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Hero

7 years ago

An Aurora Skies Christmas Romance Tale

I was in the mood to write out a short Christmas story for the season. 😊
(Because I LOVE Christmas! 💗 )

****PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE MOVED THIS STORY OVER TO MY BLOG WITH REVISIONS AND HAVE MADE IT TONS BETTER! 😀****
That's where you'll want to go to enjoy it fully!
Read it all HERE 😉

However, if you still wanna stick around here and read it, that's fine too. 😉

-------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction

It was the year 2013 in Aurora Skies, Simsland during the coldest holiday season the town had ever experienced.

With inversion setting in a few days at a time.

The many glistening waterfalls that showered into the great lake from the hills above were frozen solid, resting upon the frozen lake itself.

However this bitter cold year wasn't enough to dispel the warmth that came from the spirit of the season. That brightly burning spirit found its way into each and every resident's heart from the ever kind, caring, and influential personality of one named Miriam Day.

One resident's heart in particular was forever changed that Christmas for the better.

No one ever expected such a timeless Christmas tale to actually happen in real life. In the 21st century even! But it did...and the heartwarming story continues to be told each and every Christmas in Aurora Skies to this very day.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 1

Miriam Day was one of the happiest women around, coming from the most humble of families, and certainly the most festive person around when it came to Christmas the town residents seem to notice. In fact ever since her arrival to Aurora Skies almost 2 years ago, she teamed up with city council to make her first Christmas in the area a joyous one. (Because Christmas was her favorite holiday of them all!) That meant encouraging the city to lavishly decorate public buildings and the parks, with strings of multi-colored lights and tinsel garland dressing the trees. Soon the local businesses followed suit, turning their buildings into glowing shops you'd be sure to find in Christmas Town itself. The spirit carried on to a few residents as well who started hanging up holiday house lights and wreaths in the windows for the first time in years.

No one really knows what caused the spirit of Christmas to dwindle in Aurora Skies over the years, but it seemed the lovely Miriam Day was the one destined to bring it back. Many were grateful for her spirit, others didn't seem to care. Either way, Miriam continued to strive to make a difference in this town that had become her new home.

Desiring to start a new chapter in her life after graduating from college, Miriam moved from Appaloosa Plains to the mysterious small town of Aurora Skies. Something about the place drew her to it and she hadn't quite figured out why. She figured she would've found out by now.

At the time she'd met up with three roommates looking for another roommate to help pay the rent and they all instantly fell in love with Miriam. One of the male roommates in particular, Ciro Perry, was smitten with her at first sight, but in the past almost 2 years he was always too nervous to pursue a relationship, fearing Miriam only viewed him as a friend. Which...was partly true. The two were comfortable in their friendship and didn't want anything to threaten it, especially if they pursued a courtship at the wrong time. This mutual feeling hadn't been talked about one to the other yet. As for their other roommate friends, Angelica Diamond and Pedro Herrerra, Miriam and Ciro couldn't be sure if they had stronger feelings for each other too or not. All that mattered is that every one of them were good friends, who clicked instantly, and rarely did they ever fight or disagree on much; which is a lot to say about four people all coming from different backgrounds living under the same roof! They were just having the time of their lives being single, 20 year olds, each trying to figure out their own individual destinies.

****

The day after Thanksgiving was the day Miriam pulled out all her Christmas boxes, overflowing with decorations, down from the attic. One box included a few items Ciro, Angelica, and Pedro collected over the years and she was sure to bring that one down as well.

"Oh boy," Pedro sighed, addressing Angelica, "and so the Christmas season officially begins in our house."
Angelica laughed. "And next thing we know the whole TOWN will be just as decorated as our place!"

As much as her roommates liked to tease Miriam about her obsession with decorating for the Holidays, Miriam knew they loved and appreciated her decorations. It brought a special love and warmth to the house that every person needs this time of year.

It only took 2 hours for her to get two decorated Christmas trees put up, one in the dining room and of course the main one in the living room, and all the other decorations. Including stringing a few lights around the outside pine trees.

"That's a new record!" Miriam whispered joyfully to herself. When all was said and done she blew a kiss toward the tree. "It is finished. Oh Christmas tree, you are indeed beautiful!"

And within seconds she was on the phone with one of the city council members making plans for the decorating of the Festival Grounds.

