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 they’d 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 Yannis’s birthday celebration the next day. Zinnia’s 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 couldn’t tell if he was working or just checking messages. She also couldn’t tell what they were talking about, but in the photo, Yannis’ 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 hadn’t 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, she’d wake up, unlock her phone, and see Yannis’ “Good night” message. Even though Yannis was just as tired as Zinnia, he’d always wait for her to stop texting back. Realizing she’d probably fallen asleep, he’d send her a “good night” before finally calling it a night. A gentle smile spread across Zinnia’s face as she saw Yannis grinning in the photo. ‘He must be really happy now, not lonely like he always said. The story about being lonely was just a lie. He’s obviously surrounded by people who care about him,’ she thought. Zinnia’s 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, Yannis’s familiar voice came through, clear and playful, with a signature lilt in his tone at the end. “Zinnia…” he drawled. “Yannis,” Zinnia responded, her voice filled with genuine joy. Zinnia looked at Yannis on the screen. He was no longer at the table. It seemed he’d found a quiet corner just for their call, with an oil painting behind him. Yannis gazed longingly at Zinnia on the screen. “You’re free now, aren’t you, Zinnia?” He noticed Zinnia wasn’t 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, “No matter how busy I am, I have to make time for Christmas Eve this year,” 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, “Have you had dinner yet?” Zinnia shook her head. “Not yet. Nathan’s cooking.” She wanted to help, but Nathan wouldn’t let her. He didn’t want to appear completely useless in her eyes.

Yannis smiled and teased, “So, what tasty food did Nathan whip up for you?” Zinnia started counting off on her fingers. “Meatballs, fried sirloin steak, lamb chops…” They couldn’t skimp on Christmas dinner even though it was just the two of them at home. Yannis’ lips curved into a gentle smile. He teased, “Zinnia, make sure to eat all the yummy meat tonight.” “Okay.” Zinnia nodded. “Have you had dinner yet, Yannis?” She’d just seen the photo. Yannis was sitting at the dining table. The dishes were laid on the table, but it didn’t look like anyone had touched the food yet. ‘He must be getting ready to eat, but she hasn’t started,’ she thought. Yannis replied, “Not yet. I’ll grab something to eat soon.” It was still early. Their Christmas dinner usually didn’t start until seven. “Are you tired?” 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 couldn’t hide the exhaustion. “What?” Zinnia responded absentmindedly, not really registering what Yannis had just asked. “Zinnia, you don’t look happy,” 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 Yannis’s eyes, pursed her lips, and shook her head. “No, I’m fine,” she murmured. Listening to the tired rasp in her voice, Yannis said gently, “If you’re tired, let’s take a break. As for Nathan, I’ll find a way to help him.” After Nathan’s incident, the usual liveliness vanished from Zinnia’s voice. Now, whenever she spoke, the weight on her mind was painfully obvious to anyone who listened. “I’m not tired,” Zinnia said softly, and she truly didn’t feel tired. Even though she was exhausted, staying busy gave her a sense of fulfillment. When she was busy, she wouldn’t have time to overthink. Without those anxious thoughts, fear couldn’t creep in. “Zinnia, did you get to see any fireworks this year?” Yannis didn’t press her about being tired. He knew she’d deny it. Instead, he steered the conversation toward something lighter. “Not yet,” Zinnia replied. “Nathan also bought some for me this year, and we’re going to set them off after dinner.” 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. “Yannis, we have way more fireworks here in our small town than in Jinston. If you get the chance, do come back and see them,” 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. “Alright,” Yannis murmured, watching her tiny figure reflected against the fireworks-streaked night sky on his screen. His lips curved into a tender smile. “Yannis, dinner’s ready!” Layla said to Yannis from behind. It was time to start Christmas dinner. This was Yannis’s 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 family’s first proper reunion in seventeen years, filling everyone with joy. “Yannis, go and have your dinner,” Zinnia said softly upon hearing Layla’s voice. Yannis glanced back and saw everyone waiting for him. He didn’t want to keep them waiting, so he said gently, “Alright, I’ll go eat first. We can talk later okay?” “Okay,” Zinnia replied sweetly. Then the call ended. Nathan stood in the living room, looking at Zinnia, who was in the yard. “Zinnia, dinner’s ready!” “Coming!” 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. “You seem in a good mood,” Nathan remarked, immediately picking up on her shift in demeanor. Zinnia walked over to Nathan and said directly, “I just talked to Yannis.” “Well, it seems Yannis knows best how to cheer you up,” Nathan remarked.