Lingering Morning

Sipping a mug of your favorite hot beverage, you debate venturing out. You admire the snow’s beauty from afar– behind a double-paned glass wall. The hum of your heater kicks on, reminding you of the cold outside. The snow shows no sign of stopping and has already piled up in the driveway.

Oceans of white beneath gray skies– rolling waves of delicate ice crystals dancing in peekaboo shafts of daylight. Fat snowflakes drift lazily down, weaving snuggly blankets over the arms of bare trees and catching in the needles of evergreens. The world outside is like a perpetually shaken snow globe.

You need the paycheck, but you want to be safe. Shaking your head, you do not need to decide yet– give it until you’ve finished your cup. Your eyes slide to your phone, waiting for a call that could change the whole trajectory of your day.

Beside it is the book you did not finish last night and the throw blanket you nested in. You can hear the siren’s call– how easy it would be to sink into that seat and lose yourself again. Setting your mug down on the side table, you take a few steps toward it– your phone rings a merry tune.

Answering, you carefully listen to the robotic voice on the other side of the line; you feel an elation bubble inside your chest as you hear the automated message: “The office is closed due to inclement weather; enjoy your day off.”