Cute, Cozy, Queer Stories

Part 22: Bria & The Neighbors (Continued)

After the three summers, they came up to the lake house in the winter for the first time. But it wasn't like the exciting weekend getaways in the summer. This time, something was wrong.

Mom told Bria to pack warm clothes for a few days. Bria's heart beat fast—she'd never packed a bag for herself, and Mom's voice was tight with tears when she said it. She wanted to ask Mom if she could bring Cassandra or Nicole, too, but she knew better. Dad wasn't home, so it wasn't a normal 'family trip.' She didn't know what was wrong, but the tension knotted in her stomach told her not to ask.

Mom left a note for Dad. Then, she got in the car. Benji sat in the back, in the car seat. Bria sat up front with Mom. She wanted to ask why they were going up to the lake house in the winter time—and without Dad—but she was too scared.

The lake house was cold. Bria looked out the window as Mom moved about the space, turning on heaters and checking switches in the wall and checking faucets—doing all the "starting up the lake house" things Dad would usually do. The grassy hill, the sandy beach, and the wide lake were all one, pristine layer of untouched white snow. It looked like a different world from the summer lake house.

Everywhere Bria stood, she seemed to be in Mom's way. She sat on the couch, instead, wishing she had brought her tablet. She'd never needed her tablet at the lake house before.

"Mom, can we go outside?" she asked finally.

"Huh?" Mom turned. She looked frazzled, like she was thinking about too many things.

"Can we go outside?" she asked again. "I'll put snowpants on."

"Um. Okay. Yeah. Take Benji with you. Bundle him up. All your snow stuff is in, um..." she looked around at the bags she'd packed, stacked by the door. "One, one of those bags."

"I'll find 'em." She dressed herself quickly, then Benji, wanting to get out of Mom's way.

"Bria," Mom called, just as she and Benji were about to head out the back door.

Bria turned, fearing she'd forgotten something. "Yeah?"

"Don't go on the ice," Mom said sternly. "Okay? I mean it. Do not go on the ice. And watch Benji. Don't let him on the ice. I'm gonna go run into town in a few minutes and grab a pizza, will you two be okay?"

"Mmhmm."

"Are you sure? You'll watch Benji, right? And you won't go on the ice?"

"Yup, we won't." 

"Okay. I'll only be gone five minutes. Have fun. I love you."

"Love you too!" She closed the door behind her, careful not to slam it.

The hill was shallow enough and far enough away from the lake that they could safely slide down. Bria started sliding down on her butt, while Benji rolled. She laughed as he rolled into her at the bottom of the hill, his small, parka-covered body barely making an impact. Bria thought he looked like a little burned sausage in his puffy red coat, red scarf and black snow pants, only his chubby pink cheeks visible.

"We should find a sled." Sitting at the bottom of the hill, she looked around the white expanse for something that could become a sled. When she looked back up towards the house, she saw someone on the neighbor's back deck, shoveling snow. Bria guessed the tall man in the yellow jacket, blue jeans and fur hat was the long-haired man, but it was hard to tell. Then he straightened, and gave a wide wave.

"Hello!"

She recognized his unique, sing-song voice. She waved back. "Hi!"

He kept shoveling. Bria thought for a moment about asking to borrow his shovel and use it as a sled, but thought better of it. If Dad found out she talked to the man, he'd be mad, and she didn't want to make Mom or Dad any more mad than they already were.