Anya groaned,frustration and disappointment washing over her. This was not what she had expected. She fumbled for a flashlight, her eyes squinting in the darkness. Grabbing her emergency kit,she took a brief moment to check her phone-still working, but the battery was low. Too low to call or even text home. Time to get going. Frowning,she bundled up,shouldering her bag and making her way to the door.
Outside, the icy wind slapped her like a hand in the face,snow swirled everywhere, reducing visibility to near zero. She inched forward,her car keys clenched in her hand.
The drive was a whiteout, her windshield wipers struggling to keep up. She crept along,her knuckles paper-white on the steering wheel. Suddenly, her car skidded, and she felt herself going...whoa...whoa...the car stopped, stuck in a snowbank. Anya groaned, banging her hands on the steering wheel. "Why,universe,why?"
She sat there for a moment, contemplating her life choices. Should she try to dig herself out? Call a tow truck? Or just abandon the car and walk?
The universe answered with a gust of wind that rocked the car. "Okay, okay,I get it.
She zipped up her coat, grabbed her bag,and stepped into the maelstrom. The wind howled, stealing her breath. Snow blinded her,and she stumbled, disoriented. The cold seeped into her bones,and her clothes drenched and plastered to her freezing body. And just as she wondered if she'd make it,she spotted headlights. It was a stranded taxi,it's driver hunched over the wheel. Anya stumbled towards it,banging on the door. The driver,a grizzled old man with a bushy beard,peered out, then rolled down the window. "Need a ride,sweetheart?"
Anya nearly sobbed with relief. "Please,yes! I'm freezing!"
The driver grinned, pushing open the door. "Hop in! I'm Joe,by the way. Been driving through this stuff for twenty years. You ain't seen nothing yet."
"Huh? Anya said as she slid into the warm taxi, shaking the snow off her coat. "Anya".
"Anya?" Joe repeated, trying to place the name. "Damn,that wouldn't be the Anya that's been talking on my radio an hour ago. Would she?"
"That'd be me," Anya said with a smile.
As Joe pulled back on to the road,Anya closed her eyes, letting the warmth seep in.
"You okay,kid," Joe asked,his voice gentle.
Anya nodded, opening her eyes. "Yeah. Just glad to be off the streets. This storm is a monster."
Joe chuckled. "Told ya',sweetheart. I know these roads like the back of my hand. We will get you home safe and sound,sugarbun."
Anya playfully slapped Joe on the thigh. "Don't call me that,though,"and Joe chuckled again.
He was amiable and fun to chat with,but not even his knowledge of the city helped them navigate the treacherous streets. They almost got stuck twice,and visibility became too low that they agreed they couldn't keep moving. "There's a hotel just around the corner," Anya commented. "It's high-end,but they'll have rooms. We could shelter there until the storm abates."
A minute later,Joe grinned, "The Grandview at your service! Fancy place,but I reckon you deserve it after tonight." Anya smiled,her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you,Joe. You saved my life."
Joe winked. "Just doin' my job,sweetheart. Now get on in there and warm up."
Anya pushed open the door,stepping out into the swirling snow. She turned to Joe,her eyes glowing with gratitude. "Thank you again,Joe,I owe you one."
Joe smiled,his eyes twinkling. "Just take care of yourself, kid. And maybe send me a weather update when you get inside?"
Anya laughed,feeling a sense of relief sweep through her. "I will, Joe,I promise." And with a final wave,Anya turned and stepped onto the curb,the snow swirling around her ankles. She took a deep breath,feeling the warmth of the hotel lobby beckoning her inside.
As she pushed open the door,a tall,slim doorman with a little yellow badge at his breast pocket that said:'Sloan' greeted her with a warm smile. " Jesus!...welcome to the Grandview hotel,miss. Looks like you are having a wild night."
Anya smiled,her eyes scanning the luxurious lobby. "You have no idea."
She stood there for a brief moment, taking in the warmth and elegance of the lobby. she was safe and sound,and she felt a wave of relief roll through her.
