Chapter 3

I held the phone, standing there in a daze.

Tears finally fell, splattering onto the cold phone screen, instantly turning ice-cold.

The man beside me patted my shoulder gently and sighed:

"Kid, don't be sad. How about you come to my place first? You can call your parents from there and have them pick you up."

"My place is just off the next exit—it's not on your way, otherwise I'd give you a ride."

I thought about how impatient Mom and Dad had sounded. I declined the man's kind offer.

"Sir, that's okay. Thank you. My parents said my uncle will be here soon to pick me up. I'll just wait for him here."

It was a holiday. Mom and Dad probably didn't want to turn around and make the trip back for me.

Uncle James and I weren't close normally. Making him go out of his way to pick me up—he definitely wouldn't be happy about it either.

The man looked like he wanted to say more, but his phone rang in his pocket—probably someone traveling with him calling.

He looked at me with worried eyes, then pulled several fancy-wrapped chocolates from his down jacket pocket and pressed them into my hands.

He went back to his car and brought me a beige blanket, wrapping it around my shoulders:

"Keep this blanket on—it'll help you stay warm. Eat the chocolate so you don't get too hungry. If you wait too long and no one comes, borrow someone else's phone and call your parents again. Whatever you do, don't wander off."

I nodded hard, choking out "Thank you, sir."

His hurried figure disappeared through the doorway. The empty rest stop was just me again.

The cold wind still squeezed through the cracks in the door. But my shoulders, wrapped in the blanket, gradually felt warmer.

My stomach growled with hunger. I unwrapped one chocolate and gently bit off a small piece.

I couldn't bear to eat more. I carefully folded up the remaining chocolate and put it in my pocket, thinking that if I had to wait too long, I could rely on this to get by.

I pulled the small blanket tighter around me and instinctively tugged at my clothes. Underneath, I was wearing an old sweater Marcus had discarded last year.

The collar had become loose and misshapen from washing. The cuffs had frayed threads.

This was what Marcus didn't want anymore last year. Mom said it was still wearable, so she gave it to me.

But this year, Marcus was wearing a newly bought gray suit with a blue bow tie, making him look like a little prince.

Lily's down jacket was brand new too—pink, making her look like a little princess.

Only me, wearing Marcus's hand-me-downs, like a dull gray shadow.

Afraid Uncle James might drive past without seeing me, I had to grit my teeth and leave the bathroom, standing back out in the cold wind.

The streetlight glow grew dimmer. The sky gradually darkened.

The distant sky turned deep gray. Sparse snowflakes began to fall.

Landing on my hair, on my shoulders, instantly melting into cold water stains.

I stared at where the cars were coming from.

When my feet went numb from the cold, I'd stomp them.

When my hands got stiff, I'd tuck them inside the blanket and rub them together.

Over and over, I prayed in my heart for Uncle James to hurry up and arrive.

Passing cars drove by one after another. The headlights made my eyes blur, but not a single car stopped at the rest stop.

The snowflakes fell heavier and heavier, accumulating in a thin layer on the blanket.

I pulled the blanket even tighter. The sweet taste of chocolate had long since faded, leaving only anxiety and cold filling my heart.

I didn't know how much longer I'd have to wait. I didn't know if Uncle James would really remember to come pick me up.

I just felt like this freezing wind was about to turn me into ice in this vast, empty rest stop.