****

That evening, the house was out of some essential food items so Miriam offered to run to the grocery store to pick them up. Normally she would've gotten a ride there from Ciro, the only one who owned a car, but since he was working she called for a taxi. She rushed out so quickly when the taxi arrived that she forgot about grabbing her coat. She'd been known to forget small things like that.

Once she finished shopping, the sun had gone down a few minutes prior so the temperature outside dropped significantly. As she waited outside for the taxi, which was supposed to have arrived already, shivering, she said to herself, "Man, I really should've brought my coat."

"Ya think!?" a gruff voice grumbled from behind her. "How stupid do you have to be to forget your coat in this weather? Especially when wearing a shirt like that!"
Miriam rolled her eyes. That voice could only have come from one person.

"Shut up!" another woman from behind her curtly responded to the man. But the man ignored her, continuing to grumble as he went on his way. "Don't let what that je'rk said bother you Miriam. It isn't always possible to 'dodge the Hodge.'"

Miriam smiled back at the woman appreciatively just as the taxi arrived.

Once inside she let out a giant sigh and thought about that gruff man whom everyone in town knew very well and dubbed during this time of year, "Scrooge McHodge."

No one knew his first name, and no one cared to, but it seemed obvious to Miriam that his last name was Hodge based on the names the locals had given him. He resided in the old abandoned warehouse in the woods near the lake, alone, after single-handedly evicting the town criminals from their hideout. She heard he'd been living there for at least a decade, living off the land and by the sweat of his brow, and then being a "scrooge" to every person he came in contact with whenever he had to go to the town for something.

It seemed so cliché to have an actual Mr. Scrooge in town, but this guy was the epitome of the fictional character if there ever was one. He certainly earned the Scrooge name over the years and was clearly proud of it. With so many rumors flying around about him it was hard to tell which ones were true and most likely no one would ever find out the real truth. A definite truth was that he hated Christmas and everything about it! He never hesitated to make that known to the public this time of year and Miriam witnessed it a few times last year.

On a couple of occasions some carolers from the local church would sing outside a few businesses and at the Festival Grounds. Once "Scrooge McHodge" appeared on the scene he'd start yelling at them to "Shut up" and then proceed to say terrible things about the songs. Another time he was caught ripping off some of the lights and garland from the trees in the park, to which Miriam gladly volunteered to put back up. One morning he got out his megaphone, stood in front of City Hall on a wooden box, and began protesting against Christmas and everything about it. It became quite obvious that he was dead drunk and was soon removed from the premises. He was just an all around grumpy guy who obviously hated the world and everyone in it. It's like he was on a mission to make everyone's life just as miserable as his own.

It just didn't any make sense...especially to someone as sweet and caring about others as Miriam. Truly, no one is born that heartless!

What could possibly have gone wrong in that man's life to make him hate everyone and everything? Especially...Christmas! she thought. There had to be a reason.

She couldn't figure out why it was suddenly eating at her, but...she was determined to find out.

****

The last day of November brought with it a great snowfall, which blanketed the town in a bright and glittering white powder.

A winter wonderland it had quickly become.

Inside, Miriam and her roommates stayed cozy and warm, conversing on the sofas that sat not too far from the Christmas tree. It was so toasty inside, and so cold outside, that the windows fogged up a bit.

For the most part Miriam sat quietly, lost in her thoughts and nibbling at her index fingernail, while the others carried on in pleasant conversation about past vacations they went on with their families.

When there was an open opportunity to speak, Miriam finally did.

"So what's the deal with 'Scrooge McHodge?'" she frankly asked them.

Her three friends instantly met her gaze with bugged out eyes.

"Whaaaat about him?" Pedro bravely asked.
"Do any of you have any thoughts as to why he's such a grouch?" she asked.
The three friends shot questioning glances at each other, before Angelica replied. "Honestly, I've never entertained any thoughts about that man because he's an awful human being and I don't need that kind of negativity in my life!"
The two boys nodded their heads in strong agreement.
"I get that," Miriam said, "but...why does he live alone in the abandoned warehouse again? I mean, how did he end up there?"

