"TWELVE ROSES" | Chapter 14: December 25 | Hallowed

Daily Chapter from December 12- 25 Christmas

Chapter 14: December 25 | Hallowed

The house was quiet in the early morning, the hush of Christmas settling over everything. The snow outside lay pristine and untouched, the world still holding its breath before the day began. Anna woke early, the kind of waking where dreams linger, blending into the softness of reality. She stretched in her childhood bed, feeling the warmth of the quilt her mother had laid over her the night before.

When Anna came downstairs and stepped into the family room, a soft hush settled over the space, heavy with something unspoken. Paul, who had arrived earlier, stood with a grin that broke through the tension like sunlight dispersing lingering clouds. For a moment, she froze, struck by the sheer reality of him—no longer a voice over the phone or a fleeting text, but flesh and blood before her, bringing with him a sure connection to her roots, reaching deep into an unseen source of strength, something she hadn’t realized she’d been missing. He crossed the room in a few strides and pulled her into an embrace that radiated warmth and undying affection, his presence dissolving shadows that had lingered far too long.