Holiday music echoed warmly throughout the house, blending beautifully with the sound of singing and bursts of laughter. Friends and family had traveled from across the country to spend the season with Mary Ann, filling her home with love and festive cheer. Everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves—playing games, watching holiday movies, and baking an assortment of sweet treats. Seated at the table, Mary Ann carefully worked on assembling a gingerbread house, her hands busy with icing and candy decorations. She paused for a moment to take it all in, her heart swelling at the sight of her loved ones laughing and bonding. However, beneath her smile lingered a bittersweet ache. Despite the joy around her, she couldn’t help but feel the sharp sting of her fiancé’s absence, her heart quietly yearning for him to be there by her side.