Claire walks down the lane, carrying a brown paper bag filled with delicacies like bûche de Noël, Toffee Matzo, chocolate Frosted doughnut and cupcakes. She briskly walks crushing the snow beneath her shoes which started to form thick again due to the current snow fall.

Layer of fragile snow forming on her shoes and few flakes of snow settling on top of her hair, she takes a left turn from the corner before crossing the road to go to the other side.

Street bustling with people few entering the shops to buy stuff while others walking by talking to eachother. Children running into the bakery chased by their parents scolding them to slow down.

She notices the park as she passes by it now covered in snow looking so tranquil so in peace. The white crystals covering it glister under the rays of sun resembling sparkles being tossed on the ground.

Tree's branches covered in snow and few red cherries clung to it covered in snow appeared to be red embers of fire against the cold frost. As if apprising no matter how cold it is, warmth always find it's way.

Something was there about that place, it was deserted as no human was there but still it wasn't looking haunted with the snow as white as ghost. Snow infact added to the beauty of that deserted park which never had a human foot to step in it even once. Reason was still not aware to Claire. People mostly avoided going in that park.

It was indeed a beautiful sight, she was observing when a loud crash sound startled her to spine. She whipped her head to the right to see what probably had caused to produce sucha heart wrenching sound the screeching sound of tyres could be heard as she watches how slowly thin line of gray smoke started to come out now turning into a full blown cloud devouring the object.

She rushes towards the sight trying to fathom what has actually happened, there it was smoke looming out of the car, a lump of snow falls on top of the car because of the impact the hit had on tree making it's branches to shake and snow to fall.

She bent down to get a clear view of a person inside it, smoke settling inside her lungs as she breathes causing her to cough and her eyes sting with tears.

Tears started to prickle her eyes which blurred her vision making it more difficult for her to see, she swatted her hand infront of her face to remove the smoke while coughing and the person she saw shocked her.

A man was lying in the car, his forehead bleeding and shirt drenched in red, she gasped as she saw Hernan Ambrose in the car unconscious lying on his seat.

~~●●~~

She sat on seat tapping her feet nervously on the floor, her eyes every now and then darting towards the emergency room whose light was still red notifying the case is still critical and doctors are still working.

She blew air through her lips tightening her grip on the paper bag as she bites her bottom lip.

Hernan was in the ICU after that accident ambulance took him to this hospital and Claire volunteered to go with them as she took the files from the car thinking they might be important.

Here she was waiting outside for the light to turn green, she could have left him here but she couldn't get herself to do so. She was deep in thoughts when she heard a voice and looks up, the light was green now and door opens as doctors came out removing their gloves and mask placing it on the tray held by a nurse.

"He is out of danger now, we will be shifting him to normal ward but he is still unconscious we anticipate he will gain his consciousness in one or two hours". Doctor mutters out before he turns to leave.

Claire heaved a sigh of relief and goes back to her seat, she decides to wait a little longer before heading back home.

"How's my dad?"

Claire's body stiffened when she heard the voice, she somehow knew who it belongs to. She turned her face right and saw Him, she quickly ran to her seat and sat bringing the paper bag up to cover her face as she faced the wall not wanting him to notice her.

"I asked how is my dad?" Marcellus asked as he took deep breaths to calm himself. He was in his office when he got a call from the hospital regarding his dad and the accident, he immediately left whatever he was doing and head for hospital driving as fast as he can, negative thoughts making there way through his brain.

"He is fine sir and out of danger now, we have shifted him to normal room you can check on him once he gain consciousness" doctor said and left.

Marcellus takes a long breath before supporting himself with the wall, his back resting against the wall as he stood there. He needed to hear this, just the thought of what wrong could have happened shook him to core.

He rotated his head to left and rolled his eyes "you can remove the paper bag i saw you" his voice lacing with annoyance. He saw her when he talked to the doctor.

"Hey" Claire squeak, as she lowers the packet embarrassed that he found out she was hiding. He flawlessly ignored her greeting and started typing something on his phone.

"How rude" she thought to herself. She took that time to take in his appearance.

He had short black hair, tuft of hair falling on his forehead as he looked down to type, his hair were messy as if he had ran his hand through them multiple times, he had pointed nose, perfectly arched eyebrows and long thick eyelashes touching his blemishless cheeks. He licks his lower lip while typing and then she notices he has pink plump lips. He was tall roughly 6 foot.

"Didn't your teacher teach you in school it's rude to stare someone" He says gruffly, eye brows frowning as he kept typing.

Claire immediately looked other side her cheeks heating due to embarrassment.

She clears her throat before saying "I was just seeing you don't even have tears in your eyes and you don't look concerned". She says trying to hide her embarrassment.

"And why so?" He asked now finally giving her a look raising his right eyebrow as he kept phone in his pocket.

"What do you mean 'why so' he is your dad and you don't even look concerned, he is in hospital" she retorts.

"Really? Thanks for reminding me by the way you don't have tears as well " He asked curtly.

"Why would I? I mean I am concerned out of humanity but he is no one to me and here he is your dad"

"Exactly he is no one to you so it's none of your business to ask me anything"

"You make no sense here"

"So do you" He replied

"Uh sir the patient has gained his consciousness you can go and meet him now" A nurse said eyeing them as she heard them bickering.

"I will go meet him and you stay here I need to talk to you" He said to Claire and left to meet his dad.

