It was late afternoon. Mel went to the kitchen to help his mother bring out the snacks. Ken frowned at the parcel he just wrapped. Wrapping gifts wasn’t his forte, but hey, he was a fighter, husband, and father, so what did they know? He grinned as Bethany began playing with a piece of string.

“Maybe I should have let your mom wrap gifts…” Ken tugged Bethany away from a box that he had yet to wrap. The little toddler was trying to open it. “Then again…she’d be as curious as you and try to look at what I got her.”

Eliza and Mel came into the living room, cookies and milk in their hands. Mel gave his sister a cookie so she wouldn’t disturb her father’s gift-wrapping.

“I can’t believe how much she’s grown…” Eliza said wistfully. “It seems that only yesterday she was a tiny baby…”

Ken studied his daughter for a bit. She had her mother’s hair, her mother’s eyes…He grimaced slightly.

“When she’s a young lady, she’ll have guys lining up at the door…” he scowled, obviously not looking forward to her teenage years.

Eliza laughed. “She’ll be fine. And it won’t be for a while, anyway…”

Suddenly, the phone rang. Mel dashed to pick up the cordless.

“Hello?” he greeted. “Yes…Who’s this?…Uncle Ryu? You’re in San Francisco?”

Ken and Eliza looked up in surprise. Ken moved over to his son.

“Yeah, he’s right here…” Mel handed the phone to his dad.

Ken held the device to his ear. “Ryu?”

“Hello, Ken. I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“No, not at all, buddy. What’s going on? I heard Mel say you’re in San Francisco.”

“I’m sorry, I should have called first, but I was running late, and my flight got called before I had a chance to call you, and-”

“Wait a minute. You flew over here?”

“Ken, it’s a long story. I’m at San Francisco International Airport, and if it wouldn’t be too much trouble…I’d like to spend time with you and your family for a few days.”

“No, not at all. We’d love to have you. I’ll go and pick you up. What airline are you at?”

“United.”

“Wait for me outside the curb, at the baggage claim area, okay? It’s downstairs.”

“I understand.”

“I’ll be there in half an hour.”

Ryu rubbed his hands together. Luckily, he had come prepared for San Francisco weather. He wore many layers of clothing. He hadn’t seen Ken in over a year. He was grateful that his only best friend was welcoming him into his home. A sleek BMW pulled up to the curb. Ryu glanced at it, seeing a familiar face.

Ken stepped out of the car. Ryu moved to pick up his bag. He tensed slightly…

Ken grinned, raising his fist so he could slam it into Ryu’s…their standard greeting. Ryu’s fist connected with his, and Ryu relaxed. He had gotten past one of the trips he was to make this Christmas. The second…he was more concerned about.

“Come on in…I promise I’ll drive real slow,” Ken joked, knowing how Ryu hated cars. And planes. And nearly any form of transportation that didn’t involve his feet.

Once in the car, Ken glanced at him. “You know…there’s something different about you. I can’t figure out what it is…”

“What do you mean?”

“You seem more…relaxed. Have you been training a lot?” Ken instantly switched subjects.

“No…Yesterday morning I didn’t train.”

“Oh. Well that’s a first. I guess your flight left around nighttime, and you didn’t train in the morning.”

Ryu grinned sheepishly. “I felt it was unnecessary at the time.”

Ken shot him a look. “Okay, you’re starting to scare me.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I don’t know who the h*ll you are, but you’re not my best friend.”

Ryu looked out the window. “It seems that I haven’t been myself at all these past four years.”

Ken glanced at him, knowing what he meant. “Hey, you did what you had to do. I know it’s not my business…but whatever happened between you two…it’s in the past. You’ve gotten over it, right?”

“I…I think so…” Ryu frowned. “Last night…I…had a dream. I was remembering what happened…and I realize that for the past few years…I…I’m not very proud of the person I was. So I’m trying to change all that.”

Ken nodded. “No problem. We all change little by little.” He pulled up to the Masters’ estate. “So how long are you planning to stay with us?”

“How long am I welcome here?” Ryu asked.

Ken socked his shoulder. “As long as you like.”

