Ariel had been working on something secret.
For months, he'd disappear to a workshop outside town, refusing to explain.
"What are you building?" Glad asked repeatedly.
"You'll see. Be patient."
Finally, he revealed it: a small cottage beside Anino Garden, designed for two.
"For us," he explained. "When we want quiet. When we need to step away. A space that's just ours."
Glad's eyes filled with tears.
"It's beautiful."
"I wanted to give you somewhere to retreat. You've given everyone else everything. Time you had something just for you."
They stood together, looking at their new home—small, perfect, theirs.
"Best gift ever."
"Best partner ever."
They kissed as the Watcher watched, purring approval.
Some gifts, the oldest being in existence understood, weren't things.
They were space.
Time.
Love made visible.