There's Snow Place Like Home For The Holidays

The Drive Home

     It didn't take long for their bags to come through and for them to find themselves seated in Lita's SUV as they hit the winding back roads that would take them to his childhood home. Bright had made a couple of attempts to strike up a conversation with Win, but Win had only ever given him one-word answers that left no room to continue the conversations. After several failed attempts, Bright had struck up a conversation with Tess, who was being unusually vocal with a stranger than she normally would be. Win sighed but held his tongue as the two conversed back and forth about trivial things like favorite books and movies. He didn't like his daughter getting chummy with a close-minded buffoon like Bright, but he didn't really have a valid argument for why not without opening a whole can of worms, language, and concepts that weren't very kid-appropriate.

     As they talked back-and-forth, Win kept a close ear on the conversation while he watched as the familiar setting passed by. A few new buildings and businesses had emerged, but for the most part the scenery was how Win remembered it. There were sparse holiday decorations dotting along the road. A few families and businesses had begun decorating as early as late November. He knew these roads would be full to overflowing within the next two weeks as the bulk of the holiday decorators would start decking their homes in lights and inflatables over the next week.

     Win called Tess' attention whenever they passed one that was done up really big so she could enjoy the pretty decorations. Win had always loved the holiday lights when he'd been younger, and even though it was still daytime and they couldn't see the lights too well, they could still see the decorations on the more done up houses.

     Bright's warm honeyed voice was wafting through the car as he talked to Tess, telling her how he had seen all the pictures that Win sent of her and had even helped set her nana up on social media so she could follow Win's private accounts where he posted pictures of his daughter frequently and away from the media.

     Win looked over at Bright in surprise. "That was you who set her up? For some reason I thought it was her internet provider with the way she had talked about him. Her personal IT guy, she called him."

     Bright smiled at the description. "That would be me. I generally do everything around the house that needs to be done. Whether it's fixing the lights or installing the internet, it's cheaper to have me do it than have her reaching out to the conglomeration services that charge her more than her mortgage company does," he explained.

     Realization dawned on Win. "So then you must be the handyman that lives in the old barn on the edge of the property line," he inquired.

     Bright nodded. "The one and only."

     Win raised an eyebrow, getting ready to pry further into the relationship between his mom and Bright when Tess' voice cut through Win's train of thought.

     "Daddy?"

     Win turned towards the back of the car. "Yes, little bug?"

     "Did you tell mommy we landed?" Tess asked tentatively.

     Win nodded. "I already did, honey."

     Tess paused for a moment and Win hoped she would let it go, but of course she didn't. "Did she say anything back?"

     "Yes, she said she's glad we arrived safe and sound so she can sleep in peace," Win said, hating himself for lying to her about the amount of care her mother had for her.

     Tess was quiet for a moment before she called for Win again. "Daddy?"

     Win inwardly sighed, afraid of more questions about Lovely. "Yes, little bug."