Hey everyone, this is the second chapter of “Christmas in White Swallow.” Be sure to read the first chapter before you dive into this one, if you haven’t already. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but think of this as a Christmas movie you might find on Hallmark, with an extra helping of cum and golden showers’ warm glow. Merry Christmