“I’ll try…” I stare up into the light on the ceiling, an old trick from my mom to stop tears from falling.I will not cry at work. I will not cry at work.The light I’m staring at flickers gently, then violently, then one by one, every light in the shop blinks out. Everyone in the café falls silent before a collective groan rises. “Oh, and the power’s out.”
“Fuck.”
“That would sum it up, yes.”
“Well, close down, get yourself home. No point sticking around if you can’t even serve people. You’ll be paid for the day, don’t worry.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’ll deal with this all in the morning. Get home safe.”
I start herding people out the door, trying my best not to slip on the slurry of melted snow on the floor and making as manyapologies as I can before I lock up. There’s minimal work I need to do before I can go, but I should still be able to get out before the storm gets any worse. I’m counting out the till when a voice rings out.
“Stella! What are you still doing there? It’s the apocalypse outside, go home!”
“Ahhh!” I shriek and fall to the ground, slipping as I turn frantically to find the voice. I hear delighted chortling echo through the empty space.
“Sorry, Stella. Look into the corner!”I obey my new overlord and whip my head around until I see, tucked away in the top corner of the wall, a security camera.“It’s Hazel! The cameras have speakers! I just figured it out today. Besides the point, why the hell are you still there? You should be heading home! I’m not sure if the subways are still running. Buses have already shut down and I will fight you if you try to bike.”
Shit.
I check my transit app, and she’s right. The only subway stations near me are closed due to the severe weather.
“Well, looks like I’m walking home,” I shout to Hazel’s disembodied voice.
“No the fuck you aren’t!”
“It’s that or sleep here, and I’m pretty sure the heat is connected to the power that just shut off.”
Hazel curses again, then gasps.
“Oh! Stay with Maria! Her apartment is so close to the café, I’m sure she won’t mind. That way you’re safe and warm, and you won’t be stuck all by yourself.”
“I would be well fed at least,” I joke. It’s not a bad idea, hunkering down with her. Maria lives in what was supposed to be Hazel’s new apartment before she decided she was in love with Beck and wanted to live with him. A decision I fully support, and it has the added bonus of me already knowingMaria’s address. “I don’t have her number… I’ll start heading over there anyway, could you tell her I’m on my way?”
“Absolutely, babe. Now get out of here! And stay safe! And watch for traffic, people are nuts with these road conditions.”
“Alright, but if a stranger offers me candy, can I have it?” The annoyed noise that Hazel makes is totally worth it. “I’m kidding, I’ll leave right away and text you when I get there. I’ll stay safe.”
“Pinky promise?”
“Pinky promise,” I say as I wrap myself in my massive scarf and get ready to brave the great (terrible) outdoors.
The second I’ve locked the door behind me, a massive gust of wind nearly takes me out. Snowflakes whip against my face, biting into it painfully as I burrow further into my scarf and toque, only peeking out enough to see my feet and check my direction.
Snow piles up to my calves, heavy and wet, sucking my shoes down. In my hustle to get out, I forgot to change out of my cheery yellow sneakers that I use for work, leaving my sorrels, with their lovely, sturdy grip, under the counter at the café. I’m too far gone to turn back now, not with the weather taking a turn for the even worse. It’s a workout to walk through it, but at least I’m almost there.
I distract myself with dreams about the hot chocolate she’ll surely make for me, and maybe she has a pair of cozy sweats I can wear while my jeans dry.
I’m pretty sure she had a huge fuzzy blanket in one of the boxes I helped her unpack, maybe she’ll let me use – Ahhhhhhhhh!” My thoughts are interrupted by my plummet towards the ground. I throw my hands out to catch myself, only to stop in mid-air.
Well, that’s weird. Did I develop superpowers overnight? Is this magic? What would I even do with my new powers? Should I fight crime, ordocrime?I think to myself right before I’myanked up by my puffy pink coat, right between the shoulder blades, and spun around until I’m face to face with a furious blonde man. James’ face is beet red. If we were in a cartoon, I’m pretty sure smoke would be pouring from his ears.
“Uh, thank you? For saving my life? Well, saving me from a bruised face and maybe a broken arm. You didn’t have to do that, I appreciate it.” I’m babbling and I can’t be stopped.Oh god, I sound like an idiot.I look behind him and see grocery bags sprawled in the snow. “Oh no! I’m so sorry about your groceries, let me help. I’m sure everything is fine, the snow probably softened the fall.” I scurry over and start collecting items back into bags as the wind fights to scatter them across the almost fully obscured sidewalk. James has yet to move, or even say a word to me.
I’m trying my hardest to clean everything up, but I keep dropping things in my panic, unable to keep a grip on anything. A jar of sauce falls and cracks before I realize I still have my mittens on. James grunts before bursting into action. Suddenly he’s taking everything out of my arms and hauling it up.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” he shouts over the wind.
