Caught in a snowstorm, Elina and her mother-in-law, Laura, find themselves on a journey fraught with tension and unresolved grievances. But, as the storm grows more dangerous, an unexpected event forces them to confront their differences in a way that will change their relationship forever.
Elina walked back and forth across the living room, her steps quick and restless. She kept glancing at the clock, the minutes dragging like hours.
“Where is he?” she muttered under her breath, her frustration growing with each passing second.
She stopped by the window for the umpteenth time, her eyes scanning the empty driveway, hoping to see the familiar headlights of Mark’s car.
But there was nothing. She sighed deeply, her hand instinctively moving to rest on her round belly, feeling the faint kicks of the baby inside.
Elina’s mind wandered back to when they planned this trip. She was adamant about going despite being so close to her due date.
“It’ll be our last chance for a while,” she’d told Mark, brushing aside his cautious protests.
“Well?
Is he back yet?” Laura’s voice rang out sharply from the other room, breaking the tense silence.
Elina clenched her jaw, trying to stay calm. “No,” she called back. “Not yet.” She stared at her phone for a moment, then groaned in frustration and pressed Mark’s number.
He answered almost right away.
“Hey,” she said, her voice clipped. “Where are you?”
“I was stuck at work,” Mark replied. “Then I got caught in traffic.
It’s bad out here. It’ll take me at least another hour and a half to get home.”
Elina felt her pulse quicken. “So what does that mean?
We’re leaving in the middle of the night now?”
“I’ve been thinking,” Mark began carefully. “Maybe you and Mom could head out without me. I’ll join you there later.”
Elina’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Are you serious right now? Four hours in a car with your mother? Alone?” she hissed into the phone, lowering her voice.
Mark sighed.
“I know it’s not ideal. But your parents and my sister will be waiting when you get there. It won’t be that bad.”
Elina exhaled slowly.
“I won’t survive this.”
“You’ll be fine,” Mark said, trying to reassure her. “There’s a snowstorm coming. You should leave now.”
“Fine,” she said, her tone icy.
“Thank you.
I love you,” he said softly.
“Love you too,” Elina replied and hung up, still fuming.
Elina inhaled deeply, steadying herself before stepping into the living room. Laura sat on the couch, her eyes glued to her phone.
“Mark’s running late,” Elina said firmly. “He said we should leave without him.”
Laura looked up, her face tense.
“What happened? Is my son hurt?”
Elina shook her head, trying to stay patient. “No.
He’s fine. Just stuck in traffic.”
Laura put her phone down with a loud sigh. “Well, I don’t know how I’ll manage four hours in a car with a cheater,” she said.
“But if it’s what Mark wants, I’ll endure it.”
Elina clenched her fists, forcing a smile. “Let’s just go.”
Elina and Laura set off on their journey. The snow had started falling lightly, covering the edges of the road in white.
The story doesn’t end here — it continues on the next page.
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