"I heard," Ciro chimed in, "that his wife left him, took the kids, and everything else in the divorce so that's why he was left poor and destitute to where the only shelter for him was the warehouse."
Miriam raised an eyebrow. That certainly seemed like a realistic happening and reason for his behavior. Definitely one that would drive a man to hate people and not trust them anymore.
"No," Pedro countered, "I heard that his family died in a house fire while he was out of town...and it happened just a few days before Christmas! That's why he hates Christmas!"
Miriam nodded at that possibility too.

"No way!" Angelica countered. "Who spread that rumor because I've never heard it and I know ALL of the town gossip!" She grinned with pride.
Miriam and Ciro just shook their heads with a chuckle.
"I have heard Ciro's story," she went on, "but...I think the real thing that happened is he caught his wife cheating on him so he left her."
"Who in town is his ex-wife then?" Ciro asked, resting his arm on the back of the sofa.
"It didn't happen here you punk. He's not originally from around here. He arrived here after leaving her and decided to settle in the warehouse because he had no money to stay elsewhere."
"Yeah right," Pedro muttered under his breath.

"Ok!" Miriam stopped them abruptly. "So...no one in this town has gone out of their way to get to know this guy and find out what really happened?"
"H*** no Miriam!" Angelica cried. "You've seen how he treats everyone! He clearly doesn't want any friends. And everyone knows he owns a few shotguns and wouldn't hesitate using them if someone came onto his 'precious' property!" She said with a look of disgust.
"Yeah I think he said as much once," Pedro added.

"You know," Miriam paused. "It sounds to me like this man's story has made its way so many times through the grapevine that nothing about him can be deemed as fact anymore." Her friends sat in silence, not knowing what to say as that truth sank in. "And it also seems to me," she went on, "that the people in this town have been going about in the wrong way dealing with this grouchy man who continually disturbs the peace." Now she had her friend's undivided attention, curious as to what she was getting at.

"It's Christmastime," she said, "if anyone needs some light and positivity in their life, some Christmas cheer in their life, it's him! No matter how much he shuns it. Heck, I think he just needs someone to actually care about him. It's the only way to cure his attitude and turn him into a decent human being again."
"Like the whole 'kill 'em with kindness' thing?" Pedro asked.
"Kind of, but it goes deeper than that."
Ciro looked away, having a sneaking suspicion of what his crush had in mind to do.
"So...what are you saying Miriam?" Angelica asked with reservation.

Miriam smiled brightly.

"I'm going to show him what's been missing in his life and will use the Christmas season to do it!"

* * * * * * * * * * * *

😊

So, what do y'all think so far? 🙃

I know it sounds like one of those typical Christmas stories, but trust me, it turns into so much more. 💗

29 Replies

emorrill
Hero
7 years ago

Chapter 7
(Part 2)

The Ballroom was a gloriously festive sight! Floor to ceiling trees adorned each corner of the room decorated with hundreds of colored lights. Beautifully wrapped presents rested underneath, that shimmered in the lights from certain angles. Garland with red ribbons draped the walls, a few wreaths nestled in between. One side of the room was where the mistletoe hung, to those who wished to steal a kiss underneath. The other side was where the food was being served, with tables and chairs to sit at. Miriam admired it all breathlessly. After all, she's the one who started the whole Christmas Eve Ball idea, last year, and loved helping out with the decorating. This Ball looked even better than the last!

Still, she sighed...greatly hoping that the man her heart was most longing for this Christmas would be there.

The Ball started at 6pm and many people arrived at the doors early. Pretty much to get some dinner into their bellies so they could spend most of the evening dancing, conversing, and basking in the spirit of Christmas. Holiday tunes instantly filled the room upon their entry, with snowflake lights dancing all around.

Miriam happily greeted all her friends and co-workers, even those she didn't know. Every time the door opened her heart skipped a beat, longing for the person behind it to be Jaron. She knew she should eat, but didn't have the appetite.

Eventually she told herself there was a great possibility that Jaron would not come so instead of feeling disappointed about it, she should have fun and not let his absence ruin her evening. It was Christmas Eve! And this was her Ball! Now was not the time to feel sad.

But why then did she continually find her eyes drifting towards the door?

