That felt…reassuring.
I had enough batteries to last about two weeks. The pile of wood was likely to last about as long. Food would be tighter, but we’d manage.
Fucking hell.
Today was December 19th. I’d planned to drive home on Christmas Eve, spend a day or two in Vancouver with Dad and Troy, then head back here. A week of missing data wasn’t going to be the end of the world. Well, it would matter—but this was their first Christmas as a married couple. The only thing they wanted was for me to join them. Troy’s friend Freddie and hisnew husband Anton were going to host all of us on Christmas Day.
Freddie had been friends with Troy for several years now—the older man frequenting the restaurant where my best friend worked. Over the summer, he’d reconnected with his first—and only—love, Anton.
Anton was some hotshot actor who was starring in some new hush-hush secret spin-off television series. Now, I’d heard ofVigilante Justice. Anton had a role in that show that was being…spun off? Or something. Anyway, this was, apparently, a really big deal.
I was happy for everyone. If they wanted me home, I’d make the trip.
Ifthe weather cooperated. I’d berated Kellen for not having checked the weather. I hadn’t either, though. Well, I’d checked the temperature each day for data for my studies—but I hadn’t actually checked the long-term forecast.
I didn’t want to use power with my phone, but I needed to see what was up. Also, if I wasn’t going to make it home, I needed to send Troy a text. Logically, I should text my dad, but he’d be upset. Better to have Troy deliver the bad news.
Huh. Apparently this storm was supposed to end tomorrow. If Mr. Parsons’s guy who cleared the driveway came the day after, I should be okay. There didn’t appear to be any snow until Christmas. Although, admittedly, this was British Columbia. Wait twenty minutes and the weather could change again.
“You’re using your phone?” Kellen pointed.
I pulled the flannel sheet, blankets, and quilt back. “Hop in. I’m just quickly checking the forecast for the next few days. Storm’s due to end tomorrow. Your dad’s got a guy who clears the driveway, and I have a winterized truck, so I should be able to head to Vancouver for Christmas.”
Kellen dove under the blankets, leaned against the pillow, and pulled the quilt up under his chin. “Do we have enough wood?”
“Yep.”
“Do we have enough food?”
“Should.”
“What if I don’t want to go back?”
I shot a text to Troy.
—Planning to be there for the evening of the 24th. —
Immediately, he responded.
—Freddie and Anton want you to stay at their townhouse in North Van rather than you going to your place. All your roommates will have gone home for Christmas, right? —
—I guess? —
Truthfully, I barely knew the guys I was renting a townhouse with near the UBC campus. When I was on work-study, the townhouse was just a place to rest my head. In the new year, I was going to be the TA for an intro environmental science class, so I’d be tied to Vancouver for four months.
I wasn’t looking forward to that.Yeah, but if you want to teach, then you have to be, you know, in a city.
Unfortunately, that was true.
—Tell them I’d be happy to stay in their spare room. —
At least that was the truth.
—Goodnight. —
—Stay safe. We love you. —
That was so like Troy. His parents had abandoned him when he’d turned sixteen and had come out as gay. Dad and I tried to help—and we had to a certain extent—but we’d let that relationship slip through our fingers. Only Troy breaking his leg and needing help had brought him back into Dad’s life—and therefore mine as well.
