Everything Has Changed

Seven

It's been a few months since the incident with the intruder. Zander's been away for the last month due to a track championship. He's supposed to come home late tonight. It's currently 9:35 at night and I'm sitting on the floor playing with Laylah.

"Hey, Erica?" I hear Trent say as he comes through the front door, setting his briefcase on the island and laying down on the white couch. He started his new job at Abram Cor. a few days ago.

"Yeah?" I ask, not bother looking up from the foam blocks next to me. "Where's Sam? Isn't she here?" he says, scrolling through his phone.

"Yes she's here. She decided to take a nap because she's not feeling well." I say and hand him Laylah, who needs a diaper change. He confusedly looks at me for a second before sniffing her butt and going to change her diaper.

Once he leaves, I go to the kitchen and grab my phone off the counter, where it had been charging. I power it on and see a missed call from Dad. The phone buzzes a bit before I hear him say, "Hello?"

"Hey, dad. Why'd you call?" I ask.

"Zander has a surprise for you, since it is Christmas Eve. I'll be there shortly to pick you and Missy up. Better get packing." He chuckles before hanging up.

I run up to my room, Missy at my feet. I open my closet and grab my suitcase from the top shelf. I run around my room packing clothes and underwear into my bag.

I change out of my pajamas, which was a blue tank top and a white pair of joggers.

I grab a sweatshirt, sweatpants and a hoodie from my closet and throw them on. I slip on my white vans and tie my hair up in a messy bun. I put on Zander's track jacket over my clothes, grab my suitcase, and head out the front door, with Missy at my feet.

The cold air and snow falling makes me shiver.

We moved to Denver, Colorado a few weeks ago after a forest fire overtook everything in Grace, California. After about five minutes of playing fetch with Missy, Dad pulls into the driveway.

"Hey, get in. We're running late." Dad says, as he puts my suitcase in the trunk. I get in the car and warm my hands up. Missy gets in the back but lays her cold head on my shoulder.

Once Dad gets in the car, we head for the interstate. It seems like hours of driving in silence, but soon we pull up to a stop. I look around at the snow covered landscape. "Dad, where are we?" I say as he helps me out of the vehicle.

He doesn't answer, but kisses my cheek and drives away, leaving Missy and I with my suitcase all alone, standing in the snow in the middle of the woods.

As the minutes pass by, I contemplate this as my last time seeing earth.

Maybe there's an ax murderer hiding in the woods. Maybe I'll freeze to death, I think.

But soon, lights appear in the distance and then they are getting closer. I follow the path through the woods to a cabin. A big cabin.

Someone comes out of the doorway, and I see Zander standing there with a cup of cocoa in his hands. "Come on." He says, handing me the cocoa and grabbing my suitcase. He takes my suitcase up the stairs while I sit on the sofa, warming myself up by the fire.

A few minutes later, he comes down the stairs.

"Hey, beautiful. What do you want to eat?" he yells from the kitchen. "Waffles?" I say, and let out a light chuckle.

A few minutes later, Zander calls me to the dining room, where I see him standing there, not in his jeans and jean jacket anymore. In fact, he's wearing a tux. There are candles burning on the table and nice tablecloth underneath.