Ryu cleared his throat. “In four days…I have a flight to go on…”

Ken straightened. “Oh. Where are you going?”

“Hong Kong.”

Ken narrowed his eyes slightly. “Are…are you sure about that? I mean, you’re my friend…I think it’s great you came. But…she…won’t exactly welcome you with open arms, ya know?”

Ryu met his friend’s gaze head on. “I know. But I feel that I should visit her…just to say hello.”

“It’ll be Christmas morning when you reach Hong Kong,” Ken stated. “Let’s just hope she’s in the Christmas spirit, and she’ll at least let you in the house instead of kicking your ass.” Ryu opened his door and pulled out his bag. The two friends headed to the door. As soon as the two stepped in, Eliza, Mel, and Bethany were standing in the hallway. Eliza gave Ryu a hug. Mel shook Ryu’s hand, much to Ryu’s amusement. After Eliz introduced their daughter, Ryu gave her a little tickle in the ribs, and she grinned widely.

“Uncle, did you bring anything for Christmas?” Mel asked.

“Mel!” Eliza admonished.

“Besides myself?” Ryu countered. “Perhaps…but you won’t be able to open anything until Christmas Day…”

“Aw…okay.”

Ryu put his belongings in his room. Then the five gathered in the living room, Christmas carols playing in the background. Eliza had gotten Ryu a glass of milk.

“It’s good to see you again,” Eliza said. “You look so…I can’t put my finger on it…but something about you has changed…”

“He got older,” Ken joked.

Bethany climbed on the couch, wedging herself between Ken and Ryu. Cookie in hand, she looked up at her father, than at her father’s friend.

“Wa?” she held up the treat to Ryu.

Eliza laughed at Ryu’s confused expression. “She’s playing hostess. She wanted to know if you wanted some.”

Ryu smiled. “For me, huh?” He took it from her, split it into two parts and gave her one half as he helped himself to his half.

Bethany grinned and began munching away. Then she climbed into Ryu’s lap.

Ken laughed. “Now she’s going to stick to you like glue.”

“Did you talk to Auntie Chun?” Mel spoke up.

Eliza and Ken went very still, darting glances at each other, then at Ryu.

Ryu cleared his throat. “No…I…haven’t.”

“Maybe you can call her,” Mel suggested.

Ryu smiled ruefully. “I…I think she’s very busy, so she doesn’t want to hear from me.”

“Yes, she does,” Mel insisted. “I know she does.”

“Mel, honey…Why do you think your auntie wants to talk to your uncle?” Eliza prodded gently.

“Because…” Mel responded, slightly exasperated. “She called earlier, looking for him.”

Ryu and Ken quickly looked at each other, then back at Mel. Eliza’s eyes widened.

“What…What did she say?” Ryu asked.

Oblivious to the adults tension, Mel continued, “She said something like…she wanted to talk to Dad, but I told her that he went to buy food…and then she wanted to know if she could talk to Mom…but I said Mom was in the bathroom, and she was taking a shower, and Mom takes forever to get out of the bathroom, even if she’s just gonna be staying home…then she wanted to know if I knew where Uncle was. I said no, and she wanted to know if he might be visiting, and I said I don’t know. And then she asked me about school, about the family, and then we hung up. She sounded sad.”

Ryu stared at the floor in thought. Could it be? Maybe…just maybe…she was willing to forgive him for what had happened in the past?

That evening, Ryu had fallen asleep in the den. Bethany, deciding that her new uncle was her new best friend, peacefully slept on Ryu’s chest.

Ken and Eliza got some pillows and blankets. Ken carefully tucked a pillow beneath Ryu’s head, and Eliza covered the two with a comforter.

“I think he was reading her a story, and she fell asleep,” Eliza said.

Ken stooped to pick up a picture book that was on the floor, near the sofa. “Sure enough…”

Eliza clasped her hand to her heart. “They look so adorable…I had no idea that he was good with children…”

Ken grinned. “Neither did I…considering as fighters, we were never around children…”

“I hope things work out for him,” Eliza said.

Ken caught his wife’s meaning. “I hope so, too. For his sake. He won’t admit it, but he needs her forgiveness…”