Our Christmas Wish

❄December 1st❄

Song: What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas- The Emotions

"Honey, are you sure you and Malia will be okay?" My mother asked, holding Malia as I placed our luggage in the back of my Ford Escape. "You know I don't like you driving when there is a storm coming."

"I will be fine, mom. Besides, I have my little girl with me." She handed Malia to me, and I smiled at my little girl before buckling her into her car seat. She looked at me lively, a big, toothy grin on her little chubby face. I closed the car door and turned to my mom.

"We will be back before Christmas day, okay?" Mom nodded, and pulled me into a tight hug. I closed my eyes and relaxed in her arms.

Mom had been my support system since everything with Tanner and I, and she was really what had kept me going. I don't think I would have made it through everything and college without my mother.

"Okay." She gave me a warm smile, and I slid into the driver's seat of my car. I turned on the ignition, and warmed up the car. Winding down the window, I smiled at my mom one last time.

"I love you, mom!" I shouted, and she blew me a kiss.

"I love you too, and Malia! We will take care of Avery!" I winded up my window, and backed out of my parent's driveway.

As I headed down our street, I fiddled with the radio and turned on my favorite Christmas station. I glanced in my mirror to see Malia staring out the window, the toothy grin still radiating on her face, and smiled. Even with the hurt Tanner left me, my girls could always make me smile and warm my heart.

I had been driving for four hours, just about to enter Nebraska (my parents had previously moved to South Dakota, instead of my hometown Georgia), when the first snowflake fell. Slowly, the snowflakes became bigger, and it became harder to see the road, let alone two feet in front of me. All I had to do was get to Denver, and I would be where I needed to be, and Malia and I would be safe.

I continued on my travel, trying to get to Denver as quickly as possible, when about eight yellow blocks lined the highway. Police officers stood at both ends of the yellow blocks, some facing the traffic coming into Colorado, and some facing the traffic leaving. I slowed down to one of the officers, and they motioned for me to wind down my window.

"Hello sir." I greeted, and he tipped his hat.

"Hello. Where are you traveling?"

"Denver. Why are the roads blocked?" The officer glanced at the blocks, and back to me.

"Well ma'am, the storm has become too bad in Colorado, so there is now a state of emergency, and no one gets in or out." My jaw dropped, but I quickly composed myself and sat up straighter.

"Do you know how the weather is behind me?" He let out a low whistle, and with every second of silence, I became more nervous of how I was going to take care of Malia and I.

"I have heard that they blocked off the South Dakota boarder too." I bowed my head and cursed under my breath before looking back at the officer.

"Is there any hotels or cabins around here? I have no where to go as of now." He nodded his head and pulled out a notepad and pen. The officer wrote down an address, ripped it from the notebook, and handed it to me.

"This is a lodging area, right off the last exit. Just take the exit and turn left twice, and you will be there." I gave him a grateful smile and put my car into drive again.

"Thank you, officer." He returned the smile.

"You're welcome. Keep you and your little girl safe." I winded my window back up, and started to head towards the exit. I did as he said and took two left turns (very, very winding turns), and reached a couple of cabins.