Blizzard Ch. 02

I admit it. The girls were beautiful and affectionate, and I had been affected. I spent the next hour at home with my eyes closed, my memory, and an imminent need for tissues. I felt more than a little guilty. They got home safe. Things were good. Sure, they had my phone number, but I was expecting things to be over and done with. I considered calling up my brother and wasting the afternoon with board games. I never really found much motivation to move. It was about six PM when my door swung open.

"Gene! Are you home?" Alex was bubbling with joy as she rushed up the steps. I turned from my computer, more than a little surprised and just as perplexed. "Hi!"

I was tackled in another great hug. She wasn't dressed for winter: she still had her coat and toque, but her jeans and shirt had been exchanged for a gorgeous little red dress. Her dark pantyhose highlighted her legs all the way to her stilettos. They were no shoes for the weather. "You look great, what's going on?"

"Have you eaten yet?" she worried.

"No, but it's nearly dinner time."

"Awesome, get dressed quick! My dad's taking us out." The sincerity of her smile added to my confusion.

"Sweetheart?" a worried man's voice came as he peeked in from the door down the stairs. "This surely isn't the right place."

"He just needs to get dressed, Daddy!" Alex cheered. Her cheeks flushed red. She rushed over to the railing and looked down. "We'll be quick."

"I'll be quick," I said, and inched Alex by her hips around the railing. The man at the bottom of the stairs had fewer gray hairs than I did. I tried to smile. "It's nice to meet you."

He looked me dead in the eye and said the scariest words I'd ever heard:

"We'll see."