Wild Nights, Hot And Crazy Days

Part 2.7: Something's Happening Here... (What It Is Ain't Exactly Clear...)

CONTENT WARNING: DEPICTS CONSENSUAL SEXUAL TOUCHING AND DESCRIBES PAST SEXUAL ABUSE

The next morning I got up and looked out the window. It was snowing. A few inches were down already. I turned on my radio and sat back down on the bed, wearing nothing but my underwear. I was just absentmindedly listening to the radio, contemplating getting dressed, when my door flew open. It was Colin, fully dressed and looking cheerful. "It's snowing!" he exclaimed.

"Jesus, Colin, ever hear of knocking?!?" I said, as I reached for my pillow to cover myself. He was unabashed. He sat down next to me. Once again he was sitting very close. I pulled away again, then stood up. I picked a pair of pants off the floor and pulled them on. I then dug around in the dresser for a shirt and pulled that on as well. Colin did not take his eyes off me the entire time. I was just about to ask him what he wanted, when the weather forecast came on the radio. The radio station always played the forecast directly from the government weather office's phone in weather service. It sounded like a cross between a robot and a 90 year old man. Absolutely monotone and deadpan with no emotion whatsoever, but old and wheezy sounding.

"Here's the forecast for Halifax and Halifax county west, issued at 5:00AM on Sunday. A heavy snowfall warning has been issued for today. Periods of snow at times heavy. Wind Northeast 50 kilometers per hour gusting to 80, giving reduced visibility in blowing snow. High minus 5. Windchill minus 18. Snowfall amount 15 to 20 centimeters. For tonight, periods of snow tapering to flurries after midnight. Clearing before dawn. Wind diminishing to North 20 gusting to 40. Additional snowfall 5-10 centimeters. Lows near minus 8. For tomorrow, partly sunny. Wind North 20. Temperature steady at -8..."

'YES!!!" we both yelled. We both loved snow storms, even though it wasn't a school day. Snow meant shoveling driveways, and shoveling driveways meant money. Besides, this pretty much guaranteed a white Christmas. Contrary to what one might think, we don't get many white Christmases in Nova Scotia.

Spirits sufficiently lifted, we went upstairs. Mom was in the kitchen making breakfast. Pancakes. Mom made the world's best pancakes. She was in high spirits as well because she loved storms of any kind, and she was always excited about Christmas. We went out into the living room to wait until the pancakes were ready. Dad was out there reading the newspaper. He lowered it slightly and looked at us. "Boys", he said, then put the paper back up and continued reading. I turned the TV on. Sunday TV was usually pretty boring, especially as we didn't have cable and only had three channels, but this close to Christmas one could always count on Christmas specials on CBC. I settled on Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and sat on the love seat next to Colin. Eventually Heather came bleary-eyed out of her room and settled on the floor in front of the TV.

"Where's Mark?" I asked.

"He's at his girlfriend's house. Probably going to be stranded there", Dad said.

Soon Mom said "Breakfast is ready", so we funneled into the kitchen and helped ourselves. "Can we eat in the living room?" I asked.

"No, pancakes are too messy. Sit at the table."