My Christmas Valentine

Cherished

♥ Megan ♥

Bean Leaf buzzed with Saturday energy when I walked in. Cutlery clinked, soft music played, and the scent of coffee and toasted bread wrapped around the air. I spotted Amy first, waving from a corner table by the window, her cheeks flushed in that excited, slightly tired way I had started to notice more often. Casey sat beside her, hair pulled into a loose ponytail, a light scarf around her neck. Jessica and Shannon occupied the other side of the table, already arguing over the menu.

“Finally,” Jessica said as I reached them. “We were about to order for you,”

“That would have been a dangerous idea,” I said, bending to hug Amy first. “You would have picked the salad with no bread.”

“That was one time,” Jessica said.

“It was a crime,” Shannon added. I hugged Casey next. The familiar scent of her perfume stirred old memories, but they felt distant now, like photos in a box.

“Hi,” she said warmly. “You look good, Megan,”

“So do you,” I said, and I meant it. She looked relaxed, brighter, different in the same way I probably did. Natasha slipped into the last open chair a moment later, cheeks pink from the cold.

“Kitchen held me hostage,” she said, dropping her bag. “But I escaped,” we placed our orders with the waitress and settled into that easy, overlapping chatter that only happened when we all managed to be in the same place at the same time. Most days, our lives moved in different directions. Today, they lined up long enough for lunch.

“So,” Jessica said, eyes gleaming. “Who is starting? Someone has to have drama. I refuse to believe we are all this boring,” Amy snorted.

“You first, then,” she said. “You clearly have something to say,” Jessica’s cheeks coloured, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Fine,” she said. “I might have started seeing someone,” Shannon groaned.

“You buried the lead,” she said. “She has been waiting to say that since we sat down,”

“Who?” I asked with a smile. Jessica glanced at me, then at Amy.

“Do you know Aiden from Ironworks?” she asked. “New instructor. Tall, dark hair, annoyingly perfect form in every exercise,” images flickered through my mind. I had seen him at the gym once or twice in passing.

“Yes,” I said. “I have seen him. He works with Shane sometimes,”

“That is the one,” Jessica said. “We met at one of the group classes. He corrected my squat, and now we are…going for coffee. And walks. And maybe a movie,”

“Look at you,” Amy said with a wicked grin. “From broken heart to gym romance,”

“He is nice,” Jessica said. “Not just fit. He listens. He remembers things I say. It feels easy,”

“That word again,” I said lightly. “Easy is good,” the warmth in her eyes told me this was more than a passing crush. Shannon rolled her eyes fondly.

“He sends her good morning messages,” Shannon announced. “Every day. It is disgusting,”

“Disgustingly sweet,” Natasha said.

“I am happy for you,” I said. “You deserve someone who actually answers texts,” Jessica laughed.

“I set that bar very low before,” she said. “I am raising it now,” our drinks arrived, and the conversation shifted. We talked about Christmas plans, families, and busy schedules. At some point, the topic circled, as it always did, back to the town itself.

“Speaking of Rockland surprises,” Casey said as she stirred her coffee. “Have you heard who is back in town?” I felt my shoulders tense before she even finished the sentence.

“Brendan,” Jessica said. “I saw him at the petrol station yesterday. I nearly drove into the sign,” Shannon nodded.

“He came into the shop,” she said. “Very friendly. Bought a ridiculous amount of wrapping paper,” several pairs of eyes turned to me. I took a sip of my drink to buy a second.

“I ran into him at the supermarket,” I said. “Amy was with me,” Amy nodded.

“It was a shock,” she said. “Those potatoes nearly met the floor,”

“What did he say?” Jessica asked.

“He is here to visit someone,” I said. “He met a woman online. Her name is Alice. They have been talking for months. He only found out recently that she lives here,”

“Wait,” Casey said. “So, he left, built a life somewhere else, and then matched with someone from this same little town?”

“Apparently,” I said.

“And he is serious about her?” Natasha asked.

“He sounded serious,” I said. “He said things feel easy with her. That she makes him want to put down roots,” there it was again, that small twist in my chest. I pressed my palm lightly against my thigh under the table.

“How do you feel about that?” Casey asked, voice careful. Everyone watched me, their faces a mix of curiosity and concern. I took a breath.

“I am ok,” I said. “Really. I felt strange for a moment. Maybe a little jealous that I could never make him want this town enough to stay. But that passed. I am happy with Shane. I love my life. Brendan and I ended for a reason,” Casey’s gaze softened.

“You know,” she said. “Sometimes it takes the wrong person to show you what you actually need. It does not mean you failed. It just means you were part of the road,” I nodded.

“I know that now,” I said. “Seeing him didn’t make me want to go back. It just reminded me how different everything is,”

“Good,” Jessica said. “Because I plan to like this Alice girl if I meet her. I don’t want to feel guilty about it,”

“You have my blessing,” I said. Laughter broke the tension, and the knot in my chest loosened.

“Since we are sharing updates,” Casey said after a moment. “I have some news too,” we looked at her and waited. “Lance and I are moving in together,” she finally revealed. A chorus of reactions rose from the table.

“Finally,” Jessica said.

“That is amazing,” I said, reaching for her hand. The truth was that we were all happy for her. Casey and Lance had been taking things slow. Almost too slow. Our food arrived, and for a while, the table filled with the sound of cutlery and shared bites. We passed plates back and forth, traded opinions on sauce, and argued over who had ordered the best dish. When the first rush of eating eased, Amy cleared her throat.

“I have something to share, too,” she said. Her fingers trembled slightly as she folded her napkin, then unfolded it again. I knew what was coming. I had known for days. Still, I schooled my face into open curiosity. Once again, everyone waited for her to spill the news. Amy took a deep breath. “Here it is. I am pregnant,” the table went silent for half a heartbeat. Then it exploded with excitement.

“You sneak,” Jessica remarked good naturally. “You kept this from us,”

“I wanted to wait until things felt a little more certain,” Amy said. “And I wanted to tell you all together. It felt right,” she glanced at me, and for a brief second our eyes met with a shared secret. I looked away quickly, focusing on her words instead.

“How far along are you?” Casey asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

“About eight weeks,” Amy said. “I feel tired all the time. Mornings are rough. Some smells make me want to leave the planet. But I am happy,”

“We are so happy for you,” I said, and everyone nodded in agreement. The excitement around the table settled into a warm buzz. We asked questions about names, timing, and nursery ideas. Amy answered what she could and admitted that some things still felt too big to think about. Through it all, I kept my smile in place. It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy, because I was. I just wanted my own life to move forward as well.

♥ ♥ ♥