Snowfall

IAN COULDN’T STOP smiling at her at the breakfast table and with good reason, Maggie mused.

Max and Jolie were as giddy too.

Everyone must have had a good night!

“Picking out a tree and then chopping it down is on the agenda today.” Maggie announced.

She was more agenda driven than Ian, and that was difficult to be.

And especially this year Maggie needed to be extra driven to keep her mind from sliding back to the fateful sting. It was like Brian to text her last night to reassure her that he was all right and meaning they’d be all right going forward.

She’d been cleared after the tragic incident, but even her chief was relieved Maggie was taking the time off even though her and Ian’s annual trip to Vermont had been planned for months as usual.

But admittedly, neither Brian nor she were ready to return to duty. And besides, before they did, the precinct psychologist had to clear them.

The trek to find the perfect tree would jump start her healing.

Maggie reveled in the cold. It got her blood pumping and the snow flakes enhanced the Christmas mood.

After they’d finished their breakfast, she was the first one to dress in her winter gear.

“You guys are such slowpokes! I’ll get the bow saw from the shed, and I bet I’ll get back with it before you all get ready.”

“A bit invigorated this morning, aren’t you?” Ian teased.

Maggie winked and darted out the door.

The cold air slapped her face, but at least she was alive to feel it. She reminded herself that Brian and Allia were too.

Maggie twirled in the foot of snow that the snowstorm had left behind with her arms out and with her face to the blue sky.

“Snow! Snow! Snow!” she singsonged.

She stuck out her tongue and caught a few errant snowflakes.

Maggie looked around making sure no one was watching her childish winter display.

But no one was.

She trudged in the snow with a smile that poked into her cheeks.

It was the perfect day to get a tree!