Angelica approached her friend from behind and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"He's not coming," Miriam sighed, shaking her head. "I just know it."
"Oh sweetie, don't think like that. There's no WAY he'd not be here! He totally adores you too much now not to come." She winked.
"Maybe, but I know it's being around all these people that's holding him back."
"Well...he's just gonna have to get used to that!"
True. "Or maybe his soul searching made him change his mind about everything. Maybe...he finds this change of character too hard or maybe he's not willing to move on..." she looked down at the floor sadly.
"Nonsense!" Angelica declared. "He'd be a fool if he's thinking that! Oh hey, excuse me sweetie I need to talk to Richard." And off she went.
"Oh...uh...see ya."

Next Ciro approached Miriam from behind and said, "Hey."
"Hey," she turned with a smile.
"You look beautiful tonight," he said, thrusting his hands in his pockets. "I hope...Jaron will come to see you."
"Thank you," she said with an appreciative smile. She meant that in more ways than one.
"I'm sure he'll be here," he comforted. "In the meantime, just be sure to have some fun ok? This is your Ball...it always will be." He winked. And with that he headed for the food table.

Sighing, she turned her back away from the door, trying to hold back the tears. She had to believe Jaron would be there. Surely everything she did for him, all the time she spent becoming his friend, wasn't all in vain! I promise he wasn't just a project to me God, she thought, staring up at the ceiling. My care and love for him was real! It is truly, truly real! She held her hand to her heart as a tear streamed down her cheek.

Sniffing and wiping away the tear, she turned around and suddenly gasped. Frozen in place as her eyes instantly met with the newest person's who entered the Ballroom.

He smiled, that brand new man dressed in an old, white tux, and shrugged for a second. As if to say, "Sorry I'm late."

Miriam smiled brightly in return, forgiving him instantly.

Then she shot him a flirting, beckoning look.

Jaron happily obliged. Weaving himself through the crowd.

Gosh he looks so handsome! Miriam couldn't help thinking as her heart fluttered, even more wildly the closer he approached her.

"Good evening Miriam," he greeted, stopping to take her hands and look upon her. "Wow!" he whispered, spinning her around lightly and then stopping. "You look...stunning tonight. Beautiful." He corrected.
For some reason this time his touch sent an intense electrical surge throughout her entire body, cranking up the heat. "You look great too," she said breathlessly. "Very handsome. Oh...I was so afraid you wouldn't come."
"I was too," he admitted with a sigh, "but...when have I ever been able to resist an invitation from you?" He bashfully smiled.
Miriam did the same.

In the distance, Angelica, Pedro, and Ciro lightly threw some cheers in her direction from the mistletoe side of the room. She just shot a smile at them while shaking her head. She couldn't have asked for sweeter, more supportive friends.

A slow Christmas song began playing and then the lights dimmed a bit.

"May I have this dance?" Jaron asked Miriam with his hand to his heart.

Miriam closed her eyes dreamily for a second and playfully answered, "Why Mr. Hodge, I thought you would never ask me."

As they took each others hands and began swaying to the tune, Jaron said, "I guess the whole 'Why Mr. Hodge' thing is going to be a permanent joke between us now?"
Miriam chuckled. "Yeah, I think so."
However Jaron couldn't seem to chuckle back. He was just so taken by her beauty and found himself getting suc'ked into those dazzling blue eyes that shimmered like a galaxy in deep space.
"I never realized just how gorgeous your eyes are," he said, then remembered. "You aren't wearing your glasses."
"No," she smirked. "I decided on contacts for tonight. I guess," she paused, biting her lower lip, "I was thinking that since you made such a big change in your appearance...I would make a little change too."
"You really didn't have to," he sincerely said. "You're beautiful...no matter how you look."
Now Miriam was really blushing.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the dance floor, Ciro swayed hand in hand with a woman Angelica encouraged him to ask to dance.

They didn't say much to each other for the first half of the song, but soon the woman spoke up by asking, "So Ciro...Angelica tells me you're an ice hockey fan?"
That got Ciro's attention. "Yes," he replied. "I am. My dad and I used to play every winter when I was growing up so...It's kind of a special sport to me."
"Oh my gosh my dad and I used to play together too!" she revealed. "That's why I love it so much."
"No kidding? That's awesome!"
"Yeah!"

"So, I'm sorry...uh...what was your name again?" Ciro felt silly asking. He was horrible with names.
She chuckled. "Tanya."
"Oh...that's a pretty name."
"Thank you."
"So Tanya," he asked, while twirling her. "Which team is your favorite?"
"Well..." she began...

