Frost's Touch (Book One of the Eternal Warmth Trilogy)

V. Her Bracelet

                                                                                     V

                                                                            Her Bracelet

     Iana woke up to a bright Friday morning and a smile on her face. She was eighteen; her dad is finally back, back again, it was almost the weekend. She hoped that her day would last like this.

    Iana stretched and got out of bed, enjoying the feel of her muscles loosening from the refreshing deep sleep she woke up from. Never in years, had she felt this good. It was an old sensation that felt so new, that it caught her off guard.

    Smells of butter and toast came from downstairs, and Iana followed the scent to the kitchen. Her mouth was agape when she saw her Father cooking eggs on the stove. Her father never cooked breakfast, for the past fifteen years mornings consisted of orange juice and cereal, nothing ever hot.

    Her commotion caused her Dad to turn around. When he spotted her he grew a small smile, “I know, ‘where is my dad and what have you done with him’”

    She shook her head and laughed, “no, no. It’s just surprising to see the stove being used at this hour.”

    Her dad laughed, “I know, I just thought I should make up for yesterday. In fact, I have a small present for you.”

    Iana raised her eyebrow, “really?”

    “Yeah,” her dad continued, “let’s eat breakfast and then I can give it to you.”

     Iana nodded her head and sat down at the small dining table as her father dished up breakfast. They ate in silence, spearing the sliced fruit and forking the eggs. They cleaned the dishes together in silence too; it was a comfortable silence though, not like the strained ones she was used to.

     When everything was dried and put away Iana’s father made her sit back down at the table as he went to retrieve his gift. A minute later he was back in the kitchen sitting in a chair holding out a little blue box and a closed envelope.

     Iana took the box, eyeing it curiously, not touching the envelope and afraid to open it and find something that she wouldn’t like. But when she looked up at her father and saw his face flushed with anticipation and happiness, did she open the box.

      It was a bracelet.

     With no clasp but small thin threads that made it stretchy, she pulled it on her wrist. The bracelet looked like it was pure silver, old too, with small engravings around the band.

     An arrow, a star, and a snow flake.

     Though she didn’t know what the symbols meant, she thought it was beautiful to her. It was the first gift her dad had given her that truly meant something to her. After at looking at it some more, she realized something; it was the bracelet her mother would always wear. She had seen Chelsea wear it in some of the pictures she kept hidden.

      “Dad,” Iana said softly, “I- I can’t take this, it’s Mom’s.”

      She tried giving the bracelet back to her father, but he stubbornly refused to take it. Grudgingly, she put the bracelet back on her wrist.

      “So do you like it?” Her father asked. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was worried she didn’t.

     “You know I do dad, it’s gorgeous. I love it.”

     Her father let out the breath he’d been holding, “I’m glad to hear that sweetie.”

     They both stood up from the table and hugged.

     “Now how bout you go up them stairs and finish getting ready for school. Just because you’re doing good in school doesn’t mean you can be late to it.” Her father narrowed his eyes at her, and she knew he found out about her recent and multiple tardies. “I’m back now Iana and I intend to stay. I’ll be there when you bring you’re first boy home, which I’m surprised to say, I am still waiting.”

     Iana’s eyebrows rose and her father smiled.

     “Iana, you’re stunning, you’re beautiful, and you’re my daughter. I’m seriously surprised that a boy hasn’t come up to you and asked you to go out. You should make jaws drop at your beauty.”

     Iana blushed and looked down.

     “Chelsea used to do that,” her dad said as he lightly lifted her chin up.

     “Did what?”

     “Her cheeks would get rosy like yours are and she would look at her feet when someone complemented her.”

    “Oh.”

    Iana felt uncomfortable. Her father never talked about her mother and it was just unusual and new to hear. 

    She was about to leave when her Dad’s voice stopped her.

    “Iana?” he said, and she turned around to see him holding the envelope that came with the bracelet. “Make sure you read this. It’s- it’s from your mother.”

     Iana’s breath caught in her throat, and sudden tears filled her eyes. She was slow to take the envelope, and when she did, she gripped it tightly until she was in her room. The envelope dropped onto her bed as she let it go.

     Finishing getting ready for school, and trying to get her minds off of the envelope, she grabbed her bag and went downstairs. By the lack of men’s shoes, empty coffee cup in sink, and door unlocked, she knew her dad had left.

      She found a small note from him on the old laminate counter. It read;

Went to work. Sorry I couldn’t drive you. Hope you have a good day. We’ll celebrate your birthday tonight at Friggy’s.

Love you,

Dad.

      Iana smiled, years ago, when Iana was in kindergarten, she and her dad would go to Friggy’s every Friday and eat their famous burrito pies and fries. They would through food at each other attempting to make it into each other’s mouths.

      The happy memories lasted and held onto Iana until she got to school. That was when she went through the torture again.