It was a little difficult to wrap my mind around the joy in the room as Kiera’s family went about opening gifts. I’d spent every Christmas morning alone since I was 18, and I was fine with that—happy with that—because for all the conscious years leading up to it, I’d wished to be alone. Prayed for it. Only one time that prayer had been answered, and it had come with a steep price; I hadn’t minded paying it though. Having that same contentment now—without having to pay a damn thing—I almost felt guilty as I sat beside Kiera on the couch, soaking it up like a dry, crusty, thirsty sponge.

And then Anna handed me a present from her parents. I almost didn’t want to accept it…it felt like too much. Just being here, feeling the warmth in the room was enough for me. More than enough. I didn’t want to be rude though, so I took it from Anna.

I just kept spinning it in my hands, amazed, mystified…overwhelmed. Kiera gently elbowed me. “Open it,” she said.

I looked over at her, then her mom. “You didn’t have to…”

Mrs. Allen…Caroline…smiled at me. “I know,” she said, her deep green eyes full of warmth. And acceptance.

The sudden knot in my throat was painful. Swallowing the emotion, I opened the gift. There was a photo album inside, and it was filled with pictures. I couldn’t stop grinning as I flipped through pages of Kiera, some taken recently, some adorable ones of her in her youth. She was beautiful, even back then. Young me would have been just as attracted to her as current me. There were pages of Seattle, my car resting in the driveway of my home, the stage at Pete’s, the city skyline. And then there were pages of Kiera and I together. Those took my breath away. Most of them were candid shots, not taken by us. Me watching Kiera at the bar. Kiera watching me, playing with her guitar necklace, and chewing on her lip. Holding Kiera in my arms in her kitchen, softly kissing as a pot of coffee brewed behind us. The two of us cuddling on her couch, both asleep, both smiling. How did Kiera’s mom get these? Who took these?

Anna giggled while Caroline answered my unasked question. “Anna helped me put that together for you, Kellan. So you could take a piece of home with you on the road.”

I was so moved…I wasn’t even sure if I could speak. I needed to though. This…meant the world to me. My vision was hazy when I looked up at her. “Thank you…so much.”

The thoughtfulness of the unexpected gesture reminded me that I had gifts for them. Grinning, I reached over the couch to grab my bag. “I have presents too.”