Page 41 of Going for Two
“The first snow accumulation of the season is happening today with this massive snowstorm that’s barreling across the Midwest. Parts of Chicago could see upwards of twelve inches after it’s all said and done. Kids, you may just have yourself a snow day tomorrow if this accumulation manages to stick around. Be careful out there, folks! A snowstorm this early in the season can often bring a lot of panic for those that don’t feel prepared. Just remember, this snow will probably melt by mid-week, there’s no need to stockpile water or toilet paper.”
The snow was coming down in sheets outside. It was a ghost town. Snow days in the city were some of the most magical moments during the holidays. The fireplace in my apartment—one of the reasons I fell in love with the place—was roaring trying to keep everything warm.
A few children squealed with joy down on the street outside where their father pulled them on a sled down the middle of the unplowed road. As I watched them over the rim of the hot chocolate I held in my hands, a sense of longing panged inside of my chest.
The buzzer went off in my apartment, pulling my mind away from how I had never had a parent be the one to spread the magic of the holidays for me and Olivia.
“Who is it?” I asked into the buzzer.
“It’s me,” my sister’s voice crackled back. “Open the damn door. I think I may lose a toe to frostbite.”
I hit the buzzer for her to get inside and waited the few seconds it took for her to get to my door. My sister barreled in wearing all Cougars gear from head to toe. The team had won the World Series this past week and the city was still riding the winner’s high after celebrating like it was the last day on earth during the parade a few days ago.
“Did you drive here?” I asked her, ready to unleash one of my many lectures about being more careful.
“No, I took the train.” Olivia shook the snow off her before she noticed that I was still in my pajamas. “What are you wearing?”
Confused, I replied, “My pajamas? It’s the Bobcats’ bye week. We don’t have a game today.”
“Did Nolan not call you?” Olivia asked.
Nolan.
I hadn’t heard from him all week and I felt his absence every morning as I went on a run by myself.
“Nolan? Why would he call me? I haven’t talked to him in days.”
“Jamil told me that we were all going sledding and that it was Nolan’s idea.” Olivia held up her phone to show me her text conversation with the outfielder.
Before I could tell her—again—that Nolan hadn’t told me anything of the sort, the buzzer to my apartment went off.
“Who else is here? Isn’t the city shut down?” I asked as I went to answer it. “Who is it?”
“It’s Nolan.”
I glanced back at my sister to see her raise an eyebrow at me. “He knows where you live?”
I waved her off and ignored the pleased smile that spread across her face. Nolan’s large frame appeared on the other side of my door. His face was guarded, like he was fully expecting me to throw him back out on the street—which I can’t say I didn’tdebate, if only for a split second before I opened my door to allow him inside.
“Did you drive here?”
Nolan nodded. “I was careful, I promise.” One of his small, rare smiles showed for only a couple of seconds before he returned to being guarded once again.
“Hi, Nolan!” My sister was perched on the arm of my couch, watching our interaction as if it were more interesting than the final inning of the World Series earlier this week.
“Hi, Olivia.” Nolan gave my sister a quick nod before he looked back over at me. “Can we talk?”
“About the impromptu sledding you told everyone but me about?”
He winced when he saw how irritated I was but continued to stand his ground. “Among other things.”
I took in the steely, determined look in Nolan’s eyes and knew that he was going to figure out a way for this conversation to happen, even if I turned him away now.
“I’ll just be … in your room,” Olivia announced loudly before she scurried toward my bedroom in her attempt to give us some privacy. Although I watched her leave the door cracked, presumably to spy on whatever conversation was about to transpire.
That sneaky little bitch.
“I have a lot of things I need to say and I’m not sure any of it is going to make sense,” Nolan started. He wrung his hands together as he began pacing in the middle of my living room. “I know that I haven’t been the best version of myself this season, and I’m not even talking about my performance. I’ve been a shitty friend to everyone, and I pushed you away when that’s the last thing I want to do.”