Consequences(165)

She nodded her head. “Thank you—I’d like that.” They fell asleep.

The next day, using Tony’s iPhone, Claire was allowed to call both Courtney and Sue. She didn’t utilize the speaker phone, and although present, Tony didn’t question the content. Both ladies wanted to catch up and hear all about married life. Claire said she would love to. She’d check her calendar and get back to them. She also apologized for not returning their calls sooner—things were just so busy.


Much earlier than normal, the sound of Tony’s alarm woke them on February 1. Their flight to Phoenix was leaving at 7:00 AM. The trip was only planned for one night, but Claire didn’t care. They were leaving the estate and that was enough to propel her from bed to the shower. She would stay at their apartment while Tony met with associates; if all went well they’d dine out tonight. He described this apartment as one of their smaller ones. As she showered, she wondered what small really meant.

Steam filled the bathroom with a muggy fog. She secured the luxurious lavender towel around her body as Tony entered. “We aren’t going to Phoenix.”

Her shoulders slumped. “Why? Did I do something?”

Tony hugged her warm body as water dripped from her hair onto her shoulders and the floor. “No. We can’t go anywhere. Eric just called. We should’ve looked out the window.”

He took her to the tall French doors leading to her balcony. When he moved the drapes she could only see white. At least 12” of new snow had fallen on the ground, trees, balcony rail, everywhere. With the addition of the 8–10” of old snow, there was now almost two feet, and it continued to fall, accompanied by wind. Barely seeing beyond the balcony, she saw drifts transforming the backyard into an ocean of white waves. Heaven knows how deep the snow was in the bigger drifts. Claire sat on the bed with large droplets gliding down her back—discouraged—and sighed.

Sitting next to her, Tony rubbed her leg. “Think of it as a snow day. Didn’t you like those when you were a kid?”

“Yeah, because I didn’t want to go to school—but now I want to go.”

He hugged her shoulder. “You want to go to school?”

Exhaling loudly, she said, “I want to go anywhere.”

Tony lifted some of her hair. “Well, I’m afraid you’ll catch pneumonia if you try to go somewhere.”

She laid her head back on the bed, pressed her lips into a tight line, and looked up at the ceiling. If she opened her mouth she would scream. She was trapped!

Leaning over her, he grinned. “How about we celebrate our newfound free day?”

She knew what he was thinking, and she didn’t want to celebrate. Telling him no was supposed to be her option; however, it hadn’t been tested, and Claire didn’t think she was emotionally strong enough for the trial. Despondently, she asked, “How do you want to celebrate?”

Still leaning over her, he said, “How about you take me to your lake?”

“What?”—Claire’s thoughts spun—The lake would be frozen and was about five miles away. Would they freeze? It was out, out of the house!—“Are you serious?” Her eyes sparkled as she tried to read her husband’s expression.

“If it makes that spark come back to your emerald eyes—I’m serious”—he kissed her forehead—“We have boots, coats, and gloves, everything needed to ski. It was one of our honeymoon options. So let’s get you dry, us fed, bundled, and find this lake I’ve heard so much about.”

“It’s about five miles away. Don’t you need to talk to the Phoenix people, let them know what happened?”