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Snow Strike (11) : While out, a sudden snowball smacks you squarely--then another, and another--launched with uncanny accuracy from nowhere you can pinpoint. Whether it’s one unseen assailant or an entire invisible team, the barrage is definitely targeted, and attempting to throw snowballs back or defend yourself only seems to escalate the attack. Sometimes the snowy onslaught will follow you if you run; other times, stepping past a certain point makes it abruptly stop, as if whatever’s behind it has lost interest. No matter how intense it gets, the bombardment always dwindles after a few moments, leaving you cold, dusted in snow, and wondering who--or what--decided you were the perfect target for winter mischief.
Idri had taken the twins out for a walk to give Noa a chance to take a nap. Being new parents was exhausting, but he knew it was harder on Noa. She deserved some time to relax. Maybe in a few more months, he’d find a babysitter for Ains and the twins and take Noa on a weekend getaway at a spa resort or something. It wasn’t something he had ever wanted to do for himself (because he didn’t like for people he didn’t know to touch him. But if it would help Noa, then he would do anything.
He hadn’t been pushing the stroller long when he felt something hit him square in the back. “What the ********?” he said to himself and turned around, expecting to find a kid or two laughing and trying to hide. Except no one was there. There was no giggling, no laughter. No little heads popping out from behind a tree. Not even an a*****e who thought it was funny to throw snowballs at random people. This city was so weird. That’s what another snowball smacked into him from the side.
He hurried to tug the cover over the twins. He didn’t want snow to get in the stroller with them. Another snowball hit him, then another. They came faster, one right after the other, from several different directions and he still couldn’t see where they were coming ******** this,” he muttered and started jogging away from the snowballs. Except they followed him, pelting him more and more as he picked up speed. He got almost to the other end of the block when they just… stopped. With a grumble, he shook his jacket free of the snow that had accumulated and went around the stroller to check on the twins. They were fine, awake now from his fast-paced escape from the mystery snowballs and wondering what that ride had been about.
He chuckled softly at their chubby, curious little faces. “It’s okay, cariños, weird stuff happens in the city we live in,” he said and brushed the backs of his fingers over their cheeks lightly. They were so precious to him. Two little miracles, if his sister was to be believed. He supposed it wasn’t far from the truth, though. Considering how anti-social he had become after his mother’s death. In all honesty, it had taken his little sister to even start going out with Noa. If Ainsley hadn’t sent that text from his phone Noa never would have baited him into taking her out on a date, and these two would never have been born.
It was really Ainsley he needed to thank for all of this. Her ego would go supernova if he ever told her that, though. Maybe when she was older, more mature. His family now was bigger than it ever had been, and it could still be bigger. There had been so much going on with the twins and Noa, that he had never been able to schedule something with his aunt and her family. Maybe now that things had calmed down, they could get together and Aunt Selena could meet Noa, Ainsley, and the twins. He’d talk to Noa about it later.
