BLIND DEVOTION : The Misconceptions of Me | B o o k 1 [EDITING]

Chapter 82: Longtime Friends

Flashback of London, December 1898 [recap]

"Even if you force me to leave, I'll always find her!" Alistair told his father. He wouldn't leave Adaline's eyes, looking at her, afraid he would forget her face one day. Same for her. Her tears were uncontrollable. She feared the lost.

"Then, I regret this for you. You don't give me other choices."

"Wait!" Alistair said, "I have to give her something. Tell your men to release us a moment and... I'll come with you."

His father sighed. "One minute only."

They released the both of them and Alistair could finally reach for the object he wanted to give Adaline. It had been in the pocket of his coat since the day he bought it.

"I know it's way too early but..." He held up a little soft toy, half embarrassed.

~*~

Flashback of Christmas Holidays, 2001.

"Who do we have here?" 

A joyful man disguised in a red suit, huge ankle boots and a hat covering the top of his shoulder-length hair bent forward to look at the little girl who was hiding behind her father's leg.

"That's my little girl, Melanie," Denzel replied with an uneasy smile as she held onto his leg with force. "She's timid. Very timid."

At the Champlain shopping center, there was a long line of parents with their children waiting to have a talk with Santa Claus and couldn't wait for their presents. Despite that the mute Melanie made the wait worst for some hyperactive kids, the old man with the white beard and round spectacles wasn't one of those charlatans; he would take all the time needed to make this girl's day, at the least, forgetting about the pressure of his impatient audience.

He opened his arms. "Don't you wanna come?" he asked. To his expectation, she refused the invitation while shaking her head. "Oh! Oh! Oh!" he let out while grabbing his huge belly.

Denzel chuckled out of embarrassment and started taking her hands off of him. "Mel, baby, why are you scared?" But she only remained behind him while slightly tilting her head to have a glimpse of the man asking for her attention along with his assistant, a red-haired elf who stood just behind him. 

Some people started complaining which made Denzel awkward because he couldn't control the situation.

"I'm sorry, she's shy."

"You don't have to be sorry," he held out his hand, "being shy is not a bad thing. Your daughter is simply unique, and you should embrace that."

Denzel felt somewhat wronged when he mentioned that.

Santa raised an eyebrow, observing Melanie with curiosity. Suddenly, he knelt down in front of her and looked over his glasses. "Do you have friends?" he whispered softly with a gentle face. Seeing how he remained still, waiting for her to answer, she moved out from her dad's leg and shook her head left to right.