Storms

06 | névé

0 6

névé: young snow that has been melted, refrozen, and compacted.

❝Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on Earth...❞

- Ecclesiastes 5:2

THURSDAY MORNING BRINGS A RARE SPRINKLING OF SUNSHINE, rays peeking through clouds that dot the sky in a flurry of white. Little tinsels of diamond dust float gently above the ground, creating a gorgeous masterpiece of black and white on the streets.

Standing by the living room window, looking out upon a beautiful piece of nature's art, Elliot marvels at the prettiness of it. Sighing, she leans carefully against the windowsill and allows the mug of steaming hot chocolate in her hands to warm her fingers, savoring the comfort it brings.

Her fingers jump slightly against the glass mug when her phone begins to vibrate in the back pocket of her jeans. She reaches for it with her free hand and smiles when she registers the name flashing across the screen.

"Hey, Mom."

"Ellie, has your phone been off for the past three days? I've been calling you twice a day, and with this horrid storm passing by, I just had to worry—"

"I'm all right, Mom. I didn't get caught up in it or anything," Elliot replies, taking a careful sip of her hot chocolate. "We lost power for a couple of days, and my phone was out of battery. Don't worry, though; I'm safe."

Her mother pauses. "Are you staying with someone? Who's 'we?'"

Elliot's mug pauses halfway up to her lips, and she sighs, setting it down on the windowsill. "I'm staying with Tanner for now," she finally says.

"What?"

She closes her eyes. "I know; it's been a long time since we've brought him up, but I got stuck on the side of the road a couple of days ago, and he offered to let me stay."

Margie pauses. "How is he?"

Elliot smiles sadly, although her mother can't see her. "He's better now. He's a lot better." She clears her throat, shifting against the windowsill, then lets out a short laugh. "He also looks like a looming elephant when I stand beside him."

Margie laughs. "Oh, I'm sure he does." She pauses, and when she finally speaks again, her voice is dancing with mischief. "He must look a lot more handsome now, hmm?"

Elliot lets out a small laugh, although her heart flutters. "Sure, maybe a little."

Her mother pauses. "Ellie," she says after a moment, her voice breaking slightly, "you do know that Dylan is proud of you, right? He's looking down on you from heaven, and I can tell you, dear, he's absolutely proud of you."

Elliot's throat burns with the threat of tears. "I know," she says, her voice choked. Her gaze rises when she catches a flicker of movement in the doorway, and she swallows tightly when she sees Tanner leaning against the door frame, his eyes filled with concern. She glances back out the window, her gaze flickering to the light dust of snow on the streets.