Our first Christmas

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.A week ago, she’d been filled with excitement, planning their first Christmas together. She had envisioned cozy evenings by the fire, exchanging gifts under the soft glow of twinkling lights, and stealing kisses beneath the mistletoe. She’d even bought matching stockings for them—his embroidered with a simple “L,” hers with a delicate “A.” They hung now, side by side, mocking her with their untouched cheerfulness.But all of that had come crashing down when Leon told her about the mission.“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he had promised, his voice steady but laced with regret.