The snow did not materialize on New Year's Day, but the temperatures continued to fall. It was well below freezing when Penny stumbled through the wind to meet her brother at a nearby sandwich shop in Mt. Plains the following day.
“So you guys have fun?” Penny leaned forward over their table and sipped at her tea.
“Yes, it's always fun seeing them. Jii-ji always gives us a shit-ton of money too, which Mom always hates.”
“Hah! Yes, she gave me a dirty look and scolded Jii-ji when he handed me my o-toshi-dama.”
“But anyways, I have kind of a serious thing to talk to you about…”
“I figured, braving the oncoming Blizzardo to come way up here for a visit. Dad wasn't happy when he heard you were on your way up.”
“He just doesn't want me home to drive him nuts.”
“Well, I can sympathize with that. So what was it you wanted to talk about? And in person, no less?”
“Well, my friends, they started, ano, they started seeing each other.”
Penny laughed. “What, were they blind before?”
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