“Eat some more,” Nathan said gently as he placed a peeled shrimp on Zinnia’s plate.

Zinnia noticed Nathan’s plate was empty. He hadn’t eaten much, while she was the only one eating. “You should eat more, too, Nathan.”

Then Zinnia picked up a piece of lamb chop with her fork and placed it on Nathan’s plate. “Come on. Eat more of this,” she said. Looking at Nathan’s gaunt frame, she lowered her gaze.

Ever since Nathan’s health started deteriorating, his appetite had significantly decreased.

“Alright, I’ll eat more. You should eat more, too, Zinnia.” Nathan lowered his head, gazing at the meat on his plate. His eyes narrowed slightly as he picked it up with his fork and forced himself to take a bite.

Nathan picked up the glass of orange juice and took a small sip, trying to suppress the nausea rising in his throat. Then he asked gently, “What would you like for a Christmas gift this year?”

Zinnia shook her head. “I don’t want any Christmas gifts,” she replied. What she truly wished for was for Nathan to get well.

Zinnia used to look forward to Christmas, but not anymore. Now, its arrival only reminded her that Nathan’s time was running out.

Nathan said casually, “It’s Christmas Eve, Zinnia. Come on. Let’s have some holiday cheer! With all this tasty food, you can’t find a single dish that makes you happy? If that’s the case, then I guess all this food is pretty pointless, huh?”

“Seriously? They can’t even talk. How could they possibly cheer me up?” Zinnia chuckled at his playfully disappointed tone.

Just as they were chatting, there was a commotion outside the yard. “Hey, Nathan, are you and Zinnia home?” someone called from outside.

“Hey, Zee. Are you guys home?” Chandler asked.

“I’ll go check who’s at the door,” Zinnia said, rising to her feet and heading outside.

Nathan stood up as well, following closely behind her.

“Hey, Nathan, Zee, are you home?”

“How come Zee didn’t set off any fireworks this year? Did they leave again?”

“I don’t think so. I haven’t seen them go out. Maybe something happened to Nathan and Zee? Zee doesn’t seem her usual cheerful self.”

“I haven’t seen Zee and Nathan since they got back. Nathan looks so much thinner now.”

The voices outside were a jumble, but every word was filled with genuine concern for Zinnia and Nathan.

Zinnia and Nathan reached the yard door together, and Zinnia opened it.

“Chandler, Tessa, Noreen, Fiona, and Giselle. What brings you all here?” Surprise flickered in Zinnia’s eyes as she recognized the familiar faces outside.

Chandler, Tessa, and the others were carrying a steaming homemade dish. All of them are neighbors from the small town.

Seeing Zinnia, Fiona stepped forward, playfully pinched her cheek, and grumbled, “Zee, you were home all along. We kept calling you to hang out, but you never came."

“What’s wrong? Did going back to your parents make you look down on us now? You didn’t even tell us you were back.”

She was holding Zinnia’s favorite potato salad in one hand and dragging a suitcase with the other.

Zinnia’s eyes lit up with surprise. “Fiona, you’re back!”

Fiona shot her a playful glance. “I had to come back, or you two might’ve forgotten all about me?”

Right then, Zinnia beamed with joy as a group of children swarmed around her, chattering away. Some slipped candies into her hands; others offered her fruit, and a few even pressed small presents into her palms.

“Zinnia, Merry Christmas! Wishing you lots of happiness in the coming year.”

“Zinnia, will there be fireworks this year? I want to see the sparkly ones that shoot up and burst into patterns in the sky!”

“Merry Christmas, Zinnia! Here’s a present for you. I hope you stay happy all year long.”

“Zinnia, more fish and shrimp are in the creek this year. When you have time, let’s go catch some together.”

Surrounded by the excited children, Zinnia laughed and said, “Yes, there will be plenty of fireworks this year! I’ll bring them out for you later, and once I’m done here, I’ll come play with you all.”

Zinnia had an adorable face and a warm, generous personality, making her the favorite playmate of all the children in the small town.

Watching Zinnia suddenly liven up, Nathan’s expression softened with warmth.

“Giselle, take it easy,” Nathan said, hurrying over to support her as she walked in.

Balancing a dish in her hands, Giselle beamed at him. “Don’t worry about me. I’m still strong. I invited you to my place for dinner, and you wouldn’t come, so here I am, bringing the food to you!”

“Nathan, you’ve lost weight again, haven’t you?” Giselle looked at the slender young man beside her, her kind eyes brimming with concern.

“No, Giselle. You always say that every time you see me,” Nathan replied gently, helping her carry the dish and steadying her.

“Nathan, we’re here to join you for dinner today. Hope you don’t mind us,” Tessa said with a grin.

“Not at all! Tessa, Chandler, and everyone, please come right in,” Nathan replied warmly.

Noreen peered into the yard and asked, “Zee, do we have enough tables? Can everyone fit in?”

“Absolutely!” Zinnia nodded eagerly. “Plenty of tables. There’s room for all of us.”

“Come on, everyone. Grab the tables and chairs. We’re all eating together tonight.” Alfred bustled into the yard, calling out to the people behind him.

It was a lively bunch that showed up, everyone bringing a dish they had made at home. Even the little ones who came along packed pistachios, sweets, cookies, sodas, and sparklers. Some kids even brought their own plates and forks.

“After all, a family reunion dinner is meant for the whole family. This year, let’s all eat together,” Chandler said with a cheerful grin.

Zinnia and Nathan grew up in this small town, where the villagers treated them like their own children. Over the years, various families had welcomed them to their Christmas dinner tables.

Last year, they had Christmas dinner at Chandler’s place. This year, however, Nathan politely declined their invitation.

After talking it over, Chandler and the neighbors all agreed to show up at Zinnia and Nathan’s door with their homemade dishes. They couldn’t let the two of them spend Christmas dinner alone. After all, this meal was meant to be shared with family.

In the spacious yard, tables were pushed together to form a long table. It was covered with dishes brought by every family.

“Zee, you haven’t grown any taller this year! Eat up. At your age, you might still shoot up a few inches. So have a bit more, okay?” Fiona said.

Zinnia was seated at the kids’ table, with Fiona beside her.

Fiona’s brow furrowed in concern as she looked at the petite, thin girl Zinnia beside her. She thought, ‘Zinnia must have suffered while she was out. Her cheeks have lost their plumpness.’

“Fiona, if you’re expecting me to grow as tall as you, that’s probably not happening,” Zinnia said, turning to look at Fiona beside her.

With her striking and elegant features and standing at 5’9", Fiona had developed an assertive demeanor from years of working at the law firm.

Fiona pinched Zinnia’s thin cheek and teased, “Why not? Eat more, and you might still grow taller. Just look at you. You look like you’re not getting enough nutrients. How can you grow taller like this?”

“I’m doing okay,” Zinnia protested, not feeling like she’d lost any weight.

Right then, Simon, Giselle’s grandson, stood up and ladled a bowl of soup for Zinnia. He said warmly, “You’ve gotten so thin, Zinnia. Before you left, your cheeks were all round and full, but now, after just half a year, they’re all gone.”

“This is my grandma’s homemade chicken soup. She started simmering it early this morning with carrot and celery stalks. Eat up, Zinnia.”