"Hurry up, Mel, we need to get on the road," my husband yelled at us from the front door. "Hang on, I just want to check the forecast one more time; they were saying we had a ten percent chance of snow today," I yelled back while I clicked the weather app on my computer. "Seriously? You can do that on the way," he advised me. "Besides, they have been saying all week that there is only a small chance of snow today."

I rolled my eyes as I climbed into our blue Ford pickup. "You were really hoping there would be bad weather so we wouldn't have to go to my mom's, weren't you?" My husband laughed as he shifted the truck into drive. 

"No, I just don't want us to be stuck on the side of the road in a snowstorm, that's all," I lied. I mean, it's not that I don't like Kirt's mom, it's just couldn't I have a single Christmas or Thanksgiving at my house? She had never once come to our house for anything, not even to see her grandchildren. I even had to give birth in the hospital in Loveland, where she lives, just so she could be there for the birth. It's not that the woman can't drive either. She just refuses to unless it suits her. And, when it does, she will go anywhere; she even went on a road trip with her girlfriends to Louisiana.

We had made it to Lode Grass, Montana, when it began snowing. "I thought you said there wasn't any snow," my husband growled.

"Seriously? You're blaming me because it decided to snow? I mean, come on, you can't even blame the meteorologists because, hello, mother nature changed her mind," I argued. 

"No, dear, I'm not blaming you or anyone."

By the time we made it to Devils Tower, Wyoming, we were in a full-blown blizzard. "We need to find somewhere safe to stop until this blows over," I said, scared out of my wits at the thought of being stuck on the side of the road in a blizzard. The thought of my family frozen inside the pickup sent chills of fear down my spine. Not waiting for a response from Kirt, I grabbed my phone from my purse while saying a silent prayer that it would have signal. "Yes," I breathed so as not to scare the kids, who were already asleep in the backseat. We woke them up at three a.m. this morning because they take forever to get ready unless it is for something fun that they want to do—and going to their grandma's isn't.

I went to the maps app and zoomed all the way in to see what there was around for us to stay in. "Hey, there are some cabins up ahead where we can hopefully stay until this blizzard passes," I said, thankful for our good luck. 

"Yeah, okay, you just gotta tell me when we get there," Kirt said nervously. You could tell he was scared of driving in this blizzard. He was driving slowly and cautiously so we wouldn't run off the road.

"Okay, in a half-mile we'll turn to the right, and then I'll tell you when to turn left," I said as I guided him to the Oak Grove Cabins. I took a deep breath as I said, "Turn left here." On cue, he turned easily into the driveway and parked in front of a tiny cabin with a big sign out front. It was almost covered in snow, but we could see the glowing "Open" sign in the window of what we hoped was the main office for the cabins. 

Kirt got out of the pickup and knocked the snow off the sign, which revealed the words "Oak Grove Cabins Office" along with an arrow pointing to the little cabin. 

"Oh, thank God!" I cheered loudly, accidentally waking up the kids. 

"Are we there already?" Emma asked groggily as she stretched. 

"Nope, sorry kiddo, we ran into a blizzard. Your dad is inside trying to get us a cabin to stay in until it blows over," I explained to her. 

A few minutes later, Kirt came out of the office. "Okay, let's see if I can't follow the directions I was given," he said as he climbed back into the pickup. "The guy said to take this road beside the office for about a mile, then take a right up the winding road, and the cabin should be on the left with a red door. He wouldn't even take any money for the cabin; he said he didn't want anyone stuck out in this weather," Kirt said as he put the pickup in gear and slowly started up the road that ran beside the cabin. He carefully followed the directions the guy had given him until we pulled up to the cabin. It looked beautiful, all covered in snow with its red door.

When Emma and I got out of the pickup, the snow was so deep we could barely make it up to the front door. The snow had to be four feet already. Not so easy for us short girls to trudge through. Kirt and Ethan had already made it into the cabin when Emma and I finally made it to the front door. "Could you two tall people please bring our stuff in while we short people start a fire," I pleaded, not wanting to play in the snow any longer. Kirt and Ethan stood straight and tall with their chests out as Kirt said, "Of course we can, this snow is no match for us tall men." I laughed as I turned my attention back to the wood-burning stove. I was grateful that the caretaker had already stocked the cabin with wood and some fire logs. It made starting the fire so much easier. When the guys had finished unloading the pickup, I was already enjoying the warmth of the roaring fire.