The doorman cleared his throat,his expression sympathetic. "Would you like me to take your bag,miss?"
Anya shook her head, smiling. "No,thank you. I'm fine."
As she made her way to the reception desk,she couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. She had never been here before,would she finally get a chance to relax?
The cold wind hit him as he burst through the revolving glass doors. 'Who rejects a multi-million-dollar proposal?' The question kept flashing in his mind,and he kept coming to one final conclusion:Only a retard could. He wasn't surprised; the guys in his last meeting weren't exactly the sharpest knives in the dishwasher.
Shaking his head,Sebastian hurtled down the cobblestone pavement to his car, the Snowflake's fancy routine dance in the wind like a dirty joke to him,mocking his frustration.
He slid into his sleek,black Sedan,the engine purring to life like a contented cat. His plan was to drive across the river to Minneapolis,where he'd briefly meet an old friend wh'd dealt with the Chicago client before,gather enough knowledge on the sort of incentives to throw at the client during their meeting to lure him in and proceed to Chicago. He was really good at playing 'dog and bone;If he only knew in advance what bone to throw to which dog,that was always an added advantage on his side...But Mother Nature had other plans.
This was going to be a tough drive,Sebastian was sure,but he intended to make it as comfortable as he could manage under the prevailing circumstances;Not that he could do much about it,so he fiddled with the buttons at the dashboard, switching on the radio and clicked through the channels, searching for something descent,something that could do the daunting task of cheering him up as he drove.
He caught Mark Hail of 97.5 FM halfway through the storm update,speaking to a smooth voiced weather forecaster. The forecaster had the sweetest voice for pillow talk,he thought. But who in the fucking world talked about snow in blizzard proportions? He groaned at the radio broadcast,and clicked on the channels as his thoughts momentarily veered to the past,to the tragedy that had driven him to become the man he was today. But he really didn't want his mind drifting off in that direction. Didn't want the unpleasant memories darkening his mood even more than the storm had. Pushing the poignant memory aside,Sebastian focused on the road ahead,but the goddamn storm seemed to intensify,the wind howling like a beast,and his driving skills were put to the test.
He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he muttered, "Why didn't I just stay in bed?"
The snow-covered roads were getting too risky,and Sebastian was forced to slow down.
The bridge across the Mississippi was a slippery,winding tunnel. The speed he was driving at,he probably would get to Chicago next year. His heart raced and his pride took a hit.
Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse,the storm decided to up the ante. The wind howled even worse,the snow blinded him,and his dignity took a hit once again. He pulled over,defeated, and then realized:He was just about a block away from his Minneapolis hotel. He could actually see it's neon sign from where he was;if only the fucking storm would let him.
With a sigh of relief,he pulled back onto the road,his eyes fixed on the hotel's warm,golden light.
The Grandview was a sanctuary;a haven from the storm raging outside. He navigated the short distance, his heart still racing from the ordeal. As he pulled up to the valet, a uniformed, tall,slim man rushed out to greet him,shielding his face from the wind. "Welcome to the Grandview, Sir! Let me take care of your..." The tall man trailed off as recognition set in,and then:" Jesus Christ,Wolfe,is that you?"
"That's me,Sloan," Sebastian quipped. "How's it going?"
"Not bad," Sloan said. "Well,Jesus,let me take care of your car,Sir."
"Yeah,yeah. Here you go, "Sebastian handed over his car keys,his tailored suit and the designer shoes now resembling a snow-covered mess. He hadn't yet looked at his reflection in the mirror, but he was certain that he would look like a golem if he did. He took a deep breath,feeling the warmth of the lobby envelope him as he stepped inside.
The Grandview's lobby was luxurious and warm;exactly what he needed.
He strode towards the reception desk,his eyes scanning the opulent décor. The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air,and soft jazz music floated in the background. This place was his,a pass-me-down from his father. God bless the old man,Sebastian thought.