The Miracle of You

“Hey!” Patricia complained, lightly shoving her brother’s shoulder. “You shouldn’t introduce me to people like that! You’re so annoying!”

“Then introduce yourself properly next time without stammering,” Christian deadpanned.

Patricia pouted at him, then turned to Michael with a smile.

“I’m Patricia Callahan. Pleased to meet you,” she said, extending her hand formally towards him.

Michael reached out and shook it politely. “I’m Michael McGregor.”

“Ah! I’ve heard about your family!” she said, and the enthusiasm was clear in her voice. She was so bubbly, so different from her usually impassive brother.

It was interesting to say the least. The two were siblings, but their appearances were almost in complete contrast. Christian had this polished, neat haircut that was slicked to the side, with a few stray black strands falling across his forehead. His features were refined and chiseled, with firm cheekbones and a strong jaw.

Patricia, on the other hand, had long blonde hair that flowed in waves over her shoulders. Her eyes were round and the color of the blue sky, and her features were light and delicate. It seemed that she resembled her mother the most while Christian was more like his father, Gregory.

“I see,” Michael said politely. “I’m honored.”

Patricia opened her mouth and was about to respond, but then Christian suddenly shook his head at her.

“Now that introductions are over, run along,” he said, dismissing his sister nonchalantly. “Forget about that thing. It’s not worth it.”

“It’s not a ‘thing’! Geez, Chris. You’re really incapable of understanding a woman’s feelings,” Patricia said, annoyed. “My boyfriend gave it to me! I have to find it!”

“Your ex-boyfriend, you mean,” Christian corrected flatly. “He broke up with you a few years ago.”

“That doesn’t mean that I can’t treasure the gifts that I was given!”

“Stop talking like that. You’re acting like a child.”

Michael couldn’t take it anymore and asked, “Is there something wrong?”

Christian and Patricia immediately stopped their bickering and turned to him.

Patricia, in particular, was surprised. “Y-Yes?” she squeaked.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Michael offered. If he didn’t do this, he would probably be hearing more of their bickering, and that was not what his ears needed right now.

“Really?” Patricia’s features instantly brightened. “Oh, you’re so kind! He’s much kinder than you are, Chris!”

Christian rolled his eyes. “You did not have to mention my name in such a manner.”

Patricia ignored him and continued to stare at Michael, her lips slightly parted in awe. There seemed to be a suspicious shade of red on her cheeks, almost as if she were blushing. “Um, well… I’ve been trying to find my phone keychain-”

“A trinket, rather. Really nothing of value,” Christian cut in, his tone monotonous.

Patricia glared at him. “My precious cell phone keychain in the shape of a heart. It’s a shade of pink with glitter on it.” She held up her phone and showed Michael the little string and the end of it where the heart should have been. “When I entered the venue, it was still with me. I am certain of that. However, it must’ve fallen off somewhere when I was roaming around…”Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Michael was starting to get a little headache. “In this big hall?” he said.

No way was it going to be easy to scour such a large space as this. Especially not when there were so many guests around! Not when the guests were all socialites and respected people in the business and fashion industry!

Now Michael understood why Christian did not want to help her. Bending down and trying to find a tiny keychain in this huge hall was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It was almost impossible.

“Yes!” Patricia nodded. “Will you help me, Michael? That keychain is very important to me.”

“Again, Patricia,” Christian said, slight annoyance lacing his words, “that trinket was given to you a few years ago by your ex-boyfriend. The same man that said you were ‘too good for him’.”

Patricia rolled her eyes. “You are still sore about that, Chris? I rather think that it’s a compliment!”

“It was a flimsy excuse. You even caught him the week after with a new girl in his arms.” Christian crossed his arms across his chest, looking stern this time. “If that is not cheating, then what is? Really, you should stop being a fool.”

“Oh, if you’re not going to help, then just stay out of it!” Patricia said in irritation. “You have never even lifted a finger for me!”

“And now you’re inconveniencing a guest at this party to look for it for you? What nonsense.” Christian turned to Michael and sighed. “I sincerely apologize for my sister’s rudeness.”

Then he grabbed her by the arm and started leading her away.

“Hey! Chris!” Patricia protested. “He was the one who offered to help me!”

“He was only saying it out of politeness,” Christian responded. “Now stop with your antics or else you will embarrass our father. He’s been looking forward to this event for weeks.”

Michael watched them walk away, the two of them still arguing. Patricia, however, seemed genuinely upset about her keychain.

An hour after this incident, Michael, as if by some trick of fate, actually found the heart keychain on the floor.

It was a complete coincidence. While watching the dance floor, with nothing else to do, he spotted a couple leaving the center, the lady’s dress sliding across the floor in a flowing, tantalizing way. He watched for a while before noticing something odd, something out of place on the polished floor.

Before he knew it, he was heading in that direction. Gliding past the dancing couples, he bent down and picked up the object with his fingers.

It was a heart-shaped keychain, pink with glitter all over it. It definitely matched the description Patricia had given earlier.

However, when he looked around, she was gone. He couldn’t even find Christian and Gregory. Maybe they left early.

But for some reason, Michael put the keychain in his pocket and kept it in a drawer in his bedroom ever since. He might not like Christian Callahan, but if he ever met the man’s sister again, he would return the keychain to her if she still wanted it.

Little did he know that their next meeting years later would be quite unexpected. Far beyond anything he could have imagined.