"Mom, there is no way we could've made it safely in the blizzard." I overheard Kirt as he yelled into the phone. "Well, I'm sorry, you are just going to have to spend Christmas by yourself," was the last thing I heard him say before I heard the front door open and shut. 

"I never thought I would hear him yell at his mother," I thought to myself with a chuckle. "He has always done what she tells him to do."

He finally came back in as I was making Christmas supper. "I was wondering if you were going to come back in. You were sitting in the pickup for hours," I admitted smugly. 

"Well, at least you knew I was okay," he joked. "I'm sorry you had to hear me yelling. There is no signal in this place," he shared as he threw his arms up in the air. "I finally found a small pocket in the pickup where she could understand me."

"Mom," Emma said as she came into the little kitchen, "we need a Christmas tree for the presents."

"Aren't you a little old to believe in Santa Claus?" Ethan teased his little sister as he came into the kitchen to get a drink. 

She rolled her eyes at him and said, "I know Santa isn't real, I was just asking about a tree. We've never not had a tree for Christmas."

"You're right, we should go out later and see if we can't find a suitable tree," I announced, hoping that would end their bickering. 

After I got everything ready to cook, we bundled up and headed out into the blizzard to try and find us a decent tree. It took us a while to find one good enough to cut down because of all the blowing snow and the snow that had fallen. But with a little luck, Emma found her perfect tree before we all turned into popsicles.

Our little tree looked just like the one from A Charlie Brown Christmas, just a little bit sturdier. "Now it's time to decorate it," Emma exclaimed happily. 

"But we don't have any ornaments to hang on it," Ethan said smugly to his little sister. 

"Ethan, quit picking on your sister," I ordered hotly. Clearly being cooped up in the cabin had made him bored. It was funny though since we hadn't been here but for only a couple of hours. "Come on, guys, let's stop bickering and go inside to see what we can find to decorate this tree with," I suggested, trying to keep everyone's spirits up. 

"I'll be right in, dear, I got to make a phone call," Kirt called back as he headed for the warmth of the pickup. I just nodded at him as the kids and I headed inside the cabin. 

Emma and I got to work trying to find things to decorate our little tree with, while Ethan, being a normal sixteen-year-old boy, went to the room he now had to share with his twelve-year-old sister and put his earbuds in. We found some crepe paper, which must have been left over from a party someone had here, and I remembered that I had packed some popcorn. It wasn't much, but the tree did look festive. Kirt came in sometime later and saw what we had done to the tree. He went to the kitchen, took one of the metal lids I had cut off of a can, and cut a little star out of it so Emma could place it on top of the tree.

That night was the scariest night of my life (Or so I thought.) After we all had finished supper Ethan and Emma went to bed while Kirt stayed up watching television on his laptop since the cabin didn’t have one and I washed up the dishes. That is when I saw him. A man staring back at me through the kitchen window. When I screamed he ran off into the darkness of the night. “What’s wrong,” Kirt asked as he ran up to me. “There was a man staring at me through the window,” I stuttered, still shaken up at seeing the man's face staring back at me.

“Okay stay here I’m going to go see if he is still out there, make sure you lock the door behind me,” He ordered as he grabbed the flashlight then ran out the door. A few moments later he came in shivering from the cold. “I didn’t see anyone out there. If there was, you wouldn’t be able to see the footprints thanks to all the snow still falling,” Kirt explained.

I couldn’t sleep at all that night. My mind wouldn’t let me get that face out of my head. It kept repeating the experience over and over to where I couldn’t even close my eyes without seeing that face in the window.

I decided to go into the kitchen to read some and have a cup of tea hoping it would help me sleep. As I was pouring my tea I looked up at the window and there was the guy’s face looking back at me again. I immediately ran into the living room slipping my feet into my boots and grabbing my coat as I dashed outside into the frigid cold. I run around to where the kitchen window is. There, sure enough, was big footprints in the snow. “Ha, I knew I wasn’t crazy. “You better stay away or I will shoot you,” I yelled out into the darkness.

