. I wanted to go to college, and he wanted to go to the Marines. Ziyon was convinced that we could make the long-distance relationship work, but I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to try it.

“I’m talking to you,” my mother snapped, drawing my attention from my thoughts back to her.

“Yes ma’am,” I said to her, “my hesitation is about Ziyon.”

She kissed her teeth and shook her head before she spoke to me again. I braced myself for whatever she was about to say to me. She was never one to bite her tongue, and I knew that she wouldn’t start now—especially when it came to Ziyon.

“Listen,” she started, “I have told you from the beginning that you were too absorbed with that boy. You eat, sleep, and breathe Ziyon Miller. You need to take the time to think about what’s going for Ryleigh.”

I heard what she said. I really did, but I didn’t care one bit. I was young and in love. There was nothing else to think about.

“Well, you have a few weeks to figure it out. Winter quarter at East Harmony doesn’t start until January, and there’s still the Christmas tree lighting in the square,” she said.

Evergreen Falls, Georgia was known for a lot of things, but nothing compared to the magical allure that filled the town during the holiday season. Southern hospitality and holiday magic blended seamlessly in our little town. Tourists came from all over the country to experience the charm of a little town that pulled out all of the stops. 

The annual tree lighting ceremony was the highlight of the year, and I looked forward to it since I was a little girl. It was a tradition that I started with my parents, but it eventually evolved to a tradition between Ziyon and me. We would meet up downtown and peruse the streets until our hearts were content. We would walk the cobblestoned streets that lined the downtown square. Christmas carolers would fill the air with joyous sounds of songs that solidified the time of year. You knew that it was Christmas when you heard them singing. It was one of the key indicators that Christmas was here or just around the corner. It was one of the things I enjoyed the most about walking around downtown. I would often find myself posted in front of the choir while I sipped my hot chocolate or nuzzled closer to Ziyon. 

My mother cleared her throat which snatched me from the pleasant daydream that I was engulfed in. I almost forgot that I was seated in our living room next to her. For a moment, I was in a happier time and a happier place. It was a time where I thought we were last to see forever. A time when the only thing that mattered was if I wanted marshmallows, peppermint, or caramel in my hot cocoa. We were so young and naïve, but life had a way of snapping you back to reality. Our reality was the fact that I was on my way to East Harmony University, and Ziyon was pledging his allegiance to Uncle Sam. I had tried time and time again to persuade him to come to East Harmony with me, but he would always respond with the same rebuttal.

“I’m not college material,” he would say, or “my entire family went to the marines.”

As if my mother had spoken him up or if my thoughts telepathically reached him, my phone buzzed with a text message from Ziyon.

Lil Daddy: What are you doing, beautiful?

Me: Sitting here talking to ma. What’s up?

Lil Daddy: We’re still on for downtown, right?

Me: Don’t we always?

Lil Daddy: We do, but I didn’t know if this year was going to be any different.

I knew exactly what he was referring to. Enough was about to change, and I didn’t want this to change. I needed some sense of normalcy. I needed our Christmas tradition.

Me: I’ll be there around six.

Lil Daddy: See you then, beautiful.

Two days went by, and it was Saturday. It was the day of the Christmas festivities, and it was also the same day as the annual tree lighting ceremony. I showered and dressed in an outfit that hung in my closet all week. I picked the outfit out in anticipation of our date and hoped that it would be enough to impress Ziyon. It was simple, but stylish and I hoped the outfit would add an ounce of Christmas cheer to my otherwise dismal mood. I slid into a pair of high-rise jeans and a chunky, forest-green sweater. The sweater featured a playful snowflake design and hung loosely off one shoulder. I paired the outfit with a pair of caramel ankle boots, some silver hoop earrings, and a simple silver necklace. An infinity symbol hung from a dainty silver chain around my neck. It had been a gift from Ziyon for my birthday the year before with a promise to love me forever. I was young, and the necklace was the closest thing to a promise ring, and I cherished it like it was. I gave myself a once over in the mirror before I headed out of the door. The chilly air kissed my cheeks, and I was glad I opted for the sweater I was wearing versus the dress I almost chose to wear. 

As I made my way downtown, the twinkling lights illuminated the quaint shops, each one’s decorations inspired after a popular Christmas song. The air was filled with the scent of roasted chestnuts and cinnamon. I couldn’t help but smile at the familiar charm of Evergreen Falls. Ziyon was waiting under the mistletoe as always, with a warm smile on his face. We strolled through the festive streets, hand in hand, reminiscing about our favorite Christmas memories.

“Do you remember the first year we came here?” Ziyon asked out of the blue.

“Yea. You hit me in my face with a snowball,” I replied with a grimace.

“I didn’t mean to. You walked into the line of fire.”

We both burst into a fit of laughter, but beneath the enchantment the weight of our impending separation lingered. We reached the center of town, surrounded by a crown eagerly awaiting the tree lighting. Ziyon’s eyes met mine, and in his I could see the love and uncertainty in his gaze.

“I can’t imagine Christmas without you,” he confessed.

“You don’t have to,” I said, “Come to East Harmony with me.”

“You know that I can’t do that. I am not college material. My dream is to follow in my dad and grandad’s footsteps, and you know that,”

He was right. I did know that, but I was living life on a wish and a prayer that something changed. I was hoping that our relationship was stronger than his need to follow the family’s traditions. I inhaled a deep breath and slowly exhaled it as I fought back the tears that welled in my eyes. The reality of the situation began to sink in at that moment, and it felt like my heart was ripping in half. I wanted to stand there in the center of town and hold on to him for as long as I could. 

The night unfolded, and each step through the festive streets felt like a cherished memory in the making. We laughed, danced, and we held onto each other as if we could make time stand still. We decorated gingerbread cookies at the Frosty Delights booth. We sipped hot cocoa and made s’mores around the fire pit with other attendees. There was even a friendly snowball fight near the gazebo in the center of town. Everything was light, airy, and made me happy momentarily. As the festivities ended, the reality of our situation tugged at us. We lingered near the mistletoe, our eyes locked in a silent exchange of love and sorrow. With a gentle squeeze of hands, we knew that it was time for us to leave. The tears that welled in my eyes broke free and streamed down my face as his lips met mine and we kissed for what felt like was going to be the last time.

“I have a gift for you,” he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a see-through box.

I turned it over and over in my hands. The ornament inside the box seemed as fragile as my breaking heart. It was shimmery, beautiful, and a note scribbled in his handwriting rested on one side of the box.

 

“Open it later,” he instructed, and I nodded my head in agreement.

I pulled him in for one last kiss before he turned to walk away, taking my heart with him. My trip home was a somber tone. I was sad, but I refused to cry. I wanted to be supportive and encourage him to follow his dreams. I wanted him to be happy even if his happiness didn’t involve us being together. Once I made it home, my mother was waiting to hear all of the details of the evening.

“How was the festival?” she asked.

“Fine,”

I didn’t mean to be short, but I didn’t want to rehash any of the hurtful details that were still ripe and fresh on my mind. Instead, I walked past her, entered my room, and lightly closed the door behind me. Once in my room, I placed the ornament in a box at the back of my closet. The box contained other memories from our relationship that I wasn’t ready to confront yet. The box remained unopened, and the handwritten note remained unread. I tossed it to the side and prepared to move on with my life. East Harmony University was calling, and I was going to answer.