Nuances of Christmas were seen everywhere. On the street, malls, offices, cafes, restaurants, you could always find that Christmas sparkle. December was always full of joy.
Not surprisingly, the month was always nicknamed the month full of "joy" because it spread happiness and peace, including to Celine and her family.
Tonight is Christmas Eve! Her family would go to the church to celebrate the big day.
"Hemph ... This year is the third year since you went away, I never even got to hear any news about you. You really managed to go away and even without a trace successfully!" Celine mumbled softly as she suddenly remembered the moment she celebrated Christmas with Darren.
Apart from the difference in status that leads to financial issues, religion was a significant difference for both of them. They should have been able to think about it, but somehow the two people didn't seem to care about these things. Well, this was a modern culture, wasn't it? If that was the difference, were you still considering it? Or ... maybe because of the perfection they get while being together, turned them into selfish figures to continue to be together.
Ting ... Ting ... Ting .... !!!
The sound of church bells boomed, immediately filling the entire church building, even echoing to the surroundings.
Celine folded her arms over her chest, she prayed solemnly as soon as the bell rang. She did not say much, apart from only saying thanksgiving to Almighty God for the achievement she had been entrusted to enjoy. And about Darren, she didn't know when that name stopped being spoken in every prayer she offered. Maybe it was because Celine felt that she had done her job of wishing Darren goodness and happiness.
When Celine finished her fervent prayer. Her eyes suddenly caught a familiar pair of eyes that had deeply engraved in her heart. She was surprised to see who she was staring at, at that moment, even to the point of almost falling. Those eyes looked at her with love, while smiling sweetly and supporting Celine who couldn't even support her body.
"All this time, your hobby of falling never left you!" said the person with the pair of eyes that had been Celine's object of vision.
'How come this dream is so real, even the voice is still the same. Was it because I miss him too much?' Celine thought. She was still reluctant to open her mouth, afraid that it was just a hallucination and would disappear again as it would always.
But that person didn't stop talking though, instead he gently touched Celine's cheek. "What's the matter, why are you just staring at me and being silent?" he said with a smile. That smile was so real, a beautiful sincere smile that never disappeared from Celine's eyes.
'Can I dream while I'm still awake?' Celine thought.
"Darren ...?" she called softly, who was not far from Celine's reach.
Celine turned her head toward another source of sound which interrupted her line of thought.
"When did you come? And where have you been?" asked the voice again. That person was Mrs. Susan.
"Just now," Darren replied.
'Just now .... Just now he answered, he was there and he was real,' Celine thought and immediately hugged Darren in the chair. Tears would not stop flowing profusely.
"Stupid! What are you doing? We'll pray first," said Darren.
And during the service Christmas, Celine held Darren's hand as if she was afraid that he would disappear again. She was still afraid, thinking if it was just a hallucination.
'God, I take my word back. I can't forget him. Let us be together again,' Celine thought.
"Why are you suddenly beside me? Shouldn't my mom and papa be here?" Celine asked as they walked out of the chapel.
"I've seen you the moment you came in. Then, when your mother and father went to change seats, I immediately came to you."
"Really? Then why not come directly to me when you see me?"
"It is not important, the important thing is; in the end we sat together through the entire service," explained Darren lovingly.
Celine decided never to ask where that man had gone all this time. A man who could even slice nearly all of her soul, leaving it empty and dull. She was afraid that the question would make him disappear again. No, she didn't want him to go again ~
The meeting that is most awaited, the love that is longed for. A person who is adored, was now in front of her, his warm embrace was still the same. It was as if the wait was finally over, but was it really?
I know ..., I will never be able to escape from you, and I will never be able to escape from your love! Like flesh clinging to bones, so is love you, now ingrained into a part of my life.
-Celine Eliasson-