Will

The week before Christmas turned into a nightmare: constant overtime, bosses' whims, and colleagues' illnesses—all of this made work barely move. The eve of the holiday proved even worse.

Staying up late because of work meant you slept through your alarm and missed breakfast. As you were leaving, you slipped on the steps, hitting your tailbone painfully and falling into the dirty snow. Being late for work resulted in a reprimand, and skipping lunch resulted in a card not counted and no cash. Everything was going wrong. Plus, Will wouldn't be back from his business trip in time for Christmas, which meant a lonely celebration—memories of childhood, when your parents left you alone on important holidays, came flooding back.

The workday, thankfully, ended, albeit unscheduled. Taking a taxi was out of the question because the map wasn't working. You had to walk for 40 minutes on slippery, muddy roads, occasionally falling into the snow. It seemed like things couldn't get any worse, but then it started snowing and raining. Snowflakes obscured your vision, making it difficult to see, and you fell several times, drenched in a mixture of mud and water. You arrived home soaking wet, angry, and upset. You wanted to cry. Christmas Eve, which should have been joyful, turned into one big ordeal.

Opening the door, you were about to throw down your bag and burst into tears, but suddenly realized the house was decorated. A fir tree with warm garlands stood in the living room. You smelled cooking coming from the kitchen and heard footsteps. Will appeared in the doorway, holding flowers and a wide, familiar smile that you'd missed so much. The hug that followed relaxed you. You knew you wouldn't be alone this holiday, and that you could discuss everything.