I think it might help if I backtrack a little bit. You might be wondering who these two people really are. Why are they important? Why is their story worth telling? Why do they feel the way they do about this time of year? Well I might be able to explain some of that now, but we're going to need to go back a few years. So bear with me a little bit here. I apologise in advance.

Four Years Ago:

What you're looking at is a little house. Flowers growing alongside a white fence. Late autumn blooms. The day started like any other, maybe it would have been better if it hadn't. If the weather was strangely darker and colder. If there was some sort of warning...then it would have been better. If there was some kind of sign that this would be the day that everything changed. Any kind of foreshadowing to let you know. A reminder to say the things you want to to the people you love. Life isn't that simple though, is it? Life is never that simple, and hardly ever fair. You see, this is the day when Mia's whole world is turned upside down, shaken from side to side, thrown around for a bit, and then put right back down and left as if nothing had happened. 

Almost crashing through the house as she swung her bag over shoulder, she rushed into the kitchen. Morning sun lighting up the room, shining across her mom's face twisted with worry while she's on the phone. Her dad was standing by the stove frying his normal two eggs to go with his toast.

"Alright... Well is there an opening for an appointment today? Yes, thank you Doctor." The worried lines on her face are quickly replaced by a smile as soon as she saw Mia.

Mia picked up a bowl and poured in some cereal. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes of course." Her mom's tone was even, maybe if Mia had been paying closer attention she would have noticed something was quite right. "You need to hurry up, or we're going to be late."

"I'm almost ready." Mia said in between bites. "Two minutes."

"Alright but I'm leaving in one." Her mom picked up her bag and kissed her husband goodbye.

"See you later Cutie."

Her dad turned and put down his plate, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, it's alright. Thank you." She kissed him again. "Come on Mia we've got to get going."

The drive to school was quiet. "What was that about an appointment today?"

"It's nothing. Just a check up." She pulled up to the school and stopped the car. "I'll pick you up later, okay?"

"Okay."

"Hey, I love you."

"I love you too." Mia hugged her goodbye. Getting out of the car she waved goodbye and walked into the school, just like any other day. 

The rest of the day was normal, uneventful. Classes, break, classes again, lunch, followed by more classes. Nothing out of the ordinary worth remembering. The last bell rang for the day. She went outside and scanned the parking lot for her mom's car. It wasn't there. Instead twelve minutes later her dad drove up to the school, leaned over and opened the door for her. "Jump in."

"Hey dad. Where's Mom?"

He smiled at her the same way you smile at a small animal you know has just been hurt and you want to help. "Mom's okay."

"Dad?"

"She's just in hospital for now. She went in for a check up today, and the doctors just want her to stay in overnight so they can check up on a few things."

Her dad continued to talk but she didn't really hear anything he was saying. This was the start of many hospital trips. She did her best to not remember any of it, but some things are not easily forgotten. Like how even when mom was home she wasn't really back. The blank stare she would have. How thin she had gotten in less than two months. The nights when she would sit up with her watching movies because she couldn't sleep. The days where she didn't get out of bed. How she would need help moving around the house. The scare when she had a stroke half way through dinner one night. By December she was in hospital all the time. She didn't check out again. It was a hard three months. Her mom had been sick before, yes, but never this sick.

Mia went to visit her just like every Friday. It was a cold and the sky looked heavy with gray. She didn't look like she was doing so well. She looked small and fragile just laying there. "There's a Christmas party tomorrow. I thought I might go with Jenna."

"That sounds like fun." Her mom smiled, "What's Jenna been up to?"

Her mom liked to hear about everything that was going on. Especially about her and best friend, who did everything together, and Mia liked telling her. It felt like she was there with her, a part of it all. "She's been talking of taking a trip to Italy. Working there for a year. Au pairing or doing something like that. She asked me to go with her. What do you think?"

Her mom didn't respond.

"Mom, what do you think about me going to Italy with Jenna?"

There was a single beep on one of the machines they had hooked up to her. Then another single beep.

"Mom?"

Then a long beep. Steady and loud. A nurse rushed into the room. The world was moving too quickly and Mia's brain couldn't keep up with it all. Another two nurses came in. Mia was moved out of the way. She just stood there. Watching. Watching as the nurses tried to talk to her mom. As they tried to help. They couldn't. She slipped into cardiac arrest. It was over quickly. She lay there motionless.

The nurses were trying to say something to her. It didn't matter what, there wasn't anything to say. Mia then brushing past them ran out the room. She ran and didn't stop until she was outside. The cold air stung her lungs, like shards of ice piercing them. She stopped and kneeled over. She screamed. It was a wordless scream, but the kind that says more than words can. Then the tears started. It was so cold that the small part of her brain told her to brush them away before they could freeze on her cheeks. That's when she saw it. The first of the small beautiful bits of icey lace that in minutes covered everything. The world was new in white. The first snow of the year.

She stood crying in it for a long time. If she even knew what time was anymore. The world had seemed to be standing still since she had gone outside. Her dad found her there later, huddled in the middle of the hospital parking lot. Some nurse working the front desk that day had called him in about his wife. When he got there they told him the news. He turned and walked out. He took Mia home. Packed her a suitcase with her things. Dropped her off at her Aunt's house. He knew she would be okay there.  

He didn't say anything on the drive over. He dropped her off inside and whispered a goodbye as she sat on the spare bed. His wife's sister cornered him on his way out. They had spoken in hushed tones but Mia heard everything.

"She needs you now, you know."

"It's a lot Alice. I just need some time to sort this all out." He told his wife's...his wife's sister.

"Sort what out?" She questioned him. He didn't say anything. "How long is some time then?"

He looked weak and defeated. "A week, maybe two. I'll be back on Christmas. I promise."

"Okay...but you better be here." She warned.

"I'll be back." He said, and with that left and drove off.

He didn't show up that Christmas. Two weeks turned into a month and eventually she gave up hope. She went back home once but he wasn't there. A new family had moved into their house. In a single day she had lost them both.