Zinnia settled into the porch swing in the yard, with Sunny circling at her feet. She reached out and gently scratched his chin. She tilted her head back to gaze at the starry sky. Her phone vibrated incessantly in her hand. She lowered her gaze to look at the screen. The family group chat was filled with messages of good wishes and pictures of reunion dinners. People kept tagging Zinnia. Zinnia tapped on the screen and sent a good wish to the group. The bustling group chat paused for a moment, and then a tidal wave of caring messages and good wishes poured in. Zinnia had given them a heads-up about returning to the small town. Now she briefly replied to their messages of concern while scrolling through the reunion dinner photos theyโd posted in the group chat. Maisie, in particular, had shared the most. The Spence family and the Perkins family had their reunion dinner together at the Perkins manor. They took the opportunity to discuss plans for Yannisโs birthday celebration the next day. Zinniaโs eyes fell on the latest snapshot posted in the group chat. There was Yannis, seated between James and Raymond. Maybe because Christmas Eve was a festive occasion, Yannis, for once, wore a red and white sweater. With his good complexion, the red color really stood out on him.
In the photo, Yannis had neat, brown hair and a strikingly chiseled profile. His high-bridged nose was almost perfect. With his head slightly bowed, he held his phone. Zinnia couldnโt tell if he was working or just checking messages. She also couldnโt tell what they were talking about, but in the photo, Yannisโ lips curled into a half smile. His whole face lit up with a rare warmth. Seeing him in the photo, Zinnia felt her scattered thoughts start to come together, a rare moment of clarity.
Zinnia hadnโt seen Yannis in days. Both of them were swamped with work, barely finding time to call at night. They only sent a few brief messages. Mostly, Yannis reached out first, and Zinnia simply replied to him. Sometimes, Zinnia would drift off during their chat. The next morning, sheโd wake up, unlock her phone, and see Yannisโ โGood nightโ message. Even though Yannis was just as tired as Zinnia, heโd always wait for her to stop texting back. Realizing sheโd probably fallen asleep, heโd send her a โgood nightโ before finally calling it a night. A gentle smile spread across Zinniaโs face as she saw Yannis grinning in the photo. โHe must be really happy now, not lonely like he always said. The story about being lonely was just a lie. Heโs obviously surrounded by people who care about him,โ she thought. Zinniaโs phone vibrated. She checked and saw Yannis calling her for a video chat. She paused for a second, surprised by his unexpected call, but a smile was already blooming on her face. As soon as the video connected, Yannisโs familiar voice came through, clear and playful, with a signature lilt in his tone at the end. โZinniaโฆโ he drawled. โYannis,โ Zinnia responded, her voice filled with genuine joy. Zinnia looked at Yannis on the screen. He was no longer at the table. It seemed heโd found a quiet corner just for their call, with an oil painting behind him. Yannis gazed longingly at Zinnia on the screen. โYouโre free now, arenโt you, Zinnia?โ He noticed Zinnia wasnโt in her room or the living room. She was outside in the yard, bathed in a warm amber glow against the dark night sky. The scene was lit up now and then by the occasional fireworks overhead.
Yannis knew Zinnia had been holed up in her home lab these past few days, practically living there day and night. He knew how swamped she was, so he hardly dared to disturb her. He only exchanged a few words with her at night before she drifted off to sleep. Zinnia said, โNo matter how busy I am, I have to make time for Christmas Eve this year,โ It was an important day of the year, so she had to make some time for it, no matter what. Yannis leaned casually against the wall and asked, โHave you had dinner yet?โ Zinnia shook her head. โNot yet. Nathanโs cooking.โ She wanted to help, but Nathan wouldnโt let her. He didnโt want to appear completely useless in her eyes.
Yannis smiled and teased, โSo, what tasty food did Nathan whip up for you?โ Zinnia started counting off on her fingers. โMeatballs, fried sirloin steak, lamb chopsโฆโ They couldnโt skimp on Christmas dinner even though it was just the two of them at home. Yannisโ lips curved into a gentle smile. He teased, โZinnia, make sure to eat all the yummy meat tonight.โ โOkay.โ Zinnia nodded. โHave you had dinner yet, Yannis?โ Sheโd just seen the photo. Yannis was sitting at the dining table. The dishes were laid on the table, but it didnโt look like anyone had touched the food yet. โHe must be getting ready to eat, but she hasnโt started,โ she thought. Yannis replied, โNot yet. Iโll grab something to eat soon.โ It was still early. Their Christmas dinner usually didnโt start until seven. โAre you tired?โ Yannis asked, his gaze fixed on Zinnia through the screen. He was unable to conceal the worry in his eyes. He knew Zinnia was always the life of the party, yet now, even on Christmas Eve, there was hardly any joy on her face. Her delicate features couldnโt hide the exhaustion. โWhat?โ Zinnia responded absentmindedly, not really registering what Yannis had just asked. โZinnia, you donโt look happy,โ Yannis murmured, his fingertips brushing against the phone screen as if trying to caress her face through the digital barrier. Zinnia caught the worry in Yannisโs eyes, pursed her lips, and shook her head. โNo, Iโm fine,โ she murmured. Listening to the tired rasp in her voice, Yannis said gently, โIf youโre tired, letโs take a break. As for Nathan, Iโll find a way to help him.โ After Nathanโs incident, the usual liveliness vanished from Zinniaโs voice. Now, whenever she spoke, the weight on her mind was painfully obvious to anyone who listened. โIโm not tired,โ Zinnia said softly, and she truly didnโt feel tired. Even though she was exhausted, staying busy gave her a sense of fulfillment. When she was busy, she wouldnโt have time to overthink. Without those anxious thoughts, fear couldnโt creep in. โZinnia, did you get to see any fireworks this year?โ Yannis didnโt press her about being tired. He knew sheโd deny it. Instead, he steered the conversation toward something lighter. โNot yet,โ Zinnia replied. โNathan also bought some for me this year, and weโre going to set them off after dinner.โ Talking about fireworks, Zinnia tilted her phone upward so Yannis could see the night sky. Overhead, fireworks bloomed one after another, each more breathtaking than the last. โYannis, we have way more fireworks here in our small town than in Jinston. If you get the chance, do come back and see them,โ she said.
In Jinston, there were strict regulations on fireworks. One was only allowed to set them off in designated areas. But in this small town, the rules were much more relaxed. Since nightfall, the sky had been constantly lit up with nonstop fireworks. โAlright,โ Yannis murmured, watching her tiny figure reflected against the fireworks-streaked night sky on his screen. His lips curved into a tender smile. โYannis, dinnerโs ready!โ Layla said to Yannis from behind. It was time to start Christmas dinner. This was Yannisโs first family reunion dinner since returning from his two-year stay abroad. He had mended the rift between him and his father. It marked the Perkins familyโs first proper reunion in seventeen years, filling everyone with joy. โYannis, go and have your dinner,โ Zinnia said softly upon hearing Laylaโs voice. Yannis glanced back and saw everyone waiting for him. He didnโt want to keep them waiting, so he said gently, โAlright, Iโll go eat first. We can talk later okay?โ โOkay,โ Zinnia replied sweetly. Then the call ended. Nathan stood in the living room, looking at Zinnia, who was in the yard. โZinnia, dinnerโs ready!โ โComing!โ Zinnia called out. After chatting with Yannis, she felt a weight lift from her heart. She put her phone away and hurried toward the living room. โYou seem in a good mood,โ Nathan remarked, immediately picking up on her shift in demeanor. Zinnia walked over to Nathan and said directly, โI just talked to Yannis.โ โWell, it seems Yannis knows best how to cheer you up,โ Nathan remarked.