Chapter 20
Time was the best healer.
On the day before Christmas Eve, Nathan stepped into the house where Kathleen used to live for the first time a year after returning to the country.
He had instructed his housekeepers to clean the place regularly. Nothing, even down to the smallest decoration, was to be moved. Every trace of her remained, as though she had just left a few minutes ago.
That day, Nathan had given the cleaning staff the day off and decided to tidy up the place himself.
That was when the letter arrived. The courier was already gone. Only the writing on the envelope gave a clue as to the identity of its sender.
Nathan hurried outside, hoping to find the courier to confirm the sender’s information. However, the courier had long left. Disappointed, he returned indoors and opened the envelope.
Inside was a simple postcard with “Merry Christmas” printed on it.
It was then that Nathan remembered that Christmas was only two days away. In the past, no matter what went on in life, he and Kathleen had always spent Christmas together every year. But since last year, he had been alone.
Just then, Kevin arrived with cleaning supplies, only to find Nathan standing blankly in the doorway, staring at the postcard. Kevin stayed silent, waiting for Nathan to speak
It wasn’t until he saw Nathan move slightly that he asked cautiously, “Mr. Meyer, did… Ms. Floss send that?”
Nathan held the postcard so delicately as if it were something fragile that might break apart at
any moment.
The postcard dangled slightly, allowing Kevin to catch a glimpse. It showed Kathleen dressed as Santa, standing close to David. Both of them were making funny faces for the photo by the Christmas tree.
They looked adorable, and they were clearly having the time of their lives.
“Oh no…” Kevin thought. He knew Nathan would be deeply affected and could only look at him warily, not daring to say anything that might provoke him.
But Nathan’s reaction was surprisingly calm.
“Kathy said she’s doing well now. She told me she went through confusion and despair, even to the point where she almost couldn’t go on. But when she was at her lowest, David was there
for her. He had given her hope and the strength to keep going.”
He shared Kathleen’s words with Kevin, but at the same time, he reminded himself that she was happy now. The last thing she needed was his interference. Still, his voice started to tremble toward the end of the sentence.
A year had passed, and he thought he’d made it through.
“Would you like to sit down?” Kevin suggested, noticing he’d been standing for who knew how long.
Upon realizing that, Nathan braced himself against the edge of the table. Then, he eased himself into a seated position on the couch. He leaned back, feeling as though all his strength had drained from him.
“Kathy also wrote that she hopes I’ll move on and find my own happiness instead of trapping myself in the shadows of the past. She still considers me her brother,” Nathan whispered.
He looked at her picture, wanting to smile back at her, but found it impossible. In the end, he covered his face with his hands to hide his true emotions.
Kevin was worried that he might spiral into an abyss again as he had the previous year. He tried a different approach and offered, “Mr. Meyer, if you give me the address, it’ll only take ten minutes to locate her. Even if she’s no longer here with us, we’d at least know where she went.”
This was the most reasonable option.
For a moment, Nathan was tempted. He raised his hand, about to give an order to Kevin, But then he lowered it again and looked at the postcard.
“No need. She’s living the life she wanted. I’m fine. I really am,” Nathan said.
After that, he looked up at his longtime assistant, Kevin. “You should go home for Christmas and enjoy your holiday.”
Kevin didn’t decline. He placed everything down in an orderly manner and quietly left the room that held so many memories of Nathan and Kathleen.
Nathan sat there for a long time, and time itself seemed to blur. For a fleeting moment, he thought he saw Kathleen walk through the door. However, it was only an illusion.
His hand traced the familiar handwriting on the postcard.
She had written, “Merry Christmas, Nate.”
Sometime later, he took out a pen and paper and wrote a simple reply, “Congratulations on your marriage, Kathy.”
(The End)
