Chapter 6 The first wish on the list

For someone who is always active, I couldn't believe I'd slept through half of Christmas day. The exhaustion from last night's events had clearly caught up with me, but I feel lighter than earlier.

Miller's comfortable play pants and soft round-neck top were a lifesaver, allowing me to relax after eating the breakfast he brought for me.

When I finally woke up, the room was strangely quiet. Where is Miller? I wondered. Just as I was about to drown in worry, the door of his suite opened, and Miller walked in, two large black nylon bags in his hands.

His smile put me at ease, and my worries melted away. "Hey, sleepyhead," he said, dropping the bag onto the floor. "I was starting to think you'd sleep through Christmas dinner."

Relief washed over me, followed by curiosity. "What's with the bags?" I asked, my voice still husky from sleep.

Miller smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I thought we could make the most of our Christmas day. The things we need to make a Christmas tree."

My heart skipped a beat and excitement bubbled within me as I swung myself out of his bed. The fact that he remembered his words made my heart swell. I can't believe he would go the extra mile to help a stranger like me.

"You should have told me before you left. I could have assisted you since I know my way around here more than you do," I said, hiding my over excitement with a flimsy excuse.

His signature smile etched on his face. "Because I am not from here doesn't mean I don't know my way around."

He took out his cell phone from his pocket, swinging it in front of me. "I got a mobile to show me around."

A chuckle escaped my lips as I watched his childish but cool gesture. Since I met him, everything he does has been different from Raphael. Quickly, I pushed the thought of Raphael out of my mind, giving my whole attention to the man in front of me.

Carefully, I checked the bags Miller brought in. He got everything we needed to make a Christmas tree. Funny how he bought the same things Winnie advised me to get.

Winnie. My heart skipped as I remembered her. She would have been so worried about me because I haven't called her since last night. I don't know how she would react if she heard what Raphael had done. She will surely give me the 'I told you so' look.

"Let's get started," Miller's voice took me out of my thoughts.

"Sure," I said as I joined him to bring out the items he had brought in.

Before I could pick up anything, Miller took it from me as fast as he could. He didn't even give me the chance to contribute to the task.

Just watching him set up the tree made me happy. This could have been me and Raphael, but he decided to play with my intelligence.

"Do you make a wish list every Christmas?" Miller asked with a smile on his face.

"Yes. It was kinda a family ritual," I answered as I admired him beside the half-done Christmas tree.

"Why are you not with your family? Why do it with your boyfriend since it is supposed to be a family thing?" He asked, sincerity laced in his voice.

His question was a simple one, but for me, it was a heavy topic to talk about. To be honest, if my family were around, it would have been better for me, but what can I do if they can't be here anymore?

Miller stopped the decorations, fixing his gaze on me. A glimpse of guilt flickered in his eyes as he studied my silence. "I'm sorry if I said something I shouldn't have said," he apologized.

"No, don't be." I retorted quickly, hoping he wouldn't change because of my emotional instability. "I was just wondering if things would be different if my parents were here with me," I added.

"Where are they?" He asked.

"Heaven, maybe." I shrugged. "They passed away a long time ago."

"I'm sorry about that," he said.

"I think you apologize more than I do," I joked, trying to make the air lighter.

A nervous smile escaped his lips as he continued with the decorations. "What about your other family? Like a sister or brother? He asked.

If it was someone else, I would have complained about the questions he was asking, but since it was Miller, I could tell he was only trying to have a conversation.

"No siblings. I'm an only child." I answered casually. "What about you? Do you have siblings?" I mirrored his question.

"Yes, I have a brother," he answered, but his tone was impassive. His curt answer shows that he doesn't want to dive into the topic.

"What do you do in New York?" He continued his questions, but it was fun answering them.

"A baker," I answered him.

"That's nice," he commented as he continued his task. "But why are you not busy at the moment? I thought bakers were usually busy during the festive season."

"Yeah, you are right. I took a short break yesterday to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas with my....." I trailed off. The thought of calling Raphael my boyfriend felt heavy in my throat.

I'm sure Miller noticed the change of mood, but he didn't make it obvious. Instead, he changed the topic as he announced that the tree was ready.

"The Christmas tree is ready," he announced with a broad smile on his face.

Putting behind everything else, my face lit up at the sight of the tree. "It is beautiful," I complicated. My compliment was more directed to his efforts than to the tree itself.

"I should take a picture," I said as I saw him do the same with his cellphone.

Twenty missed calls. The notification greeted me as I turned on my phone. Eight miss calls from Raphael, eight from his cousin and four miss calls from Winnie. 'Oh my God, Winnie never calls more than twice'.

I ignored Raphael and Rachel, dialed Winnie immediately.

"What the hell, Amy? Where have you been?" Winnie's voice boomed through the speaker of my phone.

"Hello to you too," I replied, sarcastically.

"Come home, Amy. I've been worried sick about you," she said calmly. The change in her tone made me realize that she had heard something from Raphael. Winnie already knows about last night.

"Sure, I will be home soon," I assured her before ending the call.

Disappointment washed over me as I turned to Miller. "I'm sorry, I have to go now."

"No problem. Can you give me your mobile number before you leave?"

He wanted my cellphone number. That's unexpected. "Why do you want my number?" I asked him, making sure I didn't sound rude to him.

"We have a wish list to complete," he answered, raising his eyebrows. "I made you a promise, Amelia."