Page 17 of When the Snowman Whispered
Interestingly, the elves that I’d carved weeks ago, remained still. And the guitar didn’t move.
Maybe I should’ve focused on sculpting Prince. That might’ve been an interesting evening.
I sucked on my cancer stick, pushed away my pride, blew out smoke, and dialed the police.
Fuck this. I’m calling the cops over here and I don’t care if I look crazy. I’ll rather be alive and embarrassed, then unashamed and dead.
An operator came on the phone. “9-1-1—”
“There’s someone outside of my house!”
Fifthteen minutes later, a cop car pulled down my driveway.
That was something that would’ve never happened in New York City. Here, it was more of a small-town feel. Everyone knew each other and where they lived. Many had grown up together. Most were related by blood or marriage. Few people committed crimes. I hadn’t heard of a murder happening in years. The biggest news this year deal with when the Quincy boy had robbed the Mason’s corner store with a fake gun.
Everyone knew each other here. And unfortunately, out of all the cops that could’ve came to my house tonight, it had to be my ex-boyfriend, Daniel.
Great. Just great.
Daniel had been my first love. He used to help me catch lightening bugs and butterflies during the spring and summer. By fall, he captured my heart in the process and had taken my virginity. He’d been a great guy, but at seventeen I didn’t want great. I wanted bad and adventurous. Brett had been Daniel’s best friend who’d come by to visit me on the days Daniel couldn’t get away from football practice.
Mom would make a special brew of tea for Daniel to help him with football. I didn’t know why anyone never questioned it. Even his parents and coach made sure he picked up that tea in the afternoons so he could drink it after practice. She claimed it was just to keep his body in good condition. I knew she was lying, but wasn’t sure why.
Nevertheless, Brett wasn’t in any sports or much of anything, so every day he’d come by the house, grab the big bottle of tea, and take it to Daniel once practice finished.
If not for that tea, I wouldn’t have fell for Brett. No. It wasn’t Mom’s tea. It was my dumb ass.
Daniel had been a great guy, but I was stupid and young and wanted a ticket out of town. Daniel had talked about staying around and buying a house near his mother.
While Brett had boasted about applying to colleges and opening his own business in a big city.
Brett wanted to see the world.
Daniel thought our town was the world.
In some ways Daniel was right. It was a beautifully imagined world full of small blocks with ma and pa shops, selling farm grown produce, boxes of freshly baked goods, and handmaid jewelry. As a kid, I didn’t see our town’s magic. All I dreamed of was the big city. Any big city in fact. Just some place far, far away from here.
In no time, I’d broken Daniel’s heart and rushed away with Brett. I applied for the art school near his college. We dated and visited each other on the weekends. By the last year of both of our academic programs, I was pregnant with Meadow and my very pissed off Mom demanded that Brett put a ring on my finger or she’d put a curse on his penis.
We were married a month later.
None of that matters anymore. There are fucking snow creatures running around. Santa too. And I don’t know if this motherfucker is naughty or nice.
Once the cop car appeared, my snow creatures returned to their spots and froze into statues. The temperature shifted back to freezing. The music stopped. Silenced filled the air.
I stepped outside and yelled, “Oh, okay. That’s how we’re going to play this? You’re just going to pretend like everything is okay when the cops get here?”
I stuffed my pack of cigarettes in my back pocket. I’d chain-smoked three cancer sticks as I’d waited for the cop to arrive. “All of you can go fuck yourselves!”
Daniel parked the car and shut off the lights.
I hurried over to him right as he stepped out of the car. “Thanks for coming over.”
Daniel was a big man, rising even higher than Remy and built like a statue, depicting an ancient God. Even at his age, his chest was still broad with rippling muscles.
He had a chiseled jaw line and deep blue eyes. His brown hair was soft, with the perfect amount of waves. His warm and inviting smile triggered most women in the town to blush. Surely, that smile wet their panties because it always wet mine.
His voice was deep and strong. And for some reason, Daniel smelled like the beach even though there wasn't a beach close to this area.
