Page 41 of Ember’s Heart
Colton
T he first week of December had arrived, bringing with it a biting cold and a blanket of fresh, powdery snow that transformed Rose Valley into a winter wonderland.
The air smelled of pine and the crisp, clean scent of winter.
Main street was decorated with lights and decorations.
Everywhere you looked felt like Christmas.
The farm was in full swing selling Christmas trees and buzzing with activity.
Customers wandered through the fields, searching for the perfect tree to cut down, while others opted for the pre-cut pines that were drilled and ready to go on the stand.
Inside the heated workshop, Ember and her mom were busy making wreaths and other holiday decor to sell.
Thanksgiving had been a whirlwind. Laura and Richard’s house had been bursting at the seams with everyone who was invited. Agnes, Marge, Larry, Avery, Lila, Lori, they were all there. Then there was Abi, the new waitress at the Bean and Brew, and her dad.
Apparently, Laura and Richard were good friends with her dad, and when they found out they’d be spending Thanksgiving just the two of them, they insisted they come.
Throughout the day I couldn’t help but notice the subtle tension between Owen and Abi.
They seemed to avoid each other, or when they did interact, it was with a forced casualness that felt anything but.
I’d wanted to pull Owen aside and ask him what was going on, but the evening was too busy, and I never got the chance.
Today, I was helping Garrett wrap some of the larger Christmas trees in netting, the scent of fresh pine filling the air. Since it was quiet in the barn, I decided to take the opportunity and ask Garrett about Owen.
“Hey Garrett, what’s the deal with Owen and that Abi girl from Thanksgiving?”
Garrett grunted, pulling the netting taut. “No idea. Why?”
“At Thanksgiving. I couldn’t help but notice the weird tension between them. Like there was something going on between them.”
He shrugged, stepping back from the now neatly wrapped tree. “Honestly, man, I don’t know. Owen’s never mentioned her before. But I think maybe they went to school together. I honestly don’t remember her coming around though.” He paused, picking up another tree. “Why? You think something happened?”
I sighed. “Just a vibe I got. I noticed Owen would look at Abi, then when she looked his way he’d look away and act like he wasn’t just watching her. Or vice versa. It was just weird.”
Garrett just shook his head. “Beats me. If something’s up, he’ll tell us when he’s ready. Or he won’t. That’s just Owen.”
I nodded, accepting his answer. It was true, Owen had always been the quietest of the Carter siblings, the one who kept his cards closest to his chest, but never missed a thing.
I glanced at my watch. “Alright, I gotta head out. Gotta pick up my mom from the library and take her shopping. She’s on a mission to find the perfect Christmas gift for my dad.”
Garrett chuckled. “Good luck with that. Tell her I said hi.”
“Will do.” I clapped him on the shoulder, then headed towards the workshop.
I pushed open the heavy wooden door, and the warm, sweet scent of pine and cinnamon hit me.
Ember was at a long table, her brow furrowed in concentration as she arranged pinecones and berries on a wreath.
Laura was humming a Christmas carol, stringing lights around a display of miniature trees.
“Hey,” I said, walking over to Ember.
She looked up, her eyes lighting up when she saw me. “Hey, you. Leaving already?”
“Yeah, gotta go get my mom from the library. She’s probably already got a list of places she wants to go shopping at.” I leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “See you later, Firefly.”
“Be safe,” she murmured, her fingers brushing my cheek.
I nodded, gave Laura a quick wave, and headed out into the biting cold. The drive to the library was short, the roads salted and ready for the next round of snow they were expecting tonight. I pulled into a parking spot but left the engine running so the truck would stay warm.
As I waited for Mom to emerge, my gaze fell on the Christmas cards on my passenger seat. I’d been meaning to send them, but kept putting it off. These weren’t just any Christmas cards. These were the final act of letting go of my demons and the regrets I carried for years.
They were addressed to the families of Miller, Riley, and Johnson. My brothers in arms. The men I had fought alongside, bled alongside, and watched die. The men whose ghosts had haunted my every waking moment for years.
I remembered the day like it was yesterday.
The overwhelming, crushing guilt that had followed.
Why them? Why not me? I had replayed that moment a million times in my head, searching for a different outcome, anything that could have changed what happened.
But there was nothing. There was never anything.
My hand trembled as I held the cards. There was no lingering guilt, no self-blame as I thought about them.
Alejandro had helped me see it, had helped me understand that what happened that day was not my fault.
I couldn’t have done anything to change it.
I was a soldier, following orders, caught in an impossible situation.
Their deaths were a tragedy, a profound loss, but they were not my burden to carry. Not anymore.
I closed my eyes and imagined their faces, a wave of emotion washing over me. It wasn’t sadness, not entirely. It was a release.
“I’m letting go,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.
“I’m letting go of the guilt. I’m letting go of the regret.
I’m putting the past behind me.” A tear traced a path down my cheek.
I closed my eyes. “I’ll always remember you guys.
I’ll carry you three with me, always. But I can’t live in the past anymore.
I have to live for the future. For Ember.
For the family I want with her.” I opened my eyes, a sense of lightness filling me.
The weight that had been on my shoulders for so long had finally lifted.
Getting out of my truck with the cards in my hand, I walked over to the mailbox and dropped them in. I was finally laying the past to rest. Now I can focus entirely on my future with Ember. My next step was planning the best proposal I could think of. I wanted to do something that was us.