Somewhere In the Snow

Chapter Three

     A gust of air brushes over my face. My dad leaned over me with a panicked expression. "What's going on?" I ask.
"Someone is trying to break into the house." I sit up anxiously glaring at my dad, "Do you think it's Jack?" He tells me to stay in bed with Elizabeth as he rushes out my bedroom door, his tone so firm I don't question his demand.

     I wait for a sound, I can't hear anything. My heart is pounding rapidly in my chest. Everything inside of me is telling me to get the fuck up and help my father. Another part of me wants to stay here and protect my little sister. Dad placed her on my bed which woke me out of my sleep. I shouldn't wake her. Tomorrow is her special day, she needs to rest.

     A few minutes pass which feels like hours. Dad returns to my bedroom, his expression is less panicked. Some relief flushes over me, "what happened dad?" He walks closer to my bed and places his hand on the top of my head.
"I couldn't find anyone out there."
"That's good, right?"
"I checked the cameras, Daphne."
I begin to panic as I try to make out what he is about to say. "I saw Jack, he was trying to get in through a window." More panic. My face feels cold. 'Wha-' I say shakingly. I try to search for my phone that is tangled up in my sheets. The screen lights up showing 27 missed calls from Jack. One text that reads, "I'm here for you Daphne." I hand my phone over to my father. His eyes widened, "No more." He walks out of my room without returning the phone to me, I follow directly behind him to see what he's going to do. We enter the living room, he pauses. Seconds later he slams my phone into the hardwood flooring and steps on it. "Dad what the fuck! I use that for work."
"Baby I'm sorry, Jack is a dangerous man. We are changing your number and I'm pressing charges."
"He didn't break in though, how could we possibly charge him?"
He responded irritably, "attempted breaking and entering. This ends now." I head back to my bedroom to make certain Elizabeth hasn't woken up. She is now spread out taking up the space of my queen-sized bed.

     Dad and I are in his truck finding our way to a phone store. "You know you didn't have to smash my phone."
"It was the only way to ensure you would let me buy you a new one with a new number."
"Are we going to tell El?" I ask him.
"No, today is a good day. We are not ruining it."
We arrive back at the house, Elizabeth is finally awake and harassing us with questions. "Where were you guys? Who's helping me get ready today? Did you guys get food without me?"
"Don't worry darling, today is all about you." He hands her the McDonald's we picked up on our way home. Dad calls me sugar and Elizabeth darling. He insisted on calling us by nicknames when we were kids, of course, the names are now carrying on in our adult years. Sure we complain to other people how cringy dad can be. He is the best man I know, he has given more by himself than two parents together could.

      Elizabeth and I enter the bathroom together. "Makeup or hair first?" Elizabeth sits down and replies "Hair, duh." Hours later and I've finished both hair and makeup, dad stood in the hallway to admire my work and how beautiful his youngest daughter is. Dressed in a short navy blue dress that matches perfectly with her tan complexion, the black cap and gown provided to her by the school, the 3-inch heels that mom used to wear. They were also worn at my graduation. "I need to leave now guys, I really can't be late." Elizabeth hugs dad, she walks towards me and offers a tight hug. She then exits the driveway in her little white Ford Fusion.