The Greatest Gift

𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 12 × 𝘑𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯

"Jaison Clark," Miriam hissed.

Her face was tight, her muscles were tense, and her feet were planted firmly on the floor. Her fists were clenched tightly at her sides.

"Miriam, I'm sorry I didn't call you, but you have to understand that things have been hard right now," I said. "I—"

"It's not just that I'm worried about," Miriam exclaimed. "You didn't even reply to my texts! I snapped you and you didn't respond! I messaged you on Instagram! Nothing!"

"Miriam—"

She held up one long finger. She strided up to me, looked me in the eyes and glared.

"If you want to date me, I am not going to tolerate something like this," he said in a low voice. "A real relationship needs to have communication."

Miriam, Jaison's girlfriend. 

I sighed and took a deep breath.

Calm down. Don't blow up. You've already messed up enough today.

"Miriam, listen to me," I said.

I paused to make sure she would let me talk. She kept glaring at me, lips pursed.

"Miriam, things have been super, super hard for us, and I just couldn't talk to you," I said. "I just couldn't. I didn't want to talk to anyone about... it."

"It?" Miriam spat. "What's it? You haven't talked to me in a week, remember?!"

She was almost yelling now.

I handed Conor over to Bennet, took Miriam by the hand, and took her to a shelf in the hallway, where Mom and Dad's urns were sitting next to dried flowers and framed photos of them.

My throat got tight with emotion. I gulped back tears.

Miriam stared at the memorial shelf. When she turned to me again, her face was full of sorrow.

"Your parents passed away?" she murmured.

I nodded.

Miriam bit her lip and her eyes welled up. She wiped her eyes before her mascara could run.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "If I knew, I wouldn't have gotten pissed off about it. But you didn't post anything about it, and you didn't talk to me, so..."

"I know," I sighed. "I know I should have posted something so people know. But—"

"But you were busy with your siblings and legal things," Miriam said. She put her hand on my bicep. "I get it," she said gently. "Well, now I do. I'm sorry I got pissed about the text thing."

I sighed and forced a sad smile at her. "I forgive you," I said.

Miriam smiled back. She leaned her head on my shoulder and we looked at the memorial shelf together.