Cherringham--Snowblind Read Free

… was indeed a pleasure.
    Closest thing he had to family here.
    Riley sat at his feet, now so peaceful, head resting on his paws.
    “Now for that steak, eh boy?” The dog raised his eyes but didn’t stir as Jack got up and headed to the boat’s small galley.

4. The Morning After
    Sarah inspected Daniel, about to brave the world of snow outside.
    “I don’t think,” she said with a grin, “that I’ve ever seen you wearing so many layers .”
    He had his puffa jacket zipped tight. Worn only once last winter, and on his head a knitted cap yanked down low. Two pairs of trousers and hiking boots, with thick socks pulled up over the bottoms of his trousers.
    “I do feel a bit like the Michelin man,” Daniel said grinning.
    He turned to the back door, the windows glistening with morning sun.
    She laughed at that. “Don’t stay out there too long, it’s still really cold.”
    Her very own Michelin boy nodded. “Going to see if I can build a fort out of the stuff. Maybe even tunnels!”
    “An engineering project. Fantastic. And I’ll make sure that there’s hot chocolate waiting for you when you take a break.”
    And with that, she opened the door, and Daniel went out into what was once a small garden but now resembled an ice flow bobbing away from Antarctica.
    She held the door open only a second, seeing Daniel grab his fort-building tool — a seldom-used snow shovel — and then start trudging into the feet-high snow.
    Now so deep, she saw, that he could barely get his feet up and over to take a step.
    They promised a blizzard, and they delivered.
    She shut the door tight, still checking on her son loving this snow in only the way that a young boy could.
    Which is when Chloe came into the kitchen.
    “Mum …”
    From her tone, the princess wasn’t especially happy.
    “Morning, Chloe.”
    “All this yucky snow. You think it will be gone in time for Lucy’s party this weekend?”
    Sarah glanced at the back door’s window. “Don’t know, Chloe. There’s a lot of snow out there. And I don’t know what the roads are like. I think you’re just going to have to wait and see.”
    Chloe came to the windows and looked out. “Stupid stuff. Like we live in Canada or something.”
    Sarah came to stand next to her daughter. “It’s kind of pretty though, don’t you think? Now that the sun’s out. That blue sky. The way—”
    Chloe pulled away, and walked to the cupboard.
    Guess my poetic descriptions were falling on deaf ears, Sarah thought .
    And amazing how different the two children were. Daniel having an amazing morning piling up the snow, tunnelling. Acting like a miniature Inuit constructing his winter quarters.
    And Chloe, pouring out a bowl of cereal, fretting about the big birthday party this weekend.
    But then — Sarah thought — at her age with a party ahead — she’d probably feel exactly the same way.
    So, she came away from the door, went for another cup of coffee, and then sat down with her daughter.
    Thinking: it’s just good to be here, sitting together. Safe, warm … and as much of a family as I can make on my own.
    “No boy, ’fraid you’re going to have to stay here.”
    The snowdrifts outside would swallow Riley, and Jack planned on doing a big walk.
    If the amount of snow was any indication, then Cherringham was probably “closed for business”. And though he had checked in on Sarah last night, he woke up with the idea of hiking over to her place, pop in, see how they were getting on.
    Guessing that there was really no need. But somehow … it seemed like the thing to do.
    He had to dig around for a thick scarf, and his heavy gloves … winter stuff that he really hadn’t used since leaving New York.
    Always was a great moment when spring seemed to finally come, and you packed away the gloves, the scarves, and the hats. Banished the shovel to the basement.
    And hoped that nature had no surprises.
    He checked that his phone was fully charged.
    Then he went to the steps that