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Inside the station, Julia made her way to the information desk. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the same officer who had attended to her the day she lost her belongings.
“Hi, sir… I’m Julia,” she began timidly.
The officer looked up from the files on his desk.
“Good morning. How may I help you?”
She let out a shaky breath.
“My belongings were stolen here some days back, and I reported the incident. I was told the case was being handled, so I came back to see if there has been any update.”
The officer frowned apologetically.
“I’m afraid the officer who took your statement isn’t on duty today. He won’t be back until Monday next week.”
Julia’s heart sank.
“I’m not familiar with your case,” he continued. “So you’ll have to come back when he’s around.”
Julia blinked in disbelief.
“Come back… next week?”
Her voice rose slightly, cracking under the weight of frustration.
“Everything I own was stolen and you’re telling me to wait an entire week?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” the officer replied sympathetically. “That’s all I can tell you for now. But rest assured, your case is still being worked on.”
He gave her a polite nod.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to.”
With that, he walked away.
Julia stood there for a moment, frozen.
Then she remembered another familiar face—the officer who had spoken to her the previous day.
Maybe he could help.
She hurried toward the ticketing section, trying to catch a glimpse of him.
But the queue stretched endlessly across the station. Passengers stood shoulder to shoulder, their voices blending into one loud, impatient murmur.
She sighed heavily.
“Oh, gosh…”
There was no way she would get through that crowd.
Defeated, she turned around and slowly walked out of the station, disappointment weighing heavily on her heart.
A bitter laugh escaped her lips.
“Worst Christmas ever.”
She looked up at the grey winter sky.
“Curse this snowstorm. If not for it, I’d be in New York right now.”
“You forgot your jacket again.”
A familiar voice called from behind.
Before she could turn around, a warm jacket was gently draped over her shoulders.
She spun around.
“Alex?”
He gave her a small, awkward wave.
“You’re still here?” she asked in surprise. “What are you doing?”
He hesitated, scratching the back of his neck.
He couldn’t tell her the truth—that he had been waiting outside because he was worried sick.
“I… uh… ran into an old friend,” he said, avoiding her eyes. “We got talking, and then I saw you coming out.”
It was a lie.
A gentle one.
“Oh…” Julia replied quietly.
“How did it go inside?” he asked.
Her lips trembled.
“It didn’t.”
Alex didn’t press any further.
The sadness in her eyes told him everything he needed to know.
“So…” he said after a brief silence. “Are you heading home now?”
Julia let out a small, broken laugh.
“I don’t have a home, Alex.”
She looked down at the snow.
“I was supposed to travel to New York yesterday, but the snowstorm blocked the tunnel. Then someone stole my bags.”
She swallowed hard.
“Everything I owned.”
“I reported it, but…” She forced a weak smile. “Apparently, nothing can be done until next week.”
Alex felt something twist painfully inside him.
For the first time, he was hearing her story.
Instead of feeling relieved that she would soon be out of his life, all he felt was pity.
Sympathy.
Anger on her behalf.
And a strange urge to protect her from a world that had shown her nothing but cruelty.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly.
And he meant it more deeply than he expected.
“It’s okay,” Julia replied with a weak shrug.
“I guess Christmas isn’t for everyone.”
She looked up at him and smiled faintly.
“Thank you… for everything.”
She turned to leave.
“Wait.”
Julia stopped in her tracks.
He swallowed hard before speaking.
“Where are you going now?”
The question escaped before he could stop it.
He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer.
Julia looked ahead.
“Nowhere.”
She smiled sadly.
“Maybe a welfare home will take pity on me.”
“They usually do around Christmas.”
Alex let out a slow breath and stepped closer.
“Or…” he began, his voice unusually hesitant, “…you could stay at my place.”
Julia looked at him in surprise.
“Just until you get back on your feet,” he continued. “Then you can continue your trip to New York.”
She immediately shook her head.
“No.”
“I don’t want to inconvenience you… or your daughters.”
She smiled apologetically.
“I’m already grateful for everything you’ve done.”
“I never complained,” Alex replied gently.
“And I’m still not complaining.”
Julia lowered her gaze.
“But your girls…”
She hesitated.
“I don’t know how they’ll feel about me. I’m not really good with kids.”
“I don’t want them to dislike me and make things awkward for you.”
A small smile tugged at Alex’s lips.
“That’s thoughtful of you.”
He folded his arms.
“But trust me…”
“I can handle my daughters.”
He nodded toward the car.
“Come on, Julia.”
“I still have breakfast to make, a house to decorate, and Christmas is only two days away.”
Julia stood there for a moment, weighing her options.
Then, slowly, she nodded.
As she followed him toward the car…
She found herself smiling.
“So,” Alex said once they were back on the road, “what would you like for breakfast?”
“I’m getting pizza and milkshakes for the girls.”
Julia didn’t answer.
She was too busy staring out of the window, completely lost in thought.
Alex chuckled softly.
“I’ll take your silence as a yes.”
Julia sighed quietly.
It amazed her—terrified her—how quickly life could change.
Just two days ago, everything had been planned.
She and Claire had stayed up all night making lists, dreaming about New York and everything they wanted to do together.
Now…
She was sitting in a stranger’s car.
In a strange town.
With a man she barely knew…
Except that he was annoyingly handsome and had two adorable daughters.
“Best Christmas ever,” she muttered sarcastically beneath her breath.
“Definitely wasn’t part of the plan.”
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