“Something funny?”
“I was just thinking of a good title for a vampire Christmas movie. Which is better:Slay Bells RingorSlaying All the Way?”
“That’s what you’re thinking?”
“No good, huh?”
She exhales a word. “Unbelievable.”
I look around me. “Did I miss something?”
“Nope.” She pops the last syllable. Hard.
“I don’t think that’s true.”
“What you think doesn’t matter.”
I keep looking around me. Have I entered the Twilight Zone? Has Liesel been body-snatched? “Are you okay?”
“Super.”
“I can tell.”
She does that breathy scoff again and gives a small shake of her head. Her eyes are fixed on the road. There’s decentvisibility, but the snow is coming sideways, and we’re not even to the freeway yet. The way she’s gnawing on the inside of her cheek makes me think she’s debating something internally.
My phone buzzes with an alert from JetWays. My flight has been delayed. “Crap,” I whisper. I’m putting my phone in my pocket, but then there’s another buzz.
“Excuse me,” I say to Liesel. “It’s my mom.”
Mom
Find a Friend tells me you’re on your way to the airport!
Cooper
There’s a flight delay, but yup. I’ll be home before you know it.
Mom
I can’t wait. It wouldn’t be Christmas without you.
Cooper
Back at you. I made sugar cookies, melt-aways, and gingersnaps the other night. I blew my date away.
Mom
Date??
Cooper
Don’t get too excited. I’m not sure she’s speaking to me right now.
Mom
Well, if your cookies didn’t win her over, she must have a frozen heart.
BTW, your dad and I have been watching your old games on my VR headset.
