That second passes slowly for me as I map out the slight redness clinging to her lash line from her tears and the slight downturn of her mouth even as she smiles at her friend.
She needs comfort. Pampering.
We split ways on the next floor as Snow follows June out of the hospital, and I walk to the parking garage where I snagged a spot earlier that day.
At four in the morning, the entire world is silent but lit up with beauty as the town transforms from a quiet place to live and work to a glittering, magical place.
Every store I drive past has its Christmas displays lighting up the windows and street lights are wrapped in tinsel with large lights strung from one pole to the next.
Several trees are decorated to the nines and placed around the town square, and even the town hall has decorated the rafters this year.
I drive for ten minutes and pull up at the bus stop where Snow stands, stamping her feet against the cold and puffing out her now rosy cheeks.
“Need a lift?” I ask as if this weren’t where we agreed to meet.
“Doctor Thomas! How kind of you to stop. I’d love one. Seems I missed the last bus.” Her performance is sweet.
“At four in the morning?” I tease as she climbs into the car. “Do the buses even run that late?”
“No,” she scoffs softly, huddling into her seat after she closes the door. “This is the first year in… I don’t know how many, but the first in so long that I don’t have to claw my way up that ice-covered hill to my apartment. No bus or car is making it up there now.”
“Howdidyou get home before?” I ask as we drive away.
“I’d either crash at the hospital and head home once the ice thawed a little, or I would take this really long, winding path that goes out into the forest and loops around the hill. It comes up at the crest near the highway turn off, but it’s a good extra hour of walking.”
“At night?”
Snow glances at me and scoffs. “Yeah.”
“By yourself?”
Her smile turns coy. “Are you getting protective?”
“Maybe. I want to hope that Caleb was decent enough to meet and walk with you but I guess?—”
Snow bursts into laughter, giving me my answer.
It’s a warm sound, though, and a smile creeps over my own lips.
There it remains until we’re up in my apartment and shedding off our coats to the pleased, excited yowls of my cats.
“One at a time.” I chuckle, nearly breaking my ankle as Willow and Rustle wind around my legs at the same time.
“Aren’t you adorable?” Snow coos, scooping Tiger into her arms. “Yes you are, yes youare.”
“Hungry?” I head for the kitchen with cats in tow.
“Starved,” Snow says as she follows. “But we can feed these rascals first.”
Ten minutes later, pizza is ordered and all three of my darling cats stuff their faces in their bowls.
I pet each one in turn, top up their water, and then find Snow in the living room.
She’s gazing up at all the decorations and rather than disturb her, I quietly turn on the twinkling lights.
“Beautiful,” she murmurs, and she turns to face me with all the multicolored lights reflecting on her gorgeous face.
“Absolutely,” I agree. “I haven’t decorated in years.”
