Page 1 of Sweet Home

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DULCIE

Dulcie Bloom’s heart soared as she followed the country road deeper into the trees. Her belly might be empty, and her whole reason for existing might be miles in the rearview mirror, but there was snow falling softly on the evergreens that lined the winding road, and for the first time in a long time, she had a really good feeling.

Hope.

And it was with good reason. Here in Vermont, plenty of seasonal workers were hired around Christmastime. With any luck, she would land something that paid well and have a nice little nest egg set aside by January, if she could live cheaply enough. And that wouldn’t be a problem—she already had plenty of experience living on next to nothing.

On the radio, Elvis crooned about walking in a winter wonderland, putting a smile on her face. She even hummed along a little.

Is this what it was like when Grandaddy came up here?

Her grandfather had lived in Vermont for a few years as a young man. His stories were the reason she knew she would find work up this way in December if she could get up here. He’d told Dulcie and her baby sister, Delphine, stories about the small town where he had worked odd jobs and enjoyed the fresh air and friendly people.

Grandaddy always had wonderful stories. When he passed, it was impossible to fill the gap he left behind, though Dulcie tried to remember and retell the stories so Delphine wouldn’t forget them.

Even though she’d been humming happily, the thought of Delphine twisted her stomach, and she had to suck in a breath to stop herself from sobbing.

I’m doing this for her,she reminded herself.I’ll see her soon.

To distract herself, she tried to imagine the job she would find as soon as she got to town. Online, there were the prettiest photos of Christmas villages and markets, Christmas tree farms, and tiny downtowns lined with cute little shops. Dulcie was going to be part of all that holiday magic somehow, helping people enjoy themselves and feel just a little less stressed and more excited about the big day coming up.

And it was going to be worth everything she’d had to do to get here.

Ahead of her, the sun was setting rapidly, casting the sky in a brilliant pink that reflected on the snowy trees. Dulcie wasn’t sure if she had ever seen anything so beautiful before.

All she wanted was to pull over and take some pictures, but she was starting to feel lightheaded from noteating today, so she knew it would be best to get to town before stopping. She was hoping that if she popped into a diner for a cup of coffee and some eggs, maybe she could get the gossip on who was hiring.

The trees retreated from the road for a bit, giving her a view over a snowy meadow. As she watched, a shadow seemed to separate itself from the tree line.

A moose.

The massive creature moved slowly and gracefully, lifting his knees high to pick through the snowy ground. His enormous antlers seemed to glow in the last of the sunlight. It was strange and wonderful to think that this wild animal made its home so close to people and towns.

The moose paused for a moment, nosing the air, his shape silhouetted against the fiery sky.

Completely mesmerized by the sight, Dulcie let herself watch for a heartbeat too long.

Suddenly, the car was bumping along the gravely shoulder. She slammed on the brakes as she tried to steer back onto the road and hit a patch of ice.

The next thing she knew, the car was spinning and careening into the air, and all Dulcie could do was brace herself and hope for the best.

An impossibly long second passed before the car landed again with a terrible screech and bone-rattling crunch.

Then there was sudden stillness—nothing but the sound of the engine, somehow still running, though she was pretty sure the car wasn’t going anywhere. She let out a breath and took a few seconds to check herself over.

I’m okay.Somehow, I’m okay…

The headlights illuminated the snowy meadow where the moose had been standing. But there was no sign of him now, only the clearing and then dark trees as far as the eye could see.

Dulcie sighed and turned the car off.

Surprisingly, she actually felt okay—maybe a little banged up, but thankfully, she hadn’t really been injured. She and Delphine always,alwayswore their seatbelts. That had almost certainly saved her from harm tonight.

She unbuckled and tried easing the door open. It was tighter than usual, but she was able to exit the car, sucking in a breath as she sank her sneaker into the ankle-deep snow.

As soon as she got a few feet away and turned back, she knew for sure that she wouldn’t be driving the car again. She had felt like she was flying through the air, like some chase scene in an action movie, but the poor car had only sailed into a ditch on the side of the road.

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