I ran back inside the cabin locking the door behind me shivering not just from the cold but more from the fear that someone was outside. I go back into the bedroom and start shaking almost violently to wake up my husband to tell him what happened. “Kirt wake up someone is outside peaking in again,” I yelled. “What the hell Melissa I’m trying to sleep,” He barked sleepily at me. “Kirt wake your ass up someone is outside,” I said harshly quietly trying to keep my voice down so as not to wake the children. “You just had a bad dream, now lay down and go back to sleep,” Kirt demanded as he sat up. I tried to lay down and sleep but I couldn’t sleep. I lay there just staring into the darkness wondering why he didn’t believe me.

The next morning when I awoke Kirt was already up as I walked into the kitchen. “Morning is the kids still asleep,” I asked him with a yawn. He looked up at me from his coffee cup with an irritated look upon his face and said “Yup,” then went back to the show he was watching on his laptop. I just rolled my eyes and was about to pour me a cup of coffee when I noticed that Kirt had drunk the whole pot. “Thanks for leaving me a cup,” I said clearly irritated. “What has gotten into him he has always left me a cup or made a whole new pot.”

I just shook my head and proceeded to make another pot then started making breakfast. Kirt didn’t even bother eating. He just got up from the table and went out the front door. I watched him from the window go straight to his pickup truck. I shook my head in disgust and went to wake up the kids. “Merry Christmas kiddos,” I yelled as I entered the room. “Oh, mom,” They moaned when I turned the light. “Come on it’s Christmas and breakfast is ready,” I said cheerfully. Well as cheerfully as I could anyway I still couldn’t figure out what was going on with Kirt. Was he really upset about me waking him up last night? I don’t know he has been acting really odd since we got here. One minute he is all happy go lucky then the next a grumpy old fart.

We finally finished eating our breakfast. I sent Ethan out to get his father so we could open our presents but within seconds he ran back inside. He looked like his whole world had been crushed. “Ethan, what’s wrong? Are you okay,” I asked him. “Um, dad said to go ahead and open presents without him,” He relayed sadly. He looked up at me while he was clearly trying to hold back tears. Ethan cleared his throat and went to our Charlie Brown tree and picked up the present he had gotten for his sister. Even though Emma was only twelve she still noticed the sadness coming from her older brother. “Thank you,” She said sweetly. She sat her present down then went to the tree to get the present she had gotten for him. While they were opening each other’s presents I snuck outside to find out what had happened.

Kirt was clearly in a heated conversation with someone as I walked up to the truck because when I tried to open the truck door he didn’t hear me. But when I knocked on the window of the locked truck door he jumped and quickly hung up the phone. “What the fuck Melissa,” He barked as he rolled the window down. “I was on a business call,” I took a step back in shock at how he had just yelled at me. “I came out here to tell you to never upset my kids again, I don’t know what you said to Ethan but whatever it was you said upset him,” I argued. “Sounds to me like you’ve babied him way too long and he needs to toughen up,” Kirt snapped back at me. I felt my jaw drop to the ground with that comment. I couldn’t believe that he would really say that about his own son. I had no words. All I could do is shake my head and walk back inside. For some extra chuckle on my part, I locked the door behind me. If he wanted to be an ass he could be one outside away from us. I wasn’t going to let him ruin our Christmas.

The kids and I finished exchanging gifts when we heard Kirt try to open the door. “Melissa I’m sorry I was an ass to you would you please open the door,” Kirt called from the other side of the locked door. “What do you two think should I open the door,” I asked the kids. It didn’t take Emma long to pipe up with “Yes,” but when Ethan gave his answer it was no surprise to me “No, let him stay outside,” then he got up from the couch and went into his bedroom with his gifts. He wanted nothing to do with his father. I wondered what Kirt actually said to him.

“Go let your father in please,” I asked Emma who was giving me her pleading look. She nods her head and walks over to let her father in. “Thank you, sweetheart,” He said, kissing Emma on her head then looked over at me “I’m sorry about what I said to you I was upset with a coworker and I took it out on you and Ethan,” He said apologetically. He looked around sadly for his son. “He is in his room,” I answered him before he even had a chance to ask. “But please don’t bother him right now just let him calm down first,”

“Okay, your right,” He answered sadly. Emma jumped into her father’s lap with his gifts in her hands. “Open your presents dad,” She begged. While they were going over each other's presents I headed off into the kitchen to start on Christmas dinner. My meal prep from the day before made things a lot easier. I had the sides cooking and the turkey heating up in the oven.

