blister on her palm and her back began to ache, Alex kept on shoveling. It was preferable to going back into the freezing house, and there was something undeniably congenial about doing this task with Dory. It almost felt as if they really were sisters.
Alex straightened up and leaned on her shovel. ‘This is kind of fun,’ she said to Dory.
Dory looked up at her. ‘No slacking off,’ she said.
‘Aye, aye, captain,’ said Alex, smiling to herself and resuming her task. They were almost done with the front walk when Alex saw a large figure, bundled up and heading in their direction. Between the man’s knit watch cap and the scarf wound around his neck, Alex saw a pair of black glasses frames. She lifted her hand in greeting. Seth waved back.
When he got closer Alex said, ‘We’re not doing your driveway. Don’t even ask us.’
‘Damn,’ said Seth. ‘How’d you know what I wanted?’
Dory straightened up and smiled shyly at him. ‘Hi, Seth.’
‘Hi, Dory,’ he said. ‘You two did quite a job here.’
‘I had to force her,’ said Dory.
‘It’s true,’ said Alex. ‘It’s just that it was so cold in the house, it seemed like it might be warmer if we got moving. Do you guys have power?’
‘Just came back on ten minutes ago,’ he said.
‘Oh, great,’ said Alex, although she felt vaguely disappointed. It seemed as if the snowy morning without electricity had brought her and Dory closer together. She almost hated to see it end.
‘You better watch it!’ Dory cried. Both of them turned to look at her, and just then a snowball exploded on the shoulder of Seth’s parka.
He gave Dory an exaggerated menacing glare. ‘Oh, you’re in trouble now, little lady,’ he said. Reaching quickly down, he packed a snowball and hurled it at her, grazing her jacket.
Dory let out a whoop and lobbed another at Seth. They exchanged fire for a few moments, and then Seth turned and pelted Alex’s sleeve with a snowball. Alex bent down and quickly packed a snowball to lob back at him.
‘Hey, no fair,’ he cried as the snow turned to powder against his forearm. ‘Two against one.’
‘She’s not on my team,’ said Dory. She aimed at Alex, and the icy orb hit Alex right in the face.
Alex turned on her. ‘Oh, is that the way you’re going to be?’ She threw one at Dory that fell short.
‘That’s right,’ said Dory, an edge in her voice. She hit Alex in the face with another snowball.
‘OK, cut that out,’ said Alex, wiping her face. ‘That hurt.’
‘Stay out of it, then,’ said Dory.
Suddenly there was an uneasy feeling in the air, as if the passing storm had doubled back on the house.
Seth clapped his hands together, knocking off the snow. ‘That’s probably enough for me, anyway,’ he said.
Alex brushed off her coat. ‘Do you want to come in for a warm drink or something?’ she asked.
‘The game’s not over!’ Dory cried. This time the icy snowball hit Alex near her temple.
‘OK, stop, Dory!’ Alex shouted.
‘No!’ Dory cried, pelting her again.
Seth held up his hands. ‘Halt. We surrender.’
‘Alex, you suck at this game,’ Dory said.
‘Girls, girls. I’m on my way down to the store,’ said Seth. ‘I told my dad I’d get him some soup. I’ll get enough for all of us. You two are welcome to come down for lunch.’
Alex hesitated and looked in Dory’s direction. But Dory had jammed her shovel into a snow bank and was wading through the drifts back toward the house.
‘Maybe another time,’ said Alex.
Seth frowned at Dory’s retreating figure. ‘You don’t think she took that seriously, do you?’
Alex shook her head. ‘I don’t know. Honestly.’
Seth hesitated, as if choosing his words carefully. ‘Look, Alex, are you sure this is a good idea, having her living here with you? I know you want to think the best of her and give her the benefit of the doubt, but you don’t know what she’s really like,’ he said.
‘It might not be for much longer, if the DA decides not to refile the charges.’
‘And if he does? You could be looking at a year or more.’
‘If she doesn’t stay here, she goes back to prison,’ said Alex. ‘I’m not going to do that to her. Not over some stupid snowball fight.’
‘Just because something’s stupid doesn’t mean it can’t be dangerous,’ he said grimly.
Alex looked back at the house, which looked beautiful and inviting, banked with snow. Dory had disappeared inside. ‘I’m trying to be patient,’ she said. ‘We just