He remembered the day as if it happened just yesterday. How do you forget something so drastic? Someone's death? And if it took such a toll on him, he couldn't even imagine what Alvina went through, all these years.

They were only twelve years old. Alvina had come with his father to her favorite Ice-cream shop. How madly in love was she with the vanilla flavored one! Coincidentally, Landon and his else brother had also decided to take a visit to the park. He was very happy to see her that day.

Dad! Landon and his brother are here too! You will be a good daddy and buy us an ice cream each, won't you? She had said, in a sugary sweet voice.

Can't say no to my daughter now, can I? Robert had laughed and ruffled his daughter's hair.

Race me! Alvina had cried, before running past them, challenging her father. But when Alvina turned around, and didn't find her dad following after her, she screamed again, come on, Dad!

And just then, she was pushed aside with a strong force. She turned around, and what she saw horrified her. It horrified Landon and his brother, and every other passer-by as they came rushing towards the scene.

Landon remembered the car whooshing past them. He remembered Robert being thrown several meters away by the impact of the car. He remembered Robert's lifeless body and he remembered Alvina screaming and shouting.
He was going to buy me an ice cream, okay? There is nothing wrong with him. Nothing! Dad, you've got to wake up. Can someone call the Ambulance? Please!

And even before the ambulance arrived, he knew, they all knew, that there no saving him, anymore. That he was gone. And so was the Alvina that he knew. She was wrecked. After all, how can it be easy to accept the death of someone so close? How do you convince yourself that the person is no more. That you will never see them around or hear their voice anymore.

How did he expect Alvina to convince herself, that her father's death was not her fault?

But he couldn't take it anymore, his heart couldn't. He couldn't, at any cost, watch her suffer and blame herself for something that she wasn't responsible for. And so he pulled her out of his embrace and brought his eyes to her level.

"Vanilla, you did not kill your dad," Landon said with utmost assurance.
"You didn't do it, and I can repeat the same words for you a thousand times over to make you believe."

Alvina's eyes were moist and Landon's shirt soaked wet from her tears. But he couldn't care less about it.

"You were there, Landon. You know I did. I was responsible for it," Alvina said, her voice a little steady.

"I was there. Which is why I'm telling you, you are not responsible for it. In any way."

"Why don't you understand—"

"Why don't you? You asked him for an ice cream, you asked him to race you. Was that because you wanted to kill him?"

"Landon!"

"You did not. Then why, why do you blame yourself for it? Your father's first instinct was to protect you. Do you think he would be able to forgive himself if he didn't? Do you think he'd be able to sleep at night if that happened? He did what he thought was right. He was your father. He protected you, saved you. And I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have it any other way, even if he had a chance to choose."

Alvina was silent.

"What happened was not intentional. It was purely circumstantial. So please, please stop blaming it on yourself. It was no one's fault. No one's," Landon finished.

Alvina looked down at her hands.

"Thanks, really. But it's going to take me a while to actually believe that," Alvina said, a small smile on her face.

"As long as you believe it," Landon was satisfied.

And then they fell into a comfortable silence. Landon knew by her silence that she was thinking over what he had said. He was happy. All Landon ever wanted was to rid her of her sorrow and sadness and keep her tears at bay, and it seemed that he was one step ahead in his mission.

He turned to his left to look at her and found her staring above, at the stars. And for the first time since they met that day, he looked at her. Really looked at her. And he found that she wasn't just pretty, she was downright beautiful. He simply found no other word that could describe her. He loved the way her eyes crinkled when she smiled. He loved the way the fringes of her brown hair seemed to outline her face. He loved the sound of her laughter, he loved it even more when he was the reason for it. And upon everything else, he realized after a painfully long time, he loved her, all of her. He was in love with her, and he wouldn't want it any other way.

And so, they gazed on. She, at the stars and he, at her.

"It's Thanksgiving! Let's thank god for the good in our life! Anyway the mood had become too gloomy. You first," Landon suddenly said.

Alvina shook her head with a ghost of a smile on her face. Nevertheless, she joined her hands and closed her eyes.

"I am grateful to God for the life that I have and the people in it. I am grateful to God for giving me the best dad ever. And I promise that I will try to live my life without many regrets and guilt, and make my father proud," Alvina finished.

"There, that wasn't so bad now, was it," Landon cheered.

"Yeah, it did feel good. Anyway, it's your turn, mister," she said, playfully.

Landon looked at her, his eyes reflecting an emotion that was unknown to him for a very long time.

"I thank God for you," he said. And he knew that truer words had not left his mouth.

Landon got up and pulled up Alvina with him, carefully. Bringing his hands behind the small of her back, he pulled her closer. He could feel Alvina's breaths become abruptly fast and her eyes searching his for something, anything.

"And I could never thank Him enough for it," he said as he bent down to close the distance between them.

He kissed her fervently, with his lips molding her upper lip, and then her lower. Alvina soon responded by joining her hands behind his neck. Landon pulled her closer by tugging at her back. They were closer now than ever and yet, they were struggling to close the imaginary distance between them.

Landon stepped away, both breathing heavily.

"I love you," they said at the same time.

Alvina breathed a laugh and looked down, hands still hooked behind Landon's neck. He saw her bite her lip, looking flushed, and found his hormones overcome his senses once again.

"Well, I thank god that you feel the same," Landon laughed, as Alvina joined him.

And this time, it was his Vanilla that invaded his lips, and our Gingerbread was more than okay with this.

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Keep smiling :) xx