"...You might give me grief about this, but...I've always been a Llamas fan, even though everyone thinks they su'ck!"
Ciro froze, dropping her hands and gaping at her. "Are you serious? The Llamas are...the BEST TEAM EVER!"
Tanya smiled brightly. "I KNOW! Oh my gosh I can't believe you're a fan too! Wow...what a small world." They returned to dancing.
"It sure is," Ciro said, feeling his heart flutter.

His eyes suddenly met with Angelica's gaze in the distance and she winked at him. He nodded in return as he and Tanya continued talking all about their love for the Llamas and their greatest wins.

The slow Christmas song ended and the next one was more fast paced, but to Jaron and Miriam, it didn't even register. They just kept on swaying, carrying on a tune of their own.

For they were so lost in the moment, that nothing else in the world mattered. No one else even existed.

It was just the two of them. The only people left on Earth.

Jaron couldn't contain himself any longer. There'd been so much he wanted to say to her and he always held back, but now was the perfect moment to do it.

"Miriam," he began, "I don't think I ever properly thanked you for everything you've done for me. These past 24 days have been...the happiest days of my life and...I thank you. From the bottom of my heart thank you."

"Oh Jaron," she said, "I was happy to do it. I'm so glad I listened to my heart, despite what everyone else thought. And indeed, these past 24 days have been happiest of my life too."
He was pleased to hear that. "I don't think you realize...just how much you've done for me. The impact you've had on me."
"I think I do Jaron. I've seen it."
"Yeah, but I mean," he paused, "you've practically saved my life Miriam. Saved my soul."
"Oh I dunno about--"
"You did," he pressed. "I was so lost before you came along. Stuck in the darkest abyss of sorrow and hate. I'd given up hope of ever seeing the light again. Hope of ever being...truly happy again."
Miriam's eyes began to glisten.
"But then...this jubilant ball of sunshine suddenly appeared at my door," they chuckled, "and little by little she gave me a whole new perspective on life. Taught me that kindness still exists and is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. And showed me that happiness and love are still possible for anyone who's lost everything in their life. I never believed I'd have any of those things again. You restored my faith in people and in the Spirit of Christmas," they chuckled again. "You helped bring me back to the man I used to be...the man who I thought was lost forever. My life has irrevocably changed because of you. I owe everything to you Miriam...and I don't want to imagine my life without you."

Miriam wiped at the tears from her eyes, feeling so touched.
"My wish this Christmas," he went on, "is that your last gift to me will be your heart. Because every day since we met I've fallen even more in love with you. And now I must tell you," he paused, mustering up all his courage, "I love you Miriam Day. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Grinning brightly, Miriam joyously declared, "You already have my heart Jaron Hodge... because I love you too!"

In that moment Jaron leaned in, deeply pressing his lips upon hers and engaging the most passionate of kisses as he ran his fingers through her hair. Miriam giggled at the end of it and even more as he twirled her and then dipped her backward, planting another kiss on her lips again.

Soon the guests began to take notice of the two lovebirds in the middle of the dance floor and held their attention onto them; Oohing and Ahhing over how romantic the whole scene was.

Gazing at each other with the happiest of eyes Jaron asked, "Miriam Day, will you be mine this Christmas, and from every day hereafter?"
"Yes!" she emphatically exclaimed, beaming. "YES!"

The guests cheered and clapped as the two kissed again. Witnessing one of the most unexpected love stories and the greatest Christmas miracle their little town had ever known.

The new year never felt brighter for the kind-hearted Miriam Day and Jaron - the former "Scrooge" - Hodge.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

And so Miriam and Jaron's story became immortalized. Told every Christmas Season in Aurora Skies to this day, not only because a real life "Christmas Carol" happened in their small town, but because it displayed the truth behind the saying that, "Where there is kindness, there is hope." And it applies to ALL people...no matter how mean or cold they seem. For one can never truly know what cross someone has been called to bear and that...was something every single person in the town needed to be reminded of.

