“Nothing, just getting more coffee. Anderson said it was snowing,” her friend said in a rush.
“It’s snowing, all right. It’s supposed to snow most of the night,” Mia said. Weather. The filler of all conversations in this town. Don’t know what to say? Talk about the weather. There was always weather happening, and everyone had their opinion about it.
“I think I heard that also,” Ruth replied and seemed unable to stop staring at Anderson as he left the front of the office and go back to his desk without a word, leaving the women to their conversations.
“The temperature hit zero today. You know what that means,” Mia hinted.
“The cold snap is over?” Ruth questioned in confusion.
“No, silly. Joe Jordan’s party is tonight,” she said, because everyone knew about the party. Or at least they should.
Ruth shook her head. “I don’t know Joe Jordan.”
“You don’t have to know him. You can just go to the party,” Mia assured her.
“I don’t know. I don’t like parties,” Ruth admitted, and Mia knew it, but she also knew that Ruth needed to get out sometimes.
“You had fun at the bar a few weeks ago; it will be like that.”But it will definitely not end like that, Mia thought. She was staying away from a certain person for the rest of her life.
“I had fun, yes, but a party is different.” It wasn’t, but Ruth hadn’t been to enough parties to know that.
“What if I get Anderson to come. Then will you go?” Mia wasn’t above bribery.
“He won’t go, so then I won’t have to go.” Ruth smiled at her
“Are you coming, Anderson?” Mia asked from Ruth’s office space. He was lost in thought, and his head popped up at his name.
“Where?” he asked, his eyes on Ruth and not her.
“Were you not paying attention at all?” Mia walked into his office. “Joe Jordan is having his annual ‘over the donut’ party tonight. Are you going?”
“Never heard of it.” He shook his head as if to clear it.
“She didn’t either. Do you two not live in this town? Every year, the first day the temps hit zero again for the first time, Joe Jordan has a bonfire to celebrate. Today we hit the mark, and tonight is the party.” Mia sat herself down in his guest chair. She needed him to agree so that Ruth would go out.
“I don’t know who Joe Jordan is,” Anderson said. The same thing as Ruth.
Now she had to repeat that conversation, so she didn’t have to go alone.
“You don’t have to. Come on, Anderson. We need a ride; my car isn’t starting.” Mia had no idea if her car was starting or not. It had been a few weeks since she had needed to drive. She assumed she would have trouble when she finally decided to start it so it wasn’t a lie exactly.
“You need a designated driver?” He leaned back in his chair.
She shook her head in denial. “Not really, but my car is out. And if Ruth goes, she doesn’t have a car, so we are in need of wheels.”
He asked Ruth, “Are you going?”
“I don’t know.” Ruth bit her lip.
“Come on, you two. Come to the party with me. I don’t want to go alone.” If she didn’t go to the party, she would stay at home and watch TV by herself, thinking about what had happened with Rafferty for another night.
“You are never alone in a crowd, especially not one in Landstad,” Anderson said.
“I won’t leave your sides. I promise to spend my whole night with you two. And I’m not drinking too much. I’m done with drinking until I pass out.” Mia wasn’t getting drunk again for years.
“If Ruth goes, I’ll drive you.” Anderson turned to the woman in question, and so did Mia.
Ruth only gave a slight nod that she was willing to go with them. Excitement flooded Mia as they planned the evening. She needed a night out.