The Christmas week dawned, the world outside blanketed in a pristine layer of snow, the air bitingly cold. On Christmas morning, Anisa informed her mother and sister-in-law she was leaving to visit her parents and departed, her heart carrying a mix of melancholy and anticipation towards the home of her childhood. đź’
Meanwhile, Yugh and Yusuf found themselves decorating a small Christmas tree. Though not a Christian family, the festive spirit permeating their neighborhood was infectious, and the simple ritual felt like a fragile attempt to grasp at normalcy, to create light in a house shadowed by loss.
At the AZ Studio, Anisa had ensured her staff received their holiday leave and, true to her word, a modest bonus, a small gesture of gratitude for their loyalty through difficult times. đź“Ť
As her train drew closer to her hometown, Anisa watched the landscape transform. The town was a storybook scene, adorned with lights and decorations, the snow lending everything a soft, silent glow. The crisp air that filled her lungs felt cleaner, sharper than the oppressive air of her marital home.
After several hours, she disembarked and took a taxi the final distance. During the ride, memories surfaced unbidden, of herself and Kirana as squabbling children, their rivalry forgotten in their shared excitement for the holiday season. A faint, genuine smile touched her lips for the first time in weeks.🙂
Arriving at the familiar door, she knocked. Her mother opened it, freezing for a moment in stunned delight,she hadn't expected Anisa so early. Kirana came rushing in, enveloping her sister in a tight, wordless hug that spoke volumes. Her father welcomed her with quiet, warm relief, and her mother quickly steered her towards the fireplace, fussing over warming her up.
They gathered around, a torrent of questions about her life and the business flowing her way. Anisa offered reassuring, positive answers, shielding them from the worst of her struggles. She wanted this space, this moment, to remain untouched by the ugliness she had left behind. ⛄
The "Manalo family" home, with its four members reunited, became something powerful. It was no longer just a house, but a true hearth,a sanctuary of unconditional love and warm, unpretentious acceptance. For Anisa, sitting by the fire with her family, the biting cold of the outside world and the chilling truths of her recent life seemed, for a blessed moment, very far away. âť„