A Christmas storm made me his

Chapter 7: Snowed In

The hot chocolate was too sweet. Lily had added extra marshmallows when Ethan wasn't looking, then grinned at me like we were conspirators.

I sipped it anyway. Sat at the kitchen table while Lily chattered about her favorite Christmas movies and Ethan stood by the counter, checking his phone.

He'd barely said two words since we'd come out here.

The TV in the living room droned in the background. Local news. I wasn't paying attention until I heard the weatherman's voice shift. Urgent. Serious.

"...unprecedented storm system continuing to impact the region. All major highways remain closed. Authorities are advising residents to stay home. Power outages reported in several areas..."

Ethan's head snapped up. He grabbed the remote. Turned up the volume.

A map filled the screen. Red zones covering nearly everything north of the city. Road closure symbols everywhere.

"Officials say it could be several days before conditions improve. This is the worst December storm we've seen in over twenty years..."

Several days.

My stomach dropped.

"Daddy, does that mean school is cancelled?" Lily asked.

Ethan didn't answer. He was staring at the screen with an expression I couldn't read.

The weatherman continued. "In addition, we're getting reports that the Pine Ridge area is completely inaccessible. The main access road has been buried under snow, and crews won't be able to begin clearing until at least Monday, possibly longer..."

Monday. That was three days away.

"Many vacation rentals in the mountain region are unreachable. If you had plans to travel to the area, authorities strongly advise postponing..."

Ethan switched off the TV.

The silence felt heavier than before.

"Daddy?" Lily's voice was small. Uncertain.

"It's fine, sweetheart." He set down the remote. "Just means we're staying home for a few more days."

She didn't look worried. If anything, she looked pleased. "Does Ava have to stay too?"

His jaw clenched. "Yeah."

"How long?" I asked. Tried to keep my voice steady.

"Until the roads open. Could be three days. Could be longer." He finally looked at me. "Your rental cabin is in the Pine Ridge area. You heard what they said. It's completely inaccessible."

So even if I could leave, I'd have nowhere to go.

Perfect.

"I'm sorry," I said. Again. How many times had I apologized in the last twelve hours?

"Not your fault the storm hit." His tone suggested otherwise.

Lily hopped down from her chair. "I'm going to play with my dolls. Ava, do you want to see my room now?"

"Lily—" Ethan started.

"Please? You said I had to leave her alone before but now we're having hot chocolate together so that means we're friends and friends show each other their rooms."

The logic was flawless. Six-year-old flawless.

Ethan looked at me. Waiting for me to decline. To make this easier on everyone.

I should have. Should have gone back to the guest room. Stayed out of their way like I'd promised.

But Lily was looking at me with so much hope. And the thought of sitting alone in that room for hours, for days, made my chest tight.

"Okay," I heard myself say.

Lily squealed. Grabbed my hand again.

"Ten minutes," Ethan said. Sharp. "Then Ava needs to rest."

"I don't need to rest. I'm fine."

His eyes narrowed. "You almost froze to death last night."

"But I didn't."

"Because I found you."

The words hung between us. Accusatory. Angry.

Because he'd had to save me. Because I'd disrupted his life. Because I was here at all.

"I didn't ask you to."

"You think I should have left you out there?"

"I think you wish you had."

Lily's hand tightened in mine. She looked between us. Confused. Scared.

Ethan's expression shifted. Softened. He crouched down to Lily's level.

"Go show Ava your room, sweetheart. I need to make some phone calls."

She nodded. Still looked uncertain. But she tugged me toward the hallway.

I followed. Didn't look back at Ethan.

But I felt his eyes on me. Felt the anger radiating off him.

Lily's room was small. Pink walls. Toys scattered everywhere. A bookshelf crammed with picture books. A bed with a purple comforter and approximately seventeen stuffed animals.

"This is where I sleep." She climbed onto the bed. Started arranging the stuffed animals. "That's Mr. Buttons. You already met him. And that's Princess Sparkle. And that's Diego the Dragon. He's Daddy's favorite because he got him for me when I was a baby."

I stood in the doorway. Watched her play. Watched her create her own little world.

"Do you have a lot of toys at your house?" she asked.

"I don't really have a house right now."

She looked up. "Where do you live?"

"An apartment. In the city."

"Is it nice?"

"It's small."

"Do you like it?"

No. The answer was immediate. Certain.

I'd never liked that apartment. Never felt at home there. It was just a place I slept. A place that took most of my paycheck and gave me nothing back except four walls and noisy neighbors.

"Not really," I admitted.

"Then why do you live there?"

Because I had to live somewhere. Because it was close to work. To a job I'd just lost.

"I don't know anymore."

She patted the bed beside her. "You can sit. I won't bite."

I sat. The bed was softer than mine. The room smelled like strawberry shampoo and something sweet. Childhood.

"Daddy says our house is small too," Lily said. "But I think it's perfect. Just right for two people." She paused. "Or maybe three people. If someone else lived here."

Subtle as a brick.

"Lily—"

"I'm just saying. There's a guest room. And you need a place to stay. And Daddy needs..." She trailed off. Picked at the comforter. "I don't know what Daddy needs. But I think he's lonely."

My throat tightened. "I'm sure he's fine."

"He's not. He pretends he is. But sometimes I hear him at night. Walking around. Not sleeping." She looked at me. "Do you not sleep either?"

"Sometimes."

"Because you're sad?"

"Yeah."

She nodded. "Daddy's sad too. I think that's why he doesn't smile much anymore. Not like he used to. I've seen pictures. From before. He smiled a lot before."

Before his wife died. Before he became a single father. Before his world fell apart.

"I'm sorry," I said softly.

"Everyone's always sorry. But nobody does anything about it."

The words hit harder than they should have.

She was right. People offered sympathy. Condolences. Empty words that changed nothing.

"What do you want people to do?" I asked.

She thought about it. Serious. "Make him smile again. Make him not lonely. Make him..." She bit her lip. "Make him like he was before. Happy."

"I don't think I can do that."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know how to make myself happy. How am I supposed to help someone else?"

She considered this. Then shrugged. "Maybe you figure it out together."

Six years old. Six years old and somehow wiser than me.

Footsteps in the hallway. Heavy. Purposeful.

Ethan appeared in the doorway. "Time's up."

Lily groaned. "But we just got started."

"Ava needs space. So do we." His eyes met mine. Cold again. Distant. "Roads are closed through the weekend at minimum. You'll stay in the guest room. Meals are at seven, noon, and six. Try to stay out of the main areas when we're here."

Try to stay invisible. That's what he meant.

"Understood."

He nodded. Started to leave.

"Ethan?"

He stopped. Didn't turn around.

"Thank you. For letting me stay."

His shoulders tensed. "I didn't have a choice."

Then he was gone.

Lily looked at me. "He doesn't mean it."

"Yes, he does."

"No. He's just scared. When people are scared, they're mean sometimes. Even when they don't want to be."

I wished I could believe her.

But Ethan had made himself perfectly clear.

I was trapped here. And he was trapped with me.

And neither of us was happy about it.