Christmas is all about the kindness of giving...and the hope that each of us can become a better person and start anew with the ever coming new year.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* The End *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

💗
Alleenmens
Seasoned Rookie
7 years ago
"Do more of what makes you happy..." :smiley:
emorrill
Hero
7 years ago
"Alleenmens;c-16881051" wrote:
"Do more of what makes you happy..." :smiley:

Oh I intend to. :smirk:

:p
lanlynk
Seasoned Hotshot
7 years ago
@emorrill RE: Chapter 6. That was some dream! So Miriam was attracted to Jaron's "change of heart" before she was attracted to his body? I think her dream suggests otherwise. ;) ...Wow, Jaron went from hairy to sleek! Miriam was sure taken by surprise. ...Cute scenes of them snowball fighting. ...15 yrs older. What life span length do they have? Everything is relative. Besides, love can make things work. And so can Life Fruit and Young Again elixirs! It's good to be a sim. ...Interesting time at the diner. Not easy for Jarod. ...Fun conversation with Angelica and Pedro. But ouch! Ciro was not happy about Miriam's interest in Jarod. I guess he misses how close he and Miriam once were. He'd had romantic hopes for the two of them.

RE: Chapter 7, Part 1. Very romantic update! Great ice skating pictures. ...Loved the dialog too. Miriam knew that deep inside, Jarod had always been a kind man. ...Lovely scene of the two dancing on the pond. ...I liked the screenshots of them in the snow and watching the stars. Beautiful.

RE: Chapter 7, Part 2. Neat decorating in the ballroom. Detailed. ...Loved Miriam's dress and hairstyle/tiara. ...I'm so glad Jarod showed up. And he found something he could wear. Old suit, but it looked good on him. ...The close-ups of Miriam were awesome! She's gorgeous. ...And Tanya and Ciro seemed to be hitting if off nicely! Yay! ...I liked how you put lights up around the dance floor, column to column. Great shots of the party in general too. ...Perfect ending to a wonderful Christmas story! I really enjoyed reading it. <3
emorrill
Hero
7 years ago
Thank you so much @lanlyn ! I'm glad you enjoyed it and I always love reading your sweet and thoughtful comments. <3
A very Merry Christmas to you. :star:
emorrill
Hero
7 years ago
@meerkattime I always enjoy reading your sweet comments. Thank you. :heart: I'm glad you enjoyed the story and the ending. :)
TinySpaceFox
7 years ago
Sorry I'm late! I hope you and your family had an awesome Christmas :)

Sneaky sneaky Miriam! Who says you need social media to stalk people :tongue:
"emorrill;c-16880562" wrote:

He hoped he wouldn't fall and embarrass himself in front of her.

Hey Jaron, you're forgetting something... just the previous day, you were wrestling with Miriam in the snow like a little kid. If she doesn't consider that childish behaviour to be embarrassing, she wouldn't think anything of you taking a little tumble on the ice!
Aw, re-learning how to skate... together! That's the way :)
You know it's a good relationship when you never run out of stuff to talk about! But I think another sign of a strong relationship (friendly and romantic alike) is being able to sit together in silence, just enjoying each other's company, without it ever feeling awkward.
Miriam calling Jaron "Mr. Hodge" doesn't just make him feel like an old man, it also makes their relationship seem too formal. I hope that's the last time we hear that phrase from her!
"emorrill;c-16880562" wrote:

Miriam's eyes glistened a bit as she smiled at him. "That's really sweet of you to say," she said, looking down at their hands too. "But really I'm just...being me. You make it sound like I have some inner magic or something."
"Well I think you do," he expressed. "Anyone who is willing to spread care and kindness toward someone who's heart was as cold and stone- hearted as mine, well...that's a gift Miriam."

Well, a little bit of kindness can certainly improve one's life in magical ways! And props to Miriam, it takes a lot of courage to take that first step in reaching out to someone who seems so distant :)
For someone so young, Miriam sure provides some sagely advice :tongue: I don't know how she became so wise, but for me, going to uni in a foreign country taught me important life lessons pretty fast!
Ooh, a dance on the ice! Jaron managed to twirl her, how sweet :)
Not to diss the man's violin playing... I'm sure it was wonderful, I'm just gonna say that while reading this whole segment where Jaron and Miriam were ice skating, this song was playing in my head:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhEEw_oM2DE
(Love this game and its soundtrack soooo much <3)

How kind of Miriam and Jaron to tip the poor homeless man AND buy him dinner :)
Sure Jaron, it's unfortunate that you spent so long stewing in your anguish rather than doing something about it, but hey, just remember what Miriam said...
"emorrill;c-16880562" wrote:

Don't allow yourself to wallow away in your regrets from the past. I've done that before and I felt it destroying me. Just always try to focus on the gift of each new day, that's why they call it the present," she chuckled. "And never look back."