I was looking out of the kitchen watching Emma and her father when I saw Emma had her father another present. “It’s from Ethan,” She said sweetly. Ethan obviously overheard and stormed out of his room at the exact moment and snatched the present out of her hands then went back into his room. Kirt looked up at me as if to ask if I just saw what had just happened there. I just shrugged my shoulders at him. “Food is almost done, Emma, would you please set the table,” I asked her, trying to keep some Christmas spirit in the house. Emma goes about setting the table and when she is done she goes and knocks on the bedroom door she shared with her brother.

“Ethan Christmas dinner is done will you come and eat with me,” She pleaded like only a little sister can. Sure enough, he came out of his room and Emma gave him a big hug. “Thanks,” She whispered in his ear. He looked at her, smiled and winked. You could tell he loved his little sister and would do anything for her.

I smiled as I sat down at the table “Ethan would you please say grace,” I asked him. “Since when do we pray over our food,” He questioned me curiously. “I thought it would be a nice change, so please,” I answered sharply. Ethan nodded his head and started a little prayer. “May all be fed. May all be healed. May all be loved,” We all said “Amen,” It was a short and sweet prayer, but I am glad he did it without much of a fight.

Our Christmas dinner, however, was a very quiet one. There was little chatter between us but you could tell the tension coming from Ethan towards his father. Even though we tried to ignore it you could cut the tension with a very sharp knife. After a somewhat peaceful Christmas dinner, the guys went to their rooms while Emma helped me with the cleanup. “Mom what’s going on with dad and Ethan,” Emma inquired curiously. I let out a deep breath. “I don’t know sweetie. I've been wondering the same thing,” I admitted humbly. “But I intend to find out."

We finished up the dishes silently each of us wondering what was up with the guys. When the last dish was put up I went and knocked on Ethan’s door then just walked in. “Mom, you're supposed to wait until I tell you to come in,” He groaned, annoyed at me for barging in. “Well if this was your actual room I would have plus you are going to tell me what is up with you and your dad,” I ordered harshly. “Nothing,” He snapped as he turned his attention back to his phone. “Ethan you can tell me now or you can go for a walk with me one way or another you will tell me,” I knew he wouldn’t choose to go on a walk in the snow he hated the cold. “Ugh, fine,” He said as he sat upon the bed. “Just don’t get mad at me because I just wanted to protect you ok,” He begged sadly.

I got very anxious at what he was fixing to tell me. I was fixing to tell him that I didn’t want to know anymore when he started telling me what had gone down between him and his father. “I went outside to get dad as you told me to do when I overheard a female telling dad that she was upset at him because he had promised her that they were supposed to spend Christmas in Colorado together. And then dad had said that he loved her and that he didn’t have a choice because his mother wanted to see her grandkids. I had to call dad out on it mom I had to. He is cheating on you on Emma and me."

When he finished telling me I didn’t know what to say I just stood there my brain swimming with everything Ethan had just told me. The next thing I remember is Ethan saying “Mom are you alright, Mom, Mom,” before I fainted.

I woke up laying in my bed with my children on either side of me. “Where’s your father,” I asked groggily while trying to sit up in the bed. “I told him to stay out of here,” Ethan declared angrily. “I also told him that I told you about the conversation I had overheard." Emma looked back and forth between her brother and me. “What conversation are you talking about?” She questioned us curiously. Ethan looked at me then turned his attention to his little sister. “It’s nothing for you to worry about.” He said, trying to keep her out of the mess. “You two can stop shielding me from horrible and hurtful things. I am not a child anymore,” She argued.

I took a deep breath contemplating on how to tell her. “Emma come and sit down beside me,” I said as I patted the spot beside me. “Your father has been seeing another woman,” I told her. “Do you know what that means,” She nodded her head and I continued. “Ethan overheard them talking when I sent him to get your father to open presents this morning,” I explained sadly. The look on her face broke my heart. I know she was her daddy’s little girl and this was probably going to ruin that.

She reached over and gave me a giant hug. With pain all over her face she jumped off the bed and headed for the door to yell at her father in the next room. Ethan jumped in front of the door before she could open it. “No Emma it’s not worth wasting your breath over. We will get our chance to tell him what we think about what he has done later,” He explained to her. “He needs to know how much I hate what he did,” Emma argued as she tried to move her brother out of her way.