“Where do you think you’re going?” I called after him.
“I’m going to make a snowman!” He pulled open the front door.
“Whoa! Wait a minute there, Champ.”
Danny stood frozen in the doorway, revealing snow piled higher than his waist. “Woah!”
A gust of wind sent the snow spiraling into the living room. Danny yelped, and I helped him close the door. His wide eyes met mine. “I think it might take a long time to shovel Grandma’s sidewalk this week.”
I chuckled. “That’s an understatement.” I ruffled his hair. “I’m going to call her and make sure she has heat. The wood stove works, so she should be good.” I pointed at the pile of snow in the entryway. “How about you play in that snow for now?”
He nodded and grabbed a pile and pressed it together. It packed tight. “It’s the snowman kind!”
That meant the snow held more moisture and would be heavier. I met Faith’s eyes over Danny.
“I better make sure Mom is okay, then maybe call around and see who needs help.” I walked back to my room to grab my phone, praying it still had battery and service.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
FAITH
The power was finally working consistently, but it took most of the day. It was now getting dark again. My phone was plugged in with Adam’s charger and finally had enough charge to turn on. The cell phone service was spotty at best. I wrote out a text to Marissa and Rose.
Faith: I’m safe. I’m stuck at Adam’s. The roads are impassable, especially with my tires. He said he could try to bring me into town in his truck if needed. Are you both safe?
I hit send and watched as the sending message appeared under the text. I chewed my bottom lip.
Message unsent.
I sighed and held my phone in the air as high as I could as the bars went from none to one. I hit send again. Holding my phone awkwardly over my head as I stared at the screen.
Message unsent.
Adam chuckled. “Here, let me help.” He walked to my side and held out his hand for my phone. “If you want.” He smirked.
His reach was substantially more than mine, so I shrugged and handed it to him. He held it in the air and hit send.
Nothing.
“Sometimes you can get better service on the road.” He went to the front door, grabbed his coat, and started putting on his boots.
“Oh no, it’s okay.” I didn’t want to be an inconvenience.
He quirked his eyebrow. “Really, it’s no problem. I’m sure your friends are worried, and I know I would want to know you are safe.” He winked, pulled the door open, and went outside. As he waded through the snow toward the road, it ranged from almost mid-calf to above his knees in some spots.
I’d lived here three years and never seen a storm like this. Being farther outside of town added complications as well. The plows would start in town and would work hard and fast.
Adam walked up the driveway, where the snow wasn’t as high, and out onto the road. He held his hand in the air, and it looked like he pressed send. His breath floated up in the air toward my phone. He brought the phone down and studied the screen and flashed me a thumbs up.
His shoulders stiffened as he looked down the road. He stepped back into the driveway as lights came into view on some sort of tractor. It pulled up next to Adam, and he started talking to a man in a cowboy hat, coat, and gloves.
Adam leaned in to hear him above the motor.
My stomach tightened. Did this man have news, and if so, was it good or bad?
The man pointed back the way he had come. Adam nodded and turned and ran to his front door.
Well, that can’t be great news. What could it be? Was it the road? Was someone hurt? Ugh, it could be so many things. We had sent a few texts, but had gotten nothing back from anyone.
