Christmas was in full bloom as Embrie happily walked home with a spring in her step. Everywhere she looked everyone was jolly, waving to her as if they hadn’t a care in the world. And she bet they didn’t, for tomorrow would be Christmas Eve! The sun was rapidly lowering to the ground and in place of it Christmas lights were springing up in all sorts of colors. Embrie breathed in the crisp air of an England winter and finally arrived at her small apartment. Although she didn’t have a large mansion to stuff with Christmas decor and lights, they did use the little space they had on their small balcony and boasted a small Christmas tree along with rail-fulls of colorful lights and holly. Embrie opened the door to her home and looked at the mail she had gathered from her mailbox. She saw that one of them was addressed to her and picked it up curiously, recognizing the handwriting as her husband Hunter. It read: My dear Embrie, on my way back from Poland my plane lost control and I had to do an emergency landing in Belgium. I don’t know when this letter will get to you, but I desperately hope that I will be back home for Christmas. It was a little bit of a rough landing and the rudder was damaged, but I desperately hope I can find a way to be back in time for Christmas. Hope you understand. Best of hopes, Hunter. Embrie stared at the letter in shock. It was a miracle that he was uninjured, but his plane was his most prized possession, and she couldn’t imagine he would be able to fix the rudder in a timely manner, especially with how their budget was doing that month. They had barely scraped up enough money to pay their monthly rent, and at the moment the only way for them to get money was Hunter’s job as a pilot. Embrie had worked on a detailed blueprint of an engine for a fighter jet that would use minimum fuel even at top speed. It only saved the slightest amount of fuel, but over time it would make a difference. And until she found someone interested to invest in it, they were going to have to keep on scraping for money. She had recently finished it and she knew what she was going to have to do now in order to find someone to fix Hunter’s plane. The next morning Embrie woke up with the sun. If she started driving early, she should get to the Aviation Academy in a timely manner. It was only about two hours from where she lived in Manchester and she hoped that she could catch a moment with one of the instructors who may be interested in her blueprint. She rolled up to the campus and walked up to the front desk asking for instructor Carson Bullard. “That would be three doors down to the left on the third floor.” The receptionist replied gruffly. Embrie thanked him and started up the stairs to the instructor’s office. During her research, she found that before he took up his job as an instructor he had been an aircraft technician. She arrived at what she hoped was the correct door and knocked. She had to admit even to herself that she was nervous, but she fingered Hunter’s letter in her pocket and gained confidence from it. She was beckoned in by a weathered voice and the door emitted a small creak as she stepped into a small but cozy office. A large window occupied the back wall, yet the warm oak bookshelves and glowing fire softened the intimidating edge that may have filled the office. “Instructor Carson Bullard. I’m Pleased to meet you.” Embrie nodded respectfully. “I’m Embrie Miller, and I’ve come to talk to you about a blueprint for a fighter jet I thought you might be interested in.” “Oh?” He raised his eyebrows. “Please take a seat then, and tell me all about it.” Embrie sat in a large leather armchair. “Thank you, sir. So you see…” *** A few hours later Embrie walked out of the Aviation Academy with a lighter heart. Instructor Carson had proven to be quite interested in her engine blueprint and had invested in it. Instead of taking money, she asked him if instead, he would fix Hunter’s plane. He hastily agreed, knowing it was too good of a deal to pass down. Once she was home, she lay on her couch, both physically and mentally exhausted from the tedious bargaining. However, Embrie found that she didn’t at all regret her actions, for she had done them for her love of Hunter. ***
It was late that night when there was a knock on the door. Embrie sprung up, ready to greet her husband and she was not disappointed, for standing in the doorway was Hunter. He looked tired, yet Embrie had never been more glad to see him. She had been fretting through the evening hours that he would not come home in time for Christmas Eve. While families had been laughing together and opening gifts, she had been sitting all alone at the table, waiting to eat her food until Hunter showed up. She had put so much faith into his coming in time, that she had warmed up the meal and prepared him a plate that was now sitting at their small two-person table. Embrie’s smile held pure joy as she ushered him in and sat him at the table. Soon enough it was time for presents, and Embrie smiled at Hunter. “I don’t have anything physical to give you at the moment, so I might as well tell you myself. I managed to secure someone to fix your plane for you. I’ve gotten all of the funds worked out, you won’t have to pay a cent.” Hunter looked wary. His brows were lowered and what would have been described as a frown tugged at his mouth. “How did you get this money?” Embrie felt like tearing something to pieces with the way he looked. She had expected him to be happy, joyous even. Instead, he seemed almost…well, disappointed. “I gave my blueprint to an instructor at the Aviation Academy, and he agreed to fix your plane.” Hunter paled. “My dear Embrie, for your Christmas present I gave my plane to the Belgium military to get the attention of an officer who had told me he is interested in your blueprint.” Embrie’s eyes grew wide as she listened to Hunter. However, when he finished she gave him a wan smile. “I guess neither of our gifts work out then. But that’s not what matters. What matters is the love that both of us put into our gifts.” Hunter drew her into an embrace. “Then let’s make this Christmas one we won’t forget.” And that night Embrie and Hunter Miller made the best of what they had and their Christmas was a joyous one. One could hear them laughing and chatting throughout the streets of Manchester, and jubilee seemed to emanate from their small apartment. And one might wonder why they were having such a lovely Christmas even without presents. And the answer to that question is because even if it seemed like they didn’t have any presents, they had the best gift there was to offer. And you know what that was? The gift of love. THE END
