Chapter Twenty-Five
Melodic interval: when two or more notes are played in sequence, one after the other (versus simultaneously)
Damian
Twenty minutes later, Charlie and I head outside through the garage. She’s wearing my mom’s black snow pants and my sister’s old pink parka, a pair of gloves, and her own hat.
The way her face lights up when I open the garage door, shovel in hand, to unveil the winter wonderland that’s now my parents’ front yard makes her even more adorable. She looks like a little kid on Christmas morning.
“Go on. Play in the snow. I’m going to shovel the walkways and around the cars. It shouldn’t take too long.”
Her eyes sparkle in the light from the garage. “Will you join me when you’re done?”
“Of course.”
I head for the right side of the driveway, shoveling along the edge, the cars in the driveway blocking my view of her for a few minutes so she doesn’t feel self-conscious about getting into the snow for the first time. How strange to never have played in the snow. I can’t even remember the first time I made a snow angel or built a snowman. It’s something I’ve always done, growing up here. Snow almost every winter makes it as normal as jumping in piles of leaves in the fall and splashing in puddles in the spring.
When I make my way around the cars to the side of the driveway Charlie’s on, it takes me a second to find her. The snow is light and fluffy, and she’s lying in the middle of the yard, sunk in several inches.
That wintery nighttime glow illuminates the night now that the automatic light from the garage door opener has timed off. When it’s cloudy, the snow and the clouds reflect the ambient light, making the night brighter than normal. It’s always been one of my favorite winter phenomena. Even a full moon doesn’t give as much light as this.
I finish shoveling, watching out of the corner of my eye as Charlie carefully stands from her most recent snow angel—the yard bears sweeping imprints of her body in three other places—letting out a loud groan of despair when she tries and fails to get up without wrecking the silhouette by having to use her hand to push herself up.
With a laugh, I prop the shovel against the side of the house and head over to her. “Do another one. I’ll help you up this time.”
She smiles at me. “Okay. Then you do one, and I’ll help you up.”
“Deal.”
She tromps over a few feet to an open spot and sits down, lying back and stretching out her arms and legs. Giggling, she sweeps her arms and legs, mimicking the wings of an angel.
When she stops, arms and legs forming an X, I move to stand at her feet. “Ready?”
“Ready.” Slowly, she pulls her arms away from the ground, curling up. As her hands come my direction, I reach over and grab them, pulling her up smoothly.
She laughs as I wrap my arms around her in a hug. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I drop a quick kiss on her upturned mouth.
Turning to check out her snow angel, she takes a step away from me and claps her hands, the sound a soft whoosh of the thick gloves hitting together. “Yay! That’s the best yet. I couldn’t get myself up and out without either planting a hand or foot in the middle of it or sliding my butt to my feet. Both of which ruin the effect. This is perfect. Thank you.”
I smile at her infectious enthusiasm. “No problem. I’ve spent many winters in pursuit of the perfect snow angel. Nothing beats having someone around to pull you up.”
“Okay. Your turn. I’ll pull you up.”
Grinning, I edge my way around her snow angel to an open spot. There’s not much space left since she’s been making snow angels since we got out here, but there looks like enough room over by the corner of the house almost into the side yard. Charlie follows behind me, her snow pants swoosh-swoosh-swooshing as she walks.
There are only about six inches of snow, but I think it’s enough to cushion my fall if I go straight back. I go for it, letting out an oof when the fluff compresses under me, not quite as cushiony as I expected.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” Charlie’s already in position at my feet, her gloved hands covering her mouth.
“Yeah. Fine.” She giggles as I start moving my arms and legs to make my snow angel.
Snowflakes gently land on my face, icy touches turning to water on contact. I close my eyes, moving my arms and legs a few more times. “Okay. Ready to help me up?”
I crack an eye open and pick up my head to look at Charlie, who’s already bent over, hands outstretched. “Ready.”
I move my arms straight up over my head and then jerk up and grab her hands. But she isn’t ready for me and doesn’t pull enough right away. Since I wasn’t quite to the balance point of being able to let my momentum carry me all the way forward, I fall back, still hanging onto Charlie’s hands, pulling her on top of me.
Charlie squeals, managing to land with her knees between my legs and not on my balls. “I’m so sorry,” she gasps once my head hits the snow again.
I start laughing. “That didn’t work like I planned.”
Charlie props herself up on my chest, grinning down at me. “No kidding.”
Her cheeks and the tip of her nose are pink from the cold, and I need to kiss her. Now.
Bringing my hand to the back of her head, I lift enough to capture her lips with my own. She responds immediately, opening and slicking her tongue across my lips, allowing me access to her mouth. Wiggling, she breaks the kiss to reposition so she’s straddling my hips instead of lying between my legs, bringing her face in line with mine. She plants her hands on either side of my head and lowers her mouth to mine.
We stay there kissing for I don’t know how long. The cold, the snow, it all fades away in the sweetness of Charlie’s kisses.
Until my uncle’s voice cuts through the night. “Oye! Aren’t you done shoveling yet?” Charlie stiffens in my arms, breaking the kiss. “Or are you going to spend the night in the snow like a couple of polar bears?” he finishes, the sounds of his grumbling carrying over the snow even though the words are indistinct.
Charlie buries her face in my coat, giggling. After a second she sits up. “Come on. We better get back inside. I don’t really want to sleep outside like a polar bear.”
Pushing myself up, I smile at her, still sitting on my lap. “I’d be a polar bear if I could be one with you.”
“Aww. That’s so cheesy and sweet.” She leans in and gives me one more kiss before standing and offering me her hand. Then she narrows her eyes at me. “Don’t pull me over this time.”
With a laugh, I take her hand and push myself up with my other hand. “Ready for more dancing?”
Her eyes brighten. “Salsa?”
I nod. “Probably merengue too. Let’s go warm up. Then we can have dessert.”
“Perfect.”