“Could you pass me the yams please?” Mia’s hand went to pick up the dish her mom had just requested and handed it to her.Once that exchange was done, the table immediately fell back into silence.It wasn’t that the so-called ‘family’ dinners had ever been pleasant, it was just that it had never felt this awkward. Mia wondered if it was because it was Thanksgiving. Maybe that was putting more pressure on everyone than usual. After all, the holiday was all about being with the people you loved and being thankful for it, right? But looking at these solemn faces there was nothing to be thankful for it seemed.Carla cleared her throat. She was determined not to let this meal go down as the worst thanksgiving ever. “So, is the food, okay?”She’d spent hours preparing everything. She’d hoped if she could create a wonderful dinner, the tension between her and Bob, as well as the tension between the girl

It was strange. It had only been a week or so since they had last seen each other, but it felt like a lifetime. At first, Ryan simply held her close and kissed her hair, taking a moment to enjoy the sweet coconut smell of her shampoo.Mia realised that she felt nervous again, just like how she had the first time they’d been this close. She didn’t dare look at him, and instead chose to bury her face in his chest.Ryan chuckled and pulled back slightly before looking down at Mia whose cheeks were beautifully flushed. He said nothing, and instead simply smiled at her before placing his fingers under her chin and raising her head. She let him guide her, her eyes reaching his as she returned his smile.Ever so slowly, he tilted his head and moved towards her, lightly placing his lips on hers.Mia sank into them. Relishing the warm full feeling as he kissed her. Her head felt so light, and yet she was magnetised to his touch. After a few moments she

The silver dress made Mia’s body look like it had been bound gently by moonlight. It shimmered and moved liked the ocean lapping the shore as she made her way down the stairs. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders in soft curls that bounced slightly every time she took another step. Her large hazel eyes had been framed by a soft blend of black and grey eyeshadow, causing them to stand out even more than they normally did. A light gloss had been swiped over her deliciously plump lips, and it took everything Ryan had to not run over to her and kiss her.She caught his eye, and she smiled shyly. How could she be so devastatingly beautiful, and yet completely unaware?Carla was watching the pair from the side-lines. She had worried about Ryan’s intentions with her daughter, but there was something about the look on his face right now that told her she had nothing to worry about. Before she could forget, she took out her phone and snapped a picture of Mia on t

Mia stood there motionless. Her body had stopped working apart from the loud thud of her heart. It made her ears ring. She was paralyzed.Ryan was speaking to her, he looked stressed and upset. But she had no idea what he was saying. It was like she was at the bottom of the ocean and he was talking to her from the shore.But then she noticed Savannah coming towards her, and the world came back into focus. Maybe it was because Savannah was shouting.“Are you deaf now?! You need to accept this and move on, Mia. Ryan wasn’t even yours to begin with.”Ryan stepped in front of her. “Calm down. I’ve said I’ll be with you, haven’t I? Don’t make the situation worse than it needs to be!”Mia shook herself. She couldn’t be here a moment longer. Without saying a word she turned and walked towards the car park. It was only then that she remembered it was Ryan who had given her a lift there.

It had taken Mia a long time to calm down after she’d started crying. People in the park had looked at her like she was a crazy person. As soon as she was able, she had walked briskly back towards the car, Hamlet waddling behind her trying to keep up.When she got back to the truck, she was determined to try again. She wanted to feel connected to her dad. She drove round to the diner they’d always gone to for pancakes, but as soon as she pulled up she noticed that the whole place had been redecorated inside. Nothing looked the same. As she looked through the window that was framed by Christmas lights, she felt the tears coming again. Not wanting a public repeat of the ice rink, she hurried back to the car and sobbed in there instead.  She’d thought coming back to the place where her and her dad had spent time together would help her feel closer to him. In truth she just felt further away. It was like it was compounding the fact that she was on h