Snowbound

Willow finally agreed, and accompanied Erin and

Fiona back downstairs. Troy had his eyes closed and

was listening to his music again. Only the poker players

turned their heads.

Kelli smiled brightly and said, “Hey.”

Hopper asked, “You want to play?”

Color high, Willow shook her head shyly. “No,

thanks.”

Dieter stood, abandoning his cards. “How about

Chinese checkers?”

She bit her lip, gave Fiona a desperate look, then took

a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”

Erin went back to her book, and peace once again

reigned.

John materialized at Fiona’s side. “Did you convince

the brat to apologize?” he asked, voice pitched for her

ears only.

She sighed. “In a manner of speaking.”

“What’s that mean?”

“You’ll see.” She tried to shake off her oddly dark

mood. “Maybe I’m wrong. She could be genuinely

contrite.”

He grunted. Fiona had no trouble interpreting the

sound.

“Has the snow let up yet?” she asked.

He shook his head. “It’s going to be a while before

you get out of here.”

Of course she felt dismay, because the kids were

going to get bored and have even more trouble getting

along. But if she’d been here alone… Well, she’d be

glad to be stranded for longer.

And she knew perfectly well why.

“Shoot, I forgot to try to call Dave again. My principal,” she explained. “I suppose I’d better do it.”

She retrieved her cell phone, but this time failed to

get the call through. She followed John back to his

room, where he took his phone from a bedside table.

She succeeded no better with his.

“They know you’re here and safe,” he said. “Don’t

worry.”

“I’ll bet the parents are worrying.”

“Because you would if one of them was your kid.”

“Well, of course I would! Dave got one call, I kept

cutting out, and now not a word.”

“You can’t do anything.”

“No. I know.” After a minute, she smiled, if crookedly. “Oh, well. Until Amy’s little outburst, everybody looked pretty happy.”

“You wearing down yet?” Had his voice softened?

“I’m fine. Oh, let me retrieve the rest of those pads.”

“Right.” He went into the storeroom and returned

with another of the baskets he used for toiletries and

soap in the bathroom, this one heaped with small,

plastic-wrapped sanitary pads. “This okay? Or should

I put them in a brown paper bag?”

She made a face at him. “Girls’ bathroom. Boys’

bathroom. Remember?”

He grinned, then said, “Sorry I didn’t offer any in the

first place. I could have saved some trouble.”

“Amy was mad because she thought Willow was

flirting with Hopper outside. I suspect she’d have

figured out some way to get back at her. This was just

the first opportunity that arose.”

“Ah.”

“Makes you glad not to be sixteen again, doesn’t it?”

As if involuntarily, his hand rose to touch the scar on

his face. “Oh, I don’t know.”

Feeling insensitive, she said, “I’m sorry,” then

stopped. “Okay, I’m doing it again.

His fingers curled into a fist and his hand dropped to

his side. Face completely blank of expression, John

shook his head. “Don’t worry. That time, I might as well

have asked for pity.”

She let out a huff. “I wasn’t expressing pity. It was

sympathy!”

“Which is completely different?”

“Yes!” she exclaimed. “Don’t you know the difference?”

“Apparently not.”

“Do you think…that the scar makes you unattractive?” She couldn’t believe she’d said that, and almost opened her mouth to once again say, I’m sorry. Just in

time, she stopped herself.

He gave her a peculiar look that she couldn’t read.

“It might’ve looked better if I’d just tattooed one side

of my face, or put ten hoops through my eyebrow

instead. A scar… I don’t know.”