Chapter 1

Miranda took a huge bite of the strawberry. Her eyes lit up, and she smiled brightly. "It's delicious!"

Mindy saw Miranda's smile and was reminded of her daughter's earlier arrival. Her heart stirred, and she gently took Miranda's hand. She studied Miranda carefully, from head to toe.

"You've gotten thinner," she observed.

Miranda's mouth was full of strawberries, her cheeks bulging. She widened her eyes, shook her head, and said, "No way! I weighed myself, and I've gained two pounds since last week!"

"I just look like I lost weight. Look, my hands are still chubby." Miranda frowned. "I think I need to go on a diet soon…"

Before she could finish, Lionel interrupted, frowning. "Why do you young women always think about dieting? What fat is there to lose on your scrawny body? If you lose any more weight, you'll be nothing but skin and bones!"

Lionel believed young people were too influenced by online trends, including dieting fads. He was concerned about those starving themselves or taking diet pills. The thought gave him a headache.

Miranda's eyes shone. She leaned against her mother. "I was just joking…"

Mindy tapped her forehead. "This isn't a joke. Be careful; I don't want to see you any thinner next time."

Miranda grinned. "Okay, I know."

Mindy held Miranda close, running her fingers through her daughter's hair. Then, she asked the question that had been on her mind for a long time. "Have you been doing well on your own these past few years?"

Miranda's eyes glazed over. She said lightly, "I'm fine."

"What about that guy—what was his name again? Why didn't he come with you this time?"

Miranda couldn't avoid the question any longer. Her eyes drooped. "We broke up," she said faintly.

Several years earlier, after Lionel's hospital discharge, he and Mindy had visited Miranda in Elgerson City. Miranda's stubbornness had driven them away, and they hadn't contacted her for six years.

Bringing up the subject, Miranda expected Lionel's anger. Instead, she saw calmness and forgiveness in his eyes, reflected in the fireplace's light.

He sighed. "You two were never meant to be. It's good you broke up."

A lump formed in Miranda's throat.

Christmas Eve arrived quickly.

Mindy called Miranda early, while she was still in bed. Miranda answered the door in her pajamas, barely awake. Her eyes were half-closed, her hair a mess.

"Who promised to go Christmas shopping with me?" Mindy chided, pushing Miranda back into her room. "Look at the time! Hurry, wash up and come down for breakfast."

"Isn't it only 7:30 AM?" Miranda mumbled, noticing the dark sky outside.

Mindy scoffed. "It's 7:30 AM, which means we're late! Come down. Breakfast is getting cold!"

Miranda was fully awake now. She quickly washed, changed, and joined her parents downstairs.

Breakfast was milk, toast (bought by Lionel), and oatmeal porridge (made by Lionel). It smelled delicious.

Miranda sat down and took a bite of toast. Lionel wasn't in the yard or kitchen, so she asked Mindy, "Where's Dad?"

"The headmaster called him in early to settle some things. He'll be back later."

As Mindy spoke, her phone rang. She excused herself to answer it outside. The conversation was clearly upsetting; Miranda had never heard her mother so exasperated.

The extraneous chapter numbers and random strings of characters ("+25 BORUS," "amer0100") have been removed as they appear to be errors. The text has been significantly improved in terms of grammar, punctuation, and flow.