A Christmas Goodbye [Part 2]
Nothing could.
No matter how convincing the illusion was, they could never replace the people she had lost.
But perhaps...
Perhaps they could make the pain a little easier to bear.
Maybe this single moment of happiness would be enough to carry her through the next thousand years.
That was enough for Niva.
It had to be.
She slowly rose to her feet and looked at her family.
For a moment, she couldn't bring herself to move. She simply stood there, staring at the three familiar faces before her, afraid that even the slightest movement might make them disappear.
Then she took a step forward.
Another.
Her pace quickened.
And before she could think twice, Niva rushed forward and threw her arms around them.
Her mother.
Her father.
Her little sister.
She hugged them as tightly as she could, holding on to them with a desperation she had never felt before.
