the progress project [3]

5 1

fiona

there is an unusual gift wrapped under her tree and in cursive is fiona.

she picks it up, terrified of what it could be.

"you can open it," the voice says behind her. she swivels to slam into christian, who must have been standing closely. she opens her mouth to tell him that she didn't get anything in return, that he shouldn't have done it, but he shakes his head. "it's okay. i wanted to do it."

she unties the ribbon, opens the box, unwraps the tissue—

a claddagh ring; two hands holding a heart.

"it's irish. it symbolizes love, loyalty, and friendship. it isn't romantically, uh, meant from me. think of it as a gift from elijah..." christian says softly, uncomfortable with her silence.

stop psychoanalyzing me, she wants to say. instead, a "thank you" falls out of her mouth as she chokes back tears.

his hands are shoved into his pockets, his face that was once an open book, now returning back to its normal emotionlessness. the words he uses next, however, are flooded with kindness and something foreign. "i know that you want him to be here, and i'm sorry that he isn't. you deserve to be happy with him, and i wish i could somehow let you know that it's okay. elijah... he forgives you. he will always forgive you, because he loves you, even if he isn't alive to tell you that. and it doesn't matter how long it takes, but mourning him, not letting him go... it won't bring him back. so i just... i got you this to let you know that it's okay to move on..."

she watches him, noticing the underlying message of his speech that he would never say aloud because of his respect towards her. it's okay to move on. move on to me.

"thank you," she whispers again, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "thank you so much."

christian nods, squeezes her shoulder, and disappears to the kitchen, leaving fiona with a burning sensation where he touched her.