It came in the shadows of the night.
Passing silently between buildings. Covering the ground with ice and a peace the city rarely sees. It often takes a moment like that for people to realize the beauty of nature they so frequently miss.
But it comes in the night when most are asleep, content in their beds.
Tonight it came as he was typing. His daughter had been asleep for hours and he had been working the entire time. But he paused and caught site of the drifting flurries as the floated down to the Earth, a few catching on windows. He moved his chair so he could watch for a while.
He thought back to a time when nights like this meant no school in the morning. Accompanied by snowman building or snowball fights with the other children. Sometimes the adults would help but they were mostly content to stay inside where the warmth was. And after spending hours outside, coming in and sitting next to the fireplace listening to stories from travels around the world both on and off the stage or singing carols watching the wind pick up the snow or bring in clouds that would supply a fresh blanket while they slept. Memories of sneaking downstairs to sneak a peek at presents and waiting to hear reindeer.
But these memories soon shift into new ones with the change of the wind. To a time when the snow became a hassle. Of canceled meetings and car wrecks.
But then it went back to canceled school and days spent with his daughter sledding and reading. Decorating for holidays that were weeks away. Spinning stories for her to listen to as he had done when he was younger. Of trying to put bikes and dollhouses together quietly. Memories he would trade for nothing.
He hears some rustling of papers as the heater turns back on. Before long he's back off in his own little world this time imagining the future. With kids and grandkids and pets. Surrounded by all the people he loves so dearly. One in particular.
This time the soft shuffle of footsteps pulls him out of his head. He hears some minor clanging and in about five minutes the footsteps came towards his office. He briefly looked over his shoulder and flashed his visitor a smile. As she walked slowly and carefully over to him, he could swear he hears the pitter patter of her five year old feet again. She has the blanket from the back of the couch draped across her shoulders and two mugs in her hands. He pats his lap and she giggles and rolls her eyes but sits anyways. Some adjustments are made but he takes a sip from the mug allowing the warmth of the drink to spread through him. They sit there drinking and watching, "it's the first snow of the season," she says sleepily. "I know," he takes another sip of his hot chocolate as he watches his daughter fall asleep just like she use to when she was a child.
So I thought of this title like the same time as the other one. And although it never snows here, well it does but it lasts about an afternoon so…yeah. But it's always really nice when it does. Hopefully you've enjoyed this story. Please review.
