There's a table they provide children with to help them get the hang of multiplication. However, all the table has managed to do is make little Jameson despise the number nine. Why is it so hard to multiply it with other numbers? Why can't it be like five?
Unfortunately, little Jameson knows that his Math test tomorrow won't simply focus on fives — though, it really should, because five is much better than nasty ol' nine. He sighs and crosses his arms at his chest, glancing out the window, "Maybe I'll get lucky and there'll be a snow day."
"I doubt it, buddy."
Little Jameson looks up as his father walks into the living room, all smiles, as if his son isn't dealing with the most annoying problem of his young life. Jameson whines, "But dad! I can't go to school tomorrow; I'm stuck on the nines."
"Ah, those were always the hardest," he says, setting his briefcase down after a long day at work,
"Have you tried asking mom?"
"Yeah, and she got me through the eights. But I can't get a hang of nine," he pouts, "You think we can get one more snow day? It's possible, right? Even if it's almost April?"
"Not if Jack knows what's good for him."
"Huh?"
"Nothing," then he ruffles his son's head, "I'm going to go and see how mom's doing with dinner. Keep at it, o.k.?"
Jameson lets out an over-dramatic sigh and stares down the table again. Maybe the only nine question will be nine times one, he can at least get that one right.
"Is he still complaining, Jamie?"
"You know it," he says as he walks into the kitchen, greeted with the smell of some sort of roasted meat that makes his stomach take notice, "He's hoping for a snow day."
His wife frowns and turns to face her husband, "I swear if it snows one more time-"
"Hey hey, relax, I don't want it to snow either," he raises his hands in defense, "Do you think I want to pull out the shovel again?"
"… all right," she says, turning to check on the vegetables she's preparing, "I'm just making sure.
You always tend to give in, though."
"Hey, he was right though, it did make for a romantic Valentine's Day."
"Jamie."
"Right right. No more snow days."
As they eat dinner little Jameson keeps glancing out the window, looking for a whisper of snow. Just a flake, really, that's all he wants. A flake times nine… hundred thousand.
"You know, even if it does snow, it doesn't mean schools will be closed," his mother says knowingly.
"But if it snows a lot…"
"It won't," Jamie says, taking a bite of his wife's pot roast, "Trust me. It's not going to happen."
But he can't help but let his eyes wander over to the window, too.
One.
Two.
Three.
Jamie glances out his son's window as his wife tucks him in, his eyes widening.
Four.
Five.
Six seven eight nine-
"Hey look! It's snowing!"
The frown he receives from his wife has Jamie sighing in frustration, "I know, I know. I'll talk to him."
Jameson blinks and looks up at his mother, confused, "Talk to who?"
"You can't keep doing this."
"Awww, why not?"
Jamie leans back against his front door, watching as the sky continues to sprinkle snow all over the streets, the trees, and the roofs of the houses in the neighborhood. Standing next to him is the same young man he remembers from years ago. Same hoodie, same staff, same snow white hair, and the same smile he had fallen in love with as a kid, "Jack…"
"I know I know, spring has to come eventually, but he's really stuck on the nines."
"It's math, Jack," Jamie says, "He has to get it eventually, you can't just make it snow to cut him a break."
"I know that!"
Jamie raises an eyebrow. He doesn't think Jack gets it at all.
"A-and he will, he'll get it!" Jack says, unconsciously walking across the air in front of Jamie, "I know he will just… come on, one more snow day? It's the last one, I promise!"
"That's what you said last time. She still complains about it."
"But you two had a great Valentine's Day, right?"
Jamie doesn't dare look over at Jack, turning his head away from him. He knows he's going to be greeted with that smile, the one that he can never say no to.
He's fairly certain that Jack knows what his smile does to him, because soon he's floating in front of him, face close and eyes large, pleading with him.
"All right, all right! One more snow day."
"Yes!"
Jamie tries not to smile, really, but he can't help himself, "But Jack? This is the last one. O.K.?"
Jack nods and leans forward, kissing Jamie's forehead, "Deal," then he flies up into the sky. After a moment he stops and looks back at Jamie, "Oh! Before I forget, congratulations!"
"Congratulations? For what?"
"The baby," Jack says, smiling brightly over the idea of there being another child to meet, "I guess there was an extra gift during the Valentine's Day snow day."
As Jack disappears Jamie can feel his mouth dropping open, eyes wide as he takes in what Jack just told him, "Wait… w-what?!"
"Come on come on come on come on."
Jamie watches as his son sits in front of the T.V., watching as it scrolls through the list of school closings. It only takes a minute for him to raise his fist in the air, a bright smile on his face, "Yes!"
"Well I guess that settles it. It's a snow day."
"All right!"
"That gives you plenty of time to study up on those nines."
Little Jameson looks up at Jamie with wide eyes before he lets out a loud whine, "Awwwww, come on!"
Jamie laughs, "I'm kidding. Go and get dressed."
"Yes!"
As he runs upstairs to his room Jamie walks over to the window, slowly shaking his head, "Guess I'm taking a snow day too," he says, looking over at the still un-plowed streets around him, "You certainly outdid yourself this time, Jack."
"I suppose it is the last one," his wife says, walking into the room to stand by the window with him, "Have to go out with a bang, you know."
"You don't seem too angry."
She shrugs, "It means I get to rest. My stomach's been bothering me this morning."
"Um…" Jamie gives her a nervous little smile, "A-about that…"
And Jack swears that, as he watches the house from the clouds, he can hear the woman screaming. He laughs, lazily twirling the staff in his hand, "You know… I don't think she likes me very much."