The front lawn looked like a snow globe through the window. The small flecks that fell from the heavens were sturdy enough not to melt instantly when they touched the snow already on the ground, though Daniel was certain that the slight accumulation wouldn’t hang on much into the morning. He grimaced at his neighbors to the left who already had their nativity scene up, only one week after Thanksgiving. It irked him that people still believed in a baby being special enough to make plastic figures about. Such an archaic belief system belonged in Middle Ages when people only had their superstitions to give them a semblance of hope. Now, in the twenty-first century, it seemed humans should be intelligent enough to have a grasp on the earth and its system without needing a god. Of course, those same people with the plastic nativity probably didn’t even believe in climate change or recycling. It almost convinced him to vote for outlawing freedom of religion. Or having a required intelligence test before being allowed to vote.

His stomach growled louder than before. The irritation already built up by his fanatical neighbors only increased with the signs of his hunger. Almost an hour had passed since he sent Ana the first message and now, contrary to his normally laid-back manners, he was watching for her through the window. Reserving his right to growl at the empty street Daniel swiped his phone from the charger depot near the door, but the screen was blank. No messages. It was good to know he was coming out on top of the argument this time. Technically he had come out on top last week when he had pointed out to her that it was impolite to be twenty minutes late to a dinner appointment. She had responded in loud fury, the first time he had seen that from her, that she had sent a message. After checking his phone and finding that to be true, he then reminded her that he didn’t ever look at his phone after seven o’clock. Which was a rule she knew full well. And yet her face turned a strange shade of red after that comment, but just when he thought she was going to screech like a hyena, he apologized, and she calmed down. IN his experience apologizing was what a woman actually wanted in a fight, but to him it didn’t mean he was wrong or that he had changed his attitude about being late. After all, he apologized for yelling, not for bringing the subject up in the first place. And now it seemed he would have to bring it up again. Her lack of time management caused him to worry, which was not good for his health and reminded him of his mother, which was also not good for his health. With each passing minute, he felt his nerves tightening.

By the time Ana turned into the driveway his pride had vanished as well as his anger. The only thing left was his bitten down fingers. For the last fifteen minutes he had paced between the door and the window; muttering with worry. As soon as he saw her red hat under the streetlight Daniel jumped away from the window. At first, he hoped to pretend that he hadn’t been watching but quickly abandoned the idea as he was sure she had already seen him.

“Hi,” he said, opening the door before she could knock.

“I’m so sorry!” Ana exclaimed. “I was at the library talking to Marlon, that guy that you met today, when your message came. It just took me a little longer to get my things together.”

His lips met hers for a quick peck before he took her coat.

“Did you walk the entire way?”

“No,” she smiled, rubbing the cold from her face. “But I caught the first bus which leaves me on Oak Street. I walked from there.”

“It’s probably late enough to call an Uber,” he said, referencing another argument between them.

Ana’s smile told him she wasn’t going to take the bait. And she wasn’t going to change her mind, either.

“Are you hungry?” he asked as they entered the living room.

“Famished,” she answered.