#Chapter 116 – Snow Day

“Mama.”

I blink, my son’s little voice waking me what feels way too early on a Tuesday morning. “Mama, wake up,” Alvin says again.

“Baby,” I murmur. “What time is it?”

“It’s 5 o’clock,” he says, and I groan, turning my head back into my pillow.

“Come back later, baby,” I say. “Mama’s still sleeping.”

“But mama,” a new voice says. My other son. My other demon, I think, cruel in this moment as my sleep is stripped from me. “Mama, it has snowed.”

At this, I open one eye. “Really?” I ask, curious. My two boys are there, looming over me, nodding their sleep-touseled heads excitedly. “How much?”

“Sooooo much!” Alvin shouts, spreading his arms wide, as if to encompass all the snow in the universe.

“Buckets and buckets of snow!” Ian says, laughing and jumping to his feet, bouncing on my bed.

I laugh with him, unable to help it, and sit up to peer out my window. I gasp at what I see.

The boys are right – at least two full feet of snow cover the landscape. The trees are heavy with it, their boughs sinking towards the ground under their alabaster burden.

“Oh my god,” I say, turning wide eyes towards my boys and pretending a seriousness I don’t actually feel. “Boys, you know what this means right?” I keep my face grave.

“What.” Ian says as he stops bouncing, suddenly worried.

“Can’t we go make a snowman?” Alvin says, equally concerned.

“It means,” I say, ominously. And then, quick as a snake, I snatch each of them by the waist, yelling and pulling them down to the bed. “Snow apocalypse! Snow day forever! So much snow we’ll never get out!”

The boys laugh hysterically, riotously, as I tickle them – kicking and screaming with the pure simple joy of a little boy’s snow day.

I laugh along with them, newly excited for the day. I lay back against my pillow, still laughing, but let them catch their breath.

“What does it really mean, mama,” Alvins says, catching his breath first.

I say, shrugging. “There’s too much snow for anyone to do anything or go anywhere, so the whole city will take a break. Everyone will stay home and have

myself out of bed. “Come on,” I say, heading for my door. “Let’s go make our snow

snow day before, on Christmas, and today is their first real snow.

Ian asks, shoveling down his cereal at a record

text him. I had sent him a text last night, but so far it goes

me when you wake up. The doctor told me you’ll be fine – you just need sleep – but I’m worried. Please let

Alvin asks, equally bright, distracting me from my phone.

this one, and he

Alvin pleads, Ian

Ian says, his eyes wide. “We just want

their day,

Evelyn: Are you up?

breathe a sigh of relief as a

– but I’m fine. I’m sorry to have

you are better. Snow day today! The boys want everyone to

to wait long for a

Aye aye, captain.

two happy little marshmallow men in their puffy snow suits. As

everyone by being a lovely affair, with everyone getting along more than Evelyn thought possible. The boys spend half their time outside getting so cold and wet that they can’t feel their fingers anymore. When that happens, they come inside to be wrapped in blankets by their

with Archie chasing them down the hill with every pass. When the boys want to build a fort and have a snowball fight, he orders the Beta team to build the most impressive fort they can against them. Then, Victor and the boys together assault the Beta fort and the Betas, Evelyn sees,

Then, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders, Evelyn

only a bit of chagrin – for they are tired – the boys

gear and begins to prepare their

pop?” Alvin asks, watching her spoon macaroni

looking at Alvin curiously out

does!” Ian says, grabbing his plate and carrying it into the living room, where their grandfather is watching the news on television. Alvin follows eagerly after. Henry, earlier in the day, had asked to be transferred into his favorite comfortable recliner. Ian climbs onto one of its wide arms and Alvin onto the other, each settling their plates

two,” their grandfather says, eyeing their plates suspiciously. “I don’t want

Alvin says, smiling at

Ian says, and indeed, the boys shovel the food into their mouths at an almost-alarming

three sit together peacefully for a while, watching TV, when Ian catches Alvin’s eye. Alvin

quietly. “Can we have some of the tea that Uncle Rafe made for papa? We want to be good

to

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