Winter Hearts

chapter two.

"I'm a mirror. If you're cool with me, I'm cool with you, and the exchange starts. What you see is what you reflect. If you don't like what you see, then you've done something. If I'm standoffish, that's because you are." Jay-Z

Kaitlyn, Lucy, and Josie sat silent in the den. The two girls sat together on the couch, facing their mother. Lucy was playing with the TV remote absentmindedly, tossing it around and playing with the channels and volume though though the television was off.

"Alright, girls," Josie began with a barely-audible sniffle from her perch on the armchair. Kaitlyn noticed that she was clutching a page from The Weekly, a paper from South Carolina, a suburb with no real news, apparently.

"Mom!" Kaitlyn said, annoyed. "Mom, you have something to tell us! Why would I care about..." Kaitlyn leaned over to check the paper's name. "Riverton's periodicals?"

Wordlessly, Josie handed her the newspaper. It was an obituary section.

On January 12, Victoria McCartney passed away due to a car crash. While police are still further investigating the crash, Victoria is IMMENSELY missed by her town and everyone around her. At only 32, beautiful, loving, and caring, she will not be forgotten. The memorial service for this exceptional woman, daughter, and fiancéwill be held on January 31.

"That's sad," Lucy commented, peering over Kaitlyn's shoulder. "But...."

"You don't see why this is important?" Kaitlyn finished for her. "Exactly."

Josie picked up the throw pillow on the armchair (embroidered by Kaitlyn in second grade) and squeezed it. She wiped her eye, and a black streak of makeup ran across her face. She twisted her long-for-a-mom hair in and out of a bun. And did the same with a ponytail.

"Mommy?" Kaitlyn asked tentatively. She had not called Josie "Mommy" since kindergarten. "Please, Mommy?" Her tone was soft, and not impatient the way it had been moments earlier. She could sense a long, meaningful, and possibly awkward conversation coming.

At that moment, a loud beeping noise and an acrid smell came from the kitchen. "Oh my God!" Josie jumped to her feet. "The garlic rolls!"

She ran away toward the kitchen. Victoria McCartney wasn't mentioned again that day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday dawned bright, clear and twenty-three degrees. "Look!" Kaitlyn exclaimed. Her bed in the room she and Lucy shared was closer to the window.

"It looks like it could be a blizzard!" Lucy pulled a fleece-lined sweatshirt sweatshirt over her pajama top. "God, it's even cold in here!"

Kaitlyn's nose was pressed to the glass of the window. "I don't think we'll have school today."

The twins exchanged smiles, knowing that a break from the grueling stress of school was all they needed right now. Especially when winter break didn't start until Wednesday.