Christmas

A month before Christmas, the news came—the kind of news that shakes you to your core. Dalton had been preparing for his January 24th enlistment, mentally gearing up for the days he had left with Vanessa, holding on to the idea that they could still have time together, time to figure everything out. But when the recruiter called, everything changed.

His date had been pushed forward.

January 4th.

The words hit him like a punch to the gut. A month. That's all he had left. Panic settled in quickly, creeping into his chest and tightening around his heart. He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to leave her, to say goodbye, to walk away from the life they had built together. The thought of it made him feel hollow inside.

As much as he tried to keep it together, that gnawing sense of dread wouldn't leave him. Time was slipping away, faster than he could control, and no matter what he did, January 4th loomed on the horizon like a storm cloud he couldn't escape.

The last Christmas before the military came up fast.

Dalton buried his panic in work, taking on random jobs wherever he could find them. He did anything and everything—mowing lawns, cleaning up garages, even helping out at a few local shops. Anything to keep his mind busy and earn enough money to give Vanessa the perfect Christmas. He wanted to make sure this holiday was special, something unforgettable.

His dad, seeing how much Dalton was struggling, did what he could to help. One night, as Dalton sat in the trailer, exhausted from another day of odd jobs, his dad handed him a small box.

"This belonged to your grandma," his dad said quietly, placing the box in Dalton's hand. "I think she'd want you to have it now. Maybe... maybe it's time."

Dalton opened the box slowly, his breath catching as he saw what was inside—a delicate, simple ring, passed down through generations. It wasn't flashy or extravagant, but it carried weight, a legacy that couldn't be measured by money.

Christmas was going to be the day he proposed.

Dalton had made up his mind. Despite the panic that had been eating away at him, despite the dread of his enlistment date creeping closer, he knew one thing for certain: he didn't want to lose Vanessa. She was the one constant in his life, the one person he couldn't imagine being without. He needed her, and this Christmas, he would show her just how much.

With the money he had earned from his odd jobs, Dalton bought her a handful of gifts. He wasn't rich by any means, but he had worked hard to make sure she felt special. And the ring—that would be the final gift, the one that would change everything. The proposal was his way of securing their future, of holding on to the life they had built together.

***

Christmas morning came quicker than Dalton had expected.

The day was filled with laughter, with the warmth of holiday traditions and the soft glow of lights strung up around the trailer. Vanessa smiled as she unwrapped each gift, her eyes lighting up with each thoughtful present Dalton had gotten for her. But Dalton's heart raced, knowing the biggest moment of the day was still to come.

When the time felt right, when the laughter had died down and the room grew quiet, Dalton took a deep breath. His hands shook slightly as he reached into his pocket, pulling out the small box his dad had given him.

"Vanessa," he said softly, his voice trembling just enough to give away his nerves. "There's something I need to ask you."

Vanessa's eyes widened, her expression shifting from joy to confusion, and then to something Dalton couldn't quite place. As he opened the box and revealed the ring, her face went pale.

"I love you.." Dalton continued, his voice breaking. "And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

The silence that followed was unbearable.

Vanessa stared at the ring, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. For a moment, Dalton thought maybe she was just surprised—maybe she needed time to process what was happening. But then, she shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I... I can't.." she said, her voice trembling. "I'm... I'm too young, Dalton. We're too young."

Dalton's heart sank. He hadn't expected this—he hadn't prepared for her to say no. His mind raced, trying to make sense of her words. Excuses. That's all they were. He had convinced himself that this was the right thing to do, that they were meant to be together, but now... now she was pulling away.

"We can make it work" Dalton pressed, his voice growing more desperate. "It doesn't have to be right now. But I love you, and I want to build a life with you. Don't you want that too?"

Vanessa's eyes filled with tears, but she still shook her head. "I do, Dalton, but... I'm scared. This is... it's too much."

The rejection hit him harder than anything else ever had.

Dalton felt the weight of her words, the finality of them, and it crushed him. She was slipping away, right in front of him, and no matter what he said, no matter how much he pleaded, she wasn't going to change her mind. She was too young. They were too young. Excuses.

The way Dalton handled the situation wasn't good. He knew that. His desperation got the best of him, and instead of accepting her decision with grace, he pushed harder. He didn't want to lose her—he couldn't. But no matter what he said, the answer didn't change.

Even after the proposal failed, Dalton pressed on.

He loved Vanessa too much to give up, even after she had turned him down. She was the last thing he truly had, the one part of his life that felt solid in the middle of the chaos. No matter what had happened, no matter how hard things got, he kept moving forward. For her.

But the empty feeling lingered, and the weight of the failed proposal hung over him like a shadow. Time was running out, and soon, Dalton knew he would have to leave.

If only things had gone that way.