Life Without You

Chapter 80 - Will you?

Christmas was fast approaching.

Angel and Ivy flew over to stay with the Waltz family, looking forward to celebrating Christmas together.

In the cool of the night, Leon sat at the patio overlooking the mountains with his brother and Sky, discussing deep-hearted stuff. Angel looked at him and asked, "So, are you ready?"

"I've thought long and hard about it. Yes, I am. More nervous about her response, though," Leon sucked in a deep breath.

Andy ran towards them excitedly with a measuring tape in his hand.

"Got the measurements?" asked Leon.

"Yes! Here!" Andy showed where his index finger and thumb pinched on the number where the measurement read.

"Good job, Andy! I hope she did not catch you doing it."

"She's a heavy sleeper so I know she can't feel anything," Andy winked with confidence.

"Great! Now let me snap that," Leon took a picture of the measurements and sent it to a high-end jeweller he'd been in touch with for a while.

"Now that's done, let's plan out how you're going to surprise her," Angel got excited.

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Small flakes of snow fell upon the tips of Ariel's fingers from her outstretched hand through her window in the morning. The trees and lake were peppered with light snow, painting the enchanting picturesque landscape in white and blue. Every day felt like living in a fairytale.

Yet, such beauty could not shake off the uncomfortable gut feeling Ariel had towards Leon. She noticed that he had been acting strangely with her for the past two weeks. He seemed a lot more nervous her and had stopped doing their morning walks and exercises, disappearing in the mornings to "run important errands".

What was going on?

After taking her shower and dressing up in her winter wear, Ariel went downstairs to eat breakfast, only to be surprised that everyone was already busy with their activities. Usually, they would have breakfast together around this time but today it wasn't so. There was one uneaten, hot plate of sunny-side-up eggs with bacon and mini pancakes on the table.

"Good morning, Ariel! My mum-in-law prepared that for you. We've all eaten already," said Ivy as she helped herself with a chocolate chip cookie from the cookie jar, the ones that Ariel baked recently.

"I can see that," Ariel felt somewhat left out. "Do you know what's going on, Ivy?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, everyone usually eats together. But today, everyone's eaten without me. Do you know what's going on?"

"Erm..it's because it's Christmas month and we need to do lots of Christmas decorations?" Ivy gave a somewhat nervous laugh.

"Doesn't make sense to rush breakfast just for Christmas decorations, don't you think?"

"Oh, it's Waltz's tradition. You'll get used to it."

"Leon never told me about it," she sulked.

Ivy responded with a smile. She helped herself with two of the largest cookies in the jar and changed the subject, "By the way, I love these cookies! Please bake some for me before I return to Vancouver."

"Will do."

Ivy left the kitchen in a hurry.

Ariel found the usually jokey and talkative Ivy behaving oddly.

Christmas month, perhaps. She reasoned to herself.