Page 8 of Snowed In with My Best Friend's Dad

“Well, if I’m so important, you need to eat.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He grinned as he picked up his sandwich.

I stayed with my father a little bit, watchingMarch of the Wooden Soldiers, the Laurel and Hardy version. It was my father’s favorite holiday movie. The bogeyman scared me when I was little, but now I enjoyed it as much as he did. It had been a Christmas tradition until my mother died. I wondered if the fact that we were watching it now meant we needed to make Christmas a bigger deal again. Maybe I shouldn’t go to the cabin with Lindsay for the holiday.

My dad’s phone rang. “It’s Jerry.” He poked the button. I couldn’t hear Jerry, but my father said, “Yes, we’re still on tonight.”

I guess if we were going to re-establish our Christmas traditions, it would be next year.

Around one, I decided it was time for me to get on the road. “I’ve got to go. I’m sorry I’ll miss the peewee scene.” I stood and put my coat and hat and gloves back on.

"You be safe," my father said as he came over to give me a hug goodbye. "Don't let the bogeyman get you."

"I've packed my peewee darts."

He laughed as he walked me to the door. With a last hug, I trudged back out to my car.

Once I got out of the city of Boston, I relaxed and took in the scenery. For anyone who wanted to experience distinct climates, Massachusetts was the place to come. In the summer, the surrounding area was lush and green. And then in the fall, it was a burst of orange and yellows and reds as the leaves changed. Now, in the winter, the trees were bare, and the snow gave the landscape a picturesque beauty.

Nearly two hours later, I drove into a town that looked like it should be on a postcard. It made me think ofTheGilmore Girlsand I wondered if anyone actually lived a picture-perfect life.

As I exited the town to make my way to the cabin, I reached over to my dashboard, poking the start button for the GPS on my phone to get me the last part of the way there. Once again, I meandered through the countryside, taking in the beauty. It had snowed more here than it had in Boston, and the trees sparkled in the last rays of the setting sun. It was only after three, but winter days were short in Massachusetts. The sun would mostly be down by a little after four.

Realizing I didn't want to be out here when it was dark, I checked my phone since it hadn't given me any directions in some time. My screen indicated the phone was offline. That wasn't good. I poked at the screen, careful to keep my eyes on the road, but apparently, there was no service in this spot.

I continued up the road, looking for a place where I could pull off and text Lindsay. Even when my phone had no call service, I could usually get through with text. Up on the right was a driveway with a wide entrance. I pulled off the road into it. Taking my phone out of the holder, I texted her.

No GPS. Can you text me directions from town?

I waited a moment and received a notification that the text didn't go through. Dammit. I scrolled her past texts, looking to see if she had given me specific directions, but all she'd given me was the address. Surely, she had to know there was no service here. Why would she give me an address and expect me to use GPS when there was no service?

I sat back in my seat, knowing exactly why she did that. Lindsey was sweet, happy-go-lucky, and even intelligent, but not necessarily full of sense. When life came easily, one didn’t have to anticipate problems.

I blew out a breath and looked up the road. Perhaps just this section was a dead zone for GPS. I pulled out on the road and continued on my way, hoping that I would hit a section where my phone would work again.

Luck was with me because as I came up over a hill, my phone told me that I would be making a left-hand turn in 500 feet. A text also came through.

I made the turn and then poked the text button to have the phone read to me what it said.

I'm so sorry Mira,I'm still stuck at Liam's. I'm not going to be able to make it. You go and enjoy yourself. Drink lots of wine and get in the hot tub. My dad will keep out of your way, so use the time as a respite.

She hadto be kidding me. I wasn’t going to spend Christmas with her father. What were the chances he’d stay at the cabin if she wasn’t there?

I poked the call button to give her a piece of my mind. But of course, I entered another dead zone. This was a sign for me to turn around and go home. The road was narrow, so narrow that there was no center dividing line. While it had been plowed, mounds of snow piled up on the shoulder, making it impossible to turn around without risking somebody coming over the rise or around the corner and hitting me.

My hands gripping the wheel, I stared up the road ahead, looking for a place to turn around. Eventually, I saw what appeared to be a smaller road or an opening to a driveway. In my eagerness to execute my updated plan, I pressed on the gas slightly. As I approached the driveway, my wheels slipped and then slid.

Black ice.

If my father was correct, the solution to hitting black ice was to hold the steering wheel firm and take your foot off the accelerator, but don't put on the brakes. Unfortunately, my instinct took over and while I gripped the steering wheel for dear life, I also slammed on the brakes.

Immediately, my car began to spin, doing a complete one-eighty as if I were making a U-turn. But then it kept sliding until my wheels went off the road and I slid down into a ditch.

When my car came to a stop, I let out a breath. I was fine. Then my annoyance hit. Did I do something to deserve this?

While my car was tilted sideways, it wasn't so much so that I couldn’t drive out of the ditch. I slowly stepped on the gas, but my wheels spun in the snow.

Okay, so this wasn't good. I tried to exit through the driver’s side door, but the tilt of the car was so much that the door was too heavy for me to hold it open while I got out. So, I climbed across the passenger seat and got out on that side. I had all-wheel drive, but it wouldn’t do any good if the wheels couldn't find purchase on the ground.

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