"Why he wants me to stay, is he offended by what i said, what if he wants to take revenge but what revenge, it wasn't a big deal was it ?" She thought to herself.

"Dad wants to meet you" Marcellus said as he came out.

"Meet me, Why?" She ask confused.

"Oh! Since you were so concerned may be he wants to right down a will for you and transfer his property papers to you" He replied with a tight lipped smile.

"Can't you converse properly for once?" She glared him grabbing her paper bag and went inside Stomping her feet.

She enters the room, she could smell antiseptic, a little bitter, with undertones of the artificial fragrance contained in soaps or cleaners.

And Beep sound from the machine attached to Mr. Ambrose. She paved her way to him, "Hello sir" she greets as she walks near him and stood beside his bed.

Hernan looks at her and smile to which she gave a nod and a small smile. "Thank you child for helping me, doctors told me you brought me here" his voice rasp.

"No need to thank me, had there been someone else they would have done the same it's called humanity" she replies softly "oh! and this your files i found in the car so I brought it here thought they might be important" she kept the files on the near by stand.

Hernan smiles at him "what is your name?" He asked.

"Claire D'Aboville"

"Thank you once again"

She shakes her head and smiled "I must get going now, my grandma must be waiting" she says and keep the brown paper bag next to him filled with sweets "Happy holidays and merry Christmas" saying that she left.

Hernan smiles to himself, she was a kind girl had there been someone else, they would have left but she stayed but suddenly his brows frowned she reminds him of someone as if he had seen her before.

Claire got out of the room and decided to leave, she walks down the hallway towards the exit door.

Marcellus was filling the formalities needed by the hospital near the reception, when he gaze up and his dark grey eyes met her light ones for the first time before she exit.

~~●●~~

"I am home" Claire walks inside and remove her shoes putting them on shoe rack situated next to the door then she resume to remove her scarf and coat.

"What took you so long, usually you come by seven but today eight?" Her grandmother asked sitting next to the fire place on couch knitting something, her face glowing scarlet as shadow of fire falls on her face.

"Nothing much" Claire replied walking to her grandmother.

"No no no go and wash hands first remember" her grandmother glared.

"Yeah fine" Claire raised her hands up in air and scrunched her nose before turning around to go to wash her hands.

Claire picks up the lavender fragrance liquid soap and squeezed a little on her palm then pour some water and rubbed it until it gave lather. She rinsed the lather off her hand and dried her hands with towel.

"Here see done" she showed her hands to grandmother before eagerly picking up the cookie from the plate and started munching on them. Her grandmother smiles at her antics.

Claire's eyes suddenly got wide when she realized she forgot to buy cookies "shoot" she mumbled out with cookie still in her mouth.

"What happened" Her grandmother stopped knitting.

"I forgot to buy cookies" she replied sheepishly, after giving the paper bag to Mr. Ambrose she decided to buy some cookies on her way home but as usual forgot.

"Knew it, I know you so well. Anyway no problem I already asked Arthur to bring ingredients for cookies, we will make cookies it's been so long since I made them" Grandma shakes her head and smile at her granddaughter.

"Okay ginger bread cookies for Christmas" Claire squealed and side hugged her grandmother. "I will go get some coffee" saying this she stood up to get coffee from kitchen.

She was sitting sipping coffee, her gaze locked outside the window a kid was making a snowman with his father, it was already dark around 8:30 pm when a lone tear slides down her cheeks.

"Dad dad come on lets make a snowman" a small girl giggles to her dad as she grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her.

"Claire no you will catch cold make snowman after sometime when snow fall stops, now get inside" Her mother shouts from the door step.

"No! Momma i am strong I will not catch cold right dad" she looks up at her father with big doe eyes and a pout.

"Your mom is right Claire, let's go inside we will make snowman in morning okay" He tries to reason her.

"No no no dad we will make it now, you promised me we will make a snowman when you return from work now come on" She shakes her head while dragging her dad with her.

He sighed and looked at his wife "she wouldn't listen i will take care of her" he smiled her.

His wife shakes her head and glare "15 min that's it, get inside after 15 min and make sure she doesn't play much with snow"

Claire giggles " thank you momma" her mother smiles at her and walks inside.

Her dad picks her up and take her to the spot where there was enough snow to make snowman.

Claire felt a hand on her shoulder, she quickly wipes her tears and turn to her grandmother.

"Missing them right, me too" Grandmother squeezed her shoulder, Claire moves closer to her and keeps her head on her grandmother's shoulder.

"Why they had to leave so soon grandma" she whispered.

"May be God had some different plan for them child, we can't do anything when it comes to almighty, everyone has to go someday we can't keep people forever but we can keep memories they are always alive in our memories and here" she pointed towards her heart.

They both got lost in their thoughts. But one thing was common the thoughts were of the people they loved and missed as they watch the family going inside the home, the son laughing when his dad tickled him and picked him up while climbing stairs.

"What are you knitting now?" Claire asked after sometime frowning her eye brows and pointed towards the wools of different colors kept in basket infront of grandmother.

"Oh this! You will find out once it's finished" her grandmother spoke.

"You know you shouldn't strain your eyes so much" she scolded grandmother narrowing her eyes.

"I like to do it now hush up and let me do my work" grandmother said before resuming back to her work looping a strand of wool around the tapestry needle and started knitting.

Claire shakes her head and sips coffee watching the snowfall outside the window her thoughts going back to what all happened in a day from cafe to hospital.