(Now "remember what Miriam said" sounds like a solid piece of advice for whenever you're feeling low. Heheh :tongue:)
What a day for Miriam and Jaron! Good on him for making a couple of new friends :>
"emorrill;c-16880562" wrote:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4825/32489087088_0b3e46ebef_c.jpg

The Fault In Our Stars, anyone? :tongue:
Lovely shots of Miriam and Jaron watching the stars! I really like this one <3
"emorrill;c-16880562" wrote:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4918/45637967664_ed65a4b6d3_c.jpg

Hail to the Tab key! :tongue:
What a wonderful story about old Marjorie Pay! Oh Jaron, there's no good reason to spend Christmas alone! There's just so much to do, plus, it's one of the few days where everyone's free, so you can't just let that opportunity go to waste.
Thank goodness Miriam isn't gonna stop seeing Jaron even after Christmas! It would be such a pity for such a strong relationship to end just like that. To think they only built it up in a matter of days!
Oh please show up at the ball, Jaron! It would be nothing short of a Christmas miracle! Besides, don't you think Miriam deserves to see you there, after all she's done for you?

Gotta run off for a bit, will be back with more very soon! :)
TinySpaceFox
7 years ago
Here's feedback for part 2!

Why am I not one bit surprised that Miriam was the one behind the Christmas Eve Ball... :tongue:
"emorrill;c-16880865" wrote:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4853/45637966874_8e5342261f_c.jpg

Love how you captured Miriam's expression here :) The decorations are all set up, the music is playing, but something's still missing from this party...
Oh, I'm sure Jaron knew full well how much Miriam cared for him. She listened to his worries, had proper conversations with him, brought him gifts every day, and gently encouraged him to reconnect with other people! At this point, it would be a total di'ck move for him to just leave her hanging like that! And we know by now that that kind of stuff is just not something Jaron would do!
Ciro's still being so polite to the woman who broke his heart, bless him!
Yes, I knew Jaron would come through! :smiley:
"emorrill;c-16880865" wrote:

Angelica, Pedro, and Ciro lightly threw some cheers in her direction from the mistletoe side of the room.

Good on them for not making a scene! If they had, they probably would've made Jaron so uncomfortable that he might've just walked out!
Hey, I thought Miriam wasn't supposed to say "Mr. Hodge" anymore... but at least Jaron knows she's joking!
Jaron doesn't seem the least bit uncomfortable with telling Miriam how beautiful she is. That's how you know it's all coming from the heart :>
Hah, yay for Ciro getting his happy ending! He totally deserves it :D
Oh, Jaron's not holding back one bit! Such a wonder, isn't it? In just 24 days he's gone from being grumpy and reclusive to talking to Miriam, eating out, making friends, learning to not care about gossip, and attending this big party and pouring out his affection to her!
Too right Jaron, without her, none of this would've ever happened - not even the ball you're attending right now :tongue:
Yeeessss, the kiss we've all been waiting for! Clearly Jaron doesn't care about possibly embarrassing himself in front of all the guests, he just loves Miriam too much <3 Talk about a change!
A well-deserved happily-ever-after indeed, after everything Miriam has done for Jaron, and how much Jaron has changed for the better :)
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing story with us! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it :)
emorrill
Hero
7 years ago
@TinySpaceFox Awww, you are ever the sweetheart. <3
I just LOVE reading your thoughtful comments on my stories...they make me smile, laugh and fill me with joy. :blush: They mean so much to me, especially knowing the time you put into writing them. Thank you. :kissing_heart:

And you're very welcome. :) It was a fun one to write and I'm glad so many of you enjoyed reading it. (Despite my fears that many of you wouldn't like it. :p )
I'm thinking of doing a few posts in the future of Miriam and Jaron's future. :smirk: It will be fun to play it out and share. :blush:

Oh and by the way, David surfing in your new Avi pic... :love: Rawr! And poor Martin in your signature. :lol: He's too cute even when he's annoyed!

Thank you again and I look forward to seeing more game updates from you. {{{{Hugs}}}}