The wind blew lightly through his hair as he sat on the stone bench, gazing out at the river. I stood beside him, watching the way the moonlight glistened off the water.
“Mavis…” His voice was barely a whisper. “Tomorrow is my birthday. How long are you going to keep this up?”
I had forgotten. Tomorrow was his birthday. The gift I had ordered for him was probably still on its way.
--
Klaus awoke, instinctively reaching for the other side of the bed, expecting to feel the warmth of my body beside him. His hand landed on cold sheets instead, the chill sinking deep into his bones. He frowned, his brows knitting together as he stared at the space. My pillow still carried the faint scent of lavender, but it wasn’t enough to fill the void of my absence.
It was Klaus’s birthday today, a Saturday—usually a time when I’d go all out with surprises. He sat up, the dim morning light filtering through the curtains, casting long shadows on the walls. He scrubbed his face with his hands, trying to shake off the creeping unease that had settled in his chest since I walked out.
His insides stirred, restless, uneasy. 'She’ll come back,' Klaus told himself, trying to calm the beast inside. 'She always does.'
Even during our worst fights, I never let his birthday pass unnoticed. I always had a gift and always prepared his favorite meals. Klaus clung to that hope like a lifeline. Surely, today wouldn’t be any different. With determination, he swung his legs out of bed and made his way to the kitchen.
He cooked a full spread of my favorite breakfast foods—pancakes, eggs, sausage, everything I loved. The scent of warm syrup and butter filled the air, mingling with the hope that I would walk through the door any minute now. But as the minutes ticked by, the house remained silent. Empty.
His phone buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. He snatched it off the counter, eyes bright with anticipation, only to find disappointment waiting.
The caller was a jeweler, not me.
"Mr. Klaus of Snowfall Pack?" came the voice over the line. "This is to inform you that the custom diamond rings and tie clips Miss Mavis ordered a month ago are ready for collection."