“We couldn’t find you in the house so we drove around looking for you and found you sleeping by the road in the snow. You were about to start freezing, but luckily we found you just in time. The fire department said you were real cold and real tired, but okay. We all think the cabin fever of being up here all snowed in got to you and your brain just decided you needed to walk away,” my step-dad explained.

I shook some more cobwebs out. Felt the warmth in the room tickle my soul. My mom came over and wrapped me up in a stiff hug. I felt loved for the first time in a very, very long time.

“I’m just so glad you are okay. I was so worried,” my said right into my ear with the presence of sobriety in her tenor.

My mom and I locked eyes after she pulled away. We smiled at each other. At least I thought I smiled at her. I don’t know. My face may have still been frozen.

“I love you,” my mom said.

The rest of the time at Gram and Gran’s was what it was supposed to be…comfortable, cozy, heartwarming and a little sad. I was still wiping tears out of my eyes when we pulled out of the driveway one last time. I let the tears fall down in big fat drops as I whispered “good bye” to the faded white home from the backseat of my step-dad’s snow-covered sedan.

My mind and body seemed to be at peace for a few moments. I took a deep breath and decided it was time to escape into the comfortable world of celebrity gossip, Facebook and Instagram on the phone. I went to retrieve it out of the dark recesses of my purse.

I felt every cell in my body freeze up when I touched a very familiar cold ball of glass stuck in the middle of my purse. I knew exactly what the object was before I even ducked my head down, opened up my purse wide and saw Gram and Gran’s snow globe shining back at me.

I looked off my mom and step-dad for a moment. They didn’t appear to being paying any mind to me. I was free to examine the snow globe without fear.