It was Christmas Eve, and the snowstorm outside seemed to have no intention of letting up. The blizzard had grounded all flights, trapping dozens of weary travelers at the airport. The only thing that moved in the terminal was the occasional whiff of hot coffee or the shuffle of shoes against the linoleum floors. Gwen Apuli sat on a hard plastic chair, scrolling mindlessly through her phone, her eyes occasionally flicking toward the large digital display that announced yet another flight cancellation.
The weather was getting worse by the minute, and so were her thoughts. She had been looking forward to going home, to escaping the stiff formality of the city where she worked and immersing herself in the warmth of family and friends. But that wasn't going to happen today. No, instead, she was stuck here — in an airport, on Christmas Eve, thanks to a snowstorm that had turned the skies into a chaotic mess of swirling snowflakes.
"Great. Just great," she muttered under her breath. She couldn't even be upset about it. She was already numb, her mind preoccupied with the reason she was going home in the first place.
It was a decision made by her parents months ago: Gwen was to meet her "future wife." The mere thought of it made her chest tighten in frustration. It was an arranged marriage, a tradition from her family's side, something she had never quite come to terms with. Gwen wasn't the type of person to obey outdated conventions. But it didn't matter. Her parents were insistent, and in the end, it was their expectations that always seemed to win out.
Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her spiral of thoughts. She glanced at the screen. Another message from her mom, asking if she was almost at the house. Gwen didn't respond, her fingers hovering over the keyboard but unable to type anything.
As if on cue, a loud, cheerful voice broke through the tension in the air.
"Oh come on, people! Don't be down, it's Christmas Eve! Let's all be happy!" The voice was bright, unashamedly energetic. Gwen's eyes narrowed, searching the terminal for the source. She found her: a woman in her late twenties, with a big smile and a Christmas sweater that was a little too festive for the occasion. Her face was radiant, almost glowing, and there was a mischievous twinkle in her dark eyes.
The woman was standing near the center of the terminal, talking to a group of travelers who looked more exhausted than anything else.
"Happy?" a man grumbled, barely raising his head. "We're stuck here. We didn't plan to be stuck here on Christmas Eve."
The woman laughed, a carefree sound that seemed to cut through the frustration of the room. "There are ways, hmm. Kantahan ko kayo! And, oh look, choco milk and food. It's like a handaan right here!" She gestured around the small seating area, as if she had just discovered a hidden treasure trove. "And we can even gift something, just wrap anything, and hey—bunutan lang!"
Gwen rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to scoff. The woman's energy was almost unnerving. Didn't she realize that people wanted to be left alone?
"Boring..." A small voice piped up from a nearby family. "There's no Barbie, and i want barbie" The little girl was clutching a stuffed toy and looked genuinely disappointed.
"Well, it's Christmas," the woman said, crouching to meet the child's gaze. "It's all about cherishing moments, not things. The best gifts aren't always wrapped in fancy paper."
Gwen shook her head, resisting the urge to smile. There was something about this woman's optimism that was... contagious.
The woman then turned to Gwen, her smile never faltering. "You look like you need a little Christmas cheer too!" she exclaimed, bouncing over to her with the kind of enthusiasm that made Gwen want to retreat further into her seat.
"I'm good," Gwen said flatly, holding up a hand as if to ward off the woman's bright energy. "Really."
But the woman didn't back off. She just sat down next to her, her grin still in place. "Come on, just a little bit of holiday spirit won't hurt. I'm Maloi, by the way." She offered her hand, and Gwen glanced at it but didn't take it. "What's your name?"
"Gwen," she replied, her tone cool, more out of habit than anything else. "I'm just... trying to get home."
Maloi nodded as if she understood, but her face still held that mischievous light. "Well, I'm stuck here too. And I'm not going to let this Christmas pass without at least making a few memories."
Gwen snorted, rolling her eyes. "Making memories? How?"
Maloi gave her a sly wink. "Kantahan. Food. Gifts. What else do you need? Don't worry, we'll make this Christmas unforgettable."
As the hours dragged on and the storm continued its relentless assault outside, Gwen found herself reluctantly drawn into Maloi's antics. At first, it was just small things. Maloi's voice could be heard in the background, leading a group in a rendition of "Jingle Bells" that was half-sung and half-screamed. The little kid had joined in, and even the weary business travelers had started clapping along.
Gwen couldn't help but chuckle at the chaos. "This is ridiculous," she muttered under her breath.
Maloi appeared beside her again, holding out a small bottle of chocolate milk and a bag of chips. "Here, for you. To get into the Christmas spirit!"
Gwen took the drink but didn't immediately sip it. "You're nuts."
Maloi shrugged. "Maybe. But it's Christmas, and that's when all the best memories are made, right? If we can't enjoy ourselves now, when can we?"
Gwen took a long sip of the milk. It was warm and sweet, and somehow, it made her feel a little lighter. She didn't know why, but she felt like maybe—just maybe—there was something to this holiday spirit thing.
The evening wore on, and slowly, Gwen found herself easing into the bizarre festivities Maloi had conjured out of thin air. They made "gifts" from random items they found lying around—Maloi even wrapped up a pen in a napkin, giving it to a businessman with a note that read, "For all your writing needs."
Maloi had insisted on giving Gwen a gift too. She handed her a small bracelet, crafted from beads and threads, which had probably taken her less than five minutes to make. "For you," Maloi said, "to remind you that Christmas is about more than the big plans. Sometimes it's about the little moments, the surprises that pop up when you least expect them."
Gwen stared at the bracelet, her heart doing an odd little flip. "It's... cute," she muttered, unsure what else to say.
Maloi grinned. "It's a reminder, Gwen. No matter how crazy or unexpected things get, it's the moments we least expect that make life worth living."
Hours later, after the storm had finally subsided, the airport began to buzz with activity. The travelers slowly returned to their gates, some more upbeat than they had been when they arrived, all thanks to Maloi's infectious energy.
Gwen's flight was announced. She stood up and turned to Maloi, who was busy helping an elderly woman gather her things. "Well, I guess this is it," Gwen said, her voice softer than she expected. "I'm heading home."
Maloi looked up, a little surprised. "Home?" she repeated, tilting her head. "Where's that?"
"Back in Manila," Gwen said, though she didn't feel the usual excitement at the thought. "To meet my—" she hesitated, unsure how to finish the sentence. "My future wife."
Maloi's eyes softened, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. "That sounds... complicated."
"Yeah," Gwen said with a sigh. "You could say that."
Maloi stepped forward, pulling something from her bag. It was a small keychain, a little star made of woven fabric. "Here. Just a little something to remind you that no matter what happens, you're never alone."
Gwen accepted the gift, feeling a strange warmth spread through her chest. "Thank you."
The night passed, and as the snowstorm finally relented, flights resumed. Maloi and Gwen parted ways, each heading to their respective gates, the unexpected connection still lingering in the air. Gwen tried to focus on the task ahead—meeting her "fiancé" was the last thing she wanted to think about. She was already dreading the conversation, the awkwardness, the expectations.
But when she finally arrived home, a sense of foreboding took over. Her parents greeted her with open arms, their smiles full of excitement.
"There she is!" her mother exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug. "Gwen, darling, it's so good to have you home! Are you ready to meet her?"
Gwen froze. "Her? You mean my... fiancée?"
Her father chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. "Yes, dear! She's waiting for you. Come, come, we'll introduce you!"
Gwen followed her parents to the living room, where a woman was sitting. She had her back turned, chatting with Gwen's father. Gwen's heart skipped a beat as she walked into the room, preparing herself for a stranger—a woman she would be expected to marry.
And then the woman turned around.
Gwen's breath caught in her throat.
It was Maloi.
"W-woah," Gwen muttered, her mouth falling open. "I-It's you."
Maloi looked just as surprised. "Gwen?" she said, her voice tinged with disbelief. "What are you—"
"You're the one?" Gwen whispered, staring at her, trying to wrap her mind around the situation.
Maloi stood, her face flushed with a mix of amusement and embarrassment. "Uh, well, this is unexpected," she said, laughing nervously. "I didn't think I'd run into you like this."
The room was silent for a moment. Gwen's parents, who had been eagerly awaiting the reunion, looked at each other, then back at the two women. "I see you've met!" Gwen's mother said brightly. "We thought you'd get along well, since you both have such similar energy. Isn't it wonderful?"
Gwen and Maloi exchanged a look, neither of them sure how to proceed. Gwen was speechless, her mind racing. The woman who had made her laugh at the airport, who had given her a simple Christmas gift, was now the very person her parents had arranged for her to marry.
"I—I don't know what to say," Gwen finally stammered.
Maloi smiled, a little sheepishly. "I guess this is... one of those Christmas miracles, huh?"
Gwen couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not sure if I'd call it a miracle. But it's definitely unexpected."
"Well, then," Maloi said, stepping closer. "I guess we'll just have to make the best of it, huh? If you're open to it."
Gwen looked at Maloi, her heart pounding in her chest. Maybe this wasn't the Christmas she had planned, but then again, maybe it was something even better.
"Well," Gwen said, a smile tugging at her lips, "let's see where this goes."
And in that moment, with the holiday lights twinkling in the background and the sound of Christmas carols faintly playing in the next room, Gwen knew that this Christmas was going to be one she would never forget.