SNOWFALL OF SECOND CHANCES

Light snowflakes twirled and whirled as Mia Blake drove down the winding road toward Evergreen Hollow. The village lay at the foot of a popular ski resort, its charming scenery making it almost too picturesque not to be on a Christmas card. Mia, however, saw it as a place stuck in the past, a region where her once bright life led to a majestic collapse. All she wanted was a quiet holiday this year. She needed only a few days of serenity with her daughter and family, far from sympathetic questions and glances. She took a look in the rearview mirror and saw Lily sleeping her heart out at the back, clutching her beloved stuffed reindeer. Her little angel deserved a magical Christmas, even though she was not feeling the magic herself. She was delighted to see her parents' millennium-old house, which looked the same as it had all along. The windows glowed warmly in the snowy evening. Strings of multicolored lights were wrapped around the porch and a wreath hung on the door. It had the same appearance as when she was a child, thus temporary nostalgia overtook her and the tight feeling in her chest lessened. She parked the car in the driveway and turned the engine off. Mia’s POV Coming back felt like peeling off an old bandage. It was necessary, but it still stung. I was well aware of the fact of what was lurking behind that door, my family, full of love, and questions that I wasn’t ready to answer. “Mama?” Lily’s sleepy voice pulled me from my thoughts. I was grounded in the present for a second. “We’re here, sweetheart,” I said, forcing a smile. She deserved to feel the excitement, not the weight of my regrets. Before I could even unbuckle her seatbelt, the front door swung open. Lucas, my older brother, bounded out like an overgrown golden retriever. “Mia! You made it!” He pulled me into a bear hug that left me momentarily breathless. “Hi, Lucas,” I managed, trying not to tear up. His love was truly the antidote to my deepest sorrows, but I was very much glad to know I am not forgotten here. Lucas, bursting with excitement, dragged Lily out of the car, spinning her around as she giggled. “And you! Look how big you’ve gotten, kiddo! You’re practically taller than me!” _____________________________________________ The chalet's interior was as warm and lively as Mia used to remember. Her mom had already made it to the kitchen where all that remained was to do some things on a tray of cookies, while her dad was busy near the fireplace playing this game of not being affected by the fact there was finally a whole family besides him in the house. The coziness was followed by an evening of family, such as the daughter snuggling with mom and drinking hot chocolate and Lily running around with her cousins. When Mia delicately put her daughter to bed until she felt emotionally drained. A little flight to take the air, which included Mia in it, meant that she could go outside on the front porch and hold herself to stop the cold. That's when she saw him. Ethan’s POV I didn’t plan on knocking on Mia’s door tonight. Truth to be told, I wasn't even clear why was I wandering past the cabin. Lucas had informed me that she has returned to town, but merely knowing it and perceiving her are two different things. I didn't even know if I wanted to talk about those memories of the past that occurred to me when I saw her. But there she was, standing on the porch, looking out at the snow like she was lost in thought. “Mia,” I called before I could talk myself out of it. She turned, her eyes widening when she saw me. “Ethan?” She said my name as if it was a question, or even that was how she thought it was. She was astounded by me standing there. ______________________________________________ In the years passed since Mia had seen Ethan, Ethan had become a completely different person. His face was razor-sharp now, his jaw was dusted with some stubbles, there was a sense of gravity in his presence that had not been the case before. He depicted a person who has gone through his own wars and has succeeded to become a winner even if he has gotten a little hurt. “What are you doing here?” she asked, encircling her arms around her body to fight off the cold. “Lucas did not mention it to you? I am currently coaching the junior hockey team,” Ethan quipped with his hands crammed in pockets. “I thought I’d drop by and catch up with you while I was in town.” “In the midst of a blizzard?” she asked pretending to be angry. “That is...convenient,” she replied sarcastically. He burst out laughing and said. “Maybe I just wanted to meet the old friend of mine.” Mia rolled her eyes, but then a faint smile broke out along with the quivering of her lips. Of course, the connection between them was so natural and strong that, in fact, no time was lost. “Get inside,” she eventually permitted. “You’ll be frozen out there if you keep standing.” As Ethan quietly moved with her into the cabin that was full of the warmth of the fire inside, he could not shrug off the thought that this Yuletide might turn out to be more exciting than he had anticipated. _____________________________________________ It was that nice scent of cinnamon and pine mixed with the faint hint of fireplace crackle that hung in the air inside the chalet. Traversing through his first birch tree landscape, Ethan went off to the door. After brushing the snow from his coat, an awkward, long pause ensued while Mia disappeared into the kitchen. The warmth of the room was a clear manifestation of that his unscheduled visit contrasted sharply with her meticulously placed distance. “Tea or coffee?” she called from the other room. “Tea’s fine,” Ethan replied, stepping into the living room. It hadn’t changed much since he was a teenager sneaking in after hockey games with Lucas. The same cozy plaid blankets were draped over the couch, and the family photos on the mantle seemed frozen in time. When Mia returned, she handed him a steaming mug and settled on the opposite end of the couch. She kept the coffee table firmly between them, her posture stiff. “So, coaching hockey?” she said, as if to herself, her voice controlled. “I never thought you would be coming back here." “Neither did I,” Ethan admitted, taking a sip of tea. “But life has a funny way of bringing you full circle.” “Is that a poetic way of saying things didn’t go as planned?” Ethan laughed, reminded of the venom in her voice. “Touché. I just think you could say that as anything.” ________________________________________________ Mia’s POV I didn’t want to ask him to stay, but I also couldn’t bring myself to send him away. Ethan Cross wasn’t the boy I remembered from my teenage years—cocky, carefree, and annoyingly charming. This Ethan was quieter, steadier, like someone who had learned the hard way that life didn’t hand out second chances easily. Not that I care. “Lucas didn’t mention you’d be coming by,” I said, keeping my voice casual. “That’s because I didn’t tell him,” Ethan said with a shrug. “Saw the lights on and thought I’d check in. You’ve been through a lot, Mia.”