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I opened my mouth to counter but nothing came to mind. So I just sent her a look of pity and we wallowed together in silence.

Whitney chimed in, watching the scene from the foyer. “It’s only three nights. We’ll be back on Tuesday,” she said, hauling her purse strap over her shoulder before pivoting toward me. “You have Laurel’s number?”

“It’s on the fridge, on the calendar, written in three separate notebooks, and taped to Tara’s bedroom door. I also have it memorized.”

She nodded, breathing out through her nose. “I really appreciate you taking care of Ladybug and watching over the house while we’re gone. I know spring break is supposed to be full of fun and excitement at your age.” A soft lilt infected her words. “It means a lot to me. To both of us.”

Tenderness poked me between the ribs, triggering a bright smile. “I’m happy to do it. Really. Ladybug is the best company.” On cue, the dog hopped up on the couch and plopped down in my lap with a contented sigh.

Whitney’ eyes shimmered at the sight. “What would we do without you, Halley?”

I almost burst into tears.

Swiping a hand through Ladybug’s fur, I forced back a landslide of emotions.

What would I do without them? I’d probably be on the streets. Living in a shelter. A school dropout, a lost and lonely vagrant, a directionless nobody lacking any purpose. Without Whitney and Tara, spring break wouldn’t even been a blip on my radar. It would simply be another week lost in the blur of hundreds of sad, uninspiring weeks.

Tara shot me a wave as she trailed her mother out the front door. “Don’t forget, there’s a blizzard supposed to hit tomorrow. My dad said he’d come by to shovel at some point. You can borrow my car at any time, but the tires are bald as shit, so you might want to plan around the snow.”

“Got it. Ladybug loves the snow,” I said. “I’ll make sure to take some pictures.” Holding up the camera, I waved it in the air as they shuffled out the door.

“Bye, Hals! See you Tuesday.”

“Bye,” I called back.

The door snapped shut.

Silence.

With a smile still plastered on my face, I cozied up underneath a checkered quilt and continued to stroke Ladybug’s fur, snapping a few photographs of her chin resting on top of my thighs.

“We’re going to have a good few days,” I voiced into the quiet, settling back and propping my feet up on the ottoman. “It’s just you and me, Ladybug…”

Just like that, it was only me.

Ladybug was missing.

Panic had me diving into my winter boots and shoving my trembling arms into coat sleeves as I raced out onto the back deck, my head canting left and right. “Ladybug!” I shouted over the howling wind while heavy snowfall blanketed the ground in pure white, and fear pitched in my gut, turning my complexion even whiter. “Ladybug! Where are you, girl?”

The sound of eerie silence was the only response, roaring louder that my frantic, terror-laced voice.

Oh, no.

This was a nightmare. I’d let Ladybug outside to do her business during the blizzard, after she’d been whining and pacing near the patio door. The yard was fenced. Everything was secured.

But Ladybug had vanished into thin air.

My hair blew across my face as my skin froze and my legs shook. I assessed the property, even crawling underneath the deck to see if she’d sought shelter beneath the structure.

Nothing. She was nowhere.

Tracing the fence line, I checked for holes she could have shimmied through. And when I made it to the side of the house where the gate still stood locked tight, I noticed something that made my blood run colder than the frost settling in my windpipe—a hole in the gate.

A wayward tree branch, weighted by the accumulating snow, had crashed against the fence, creating a breach that had allowed Ladybug to venture outside the safety of the backyard.

“No, no, no…”

My vision was warped by the snowfall barreling down in angry slashes of white. I could hardly keep my eyes open, could hardly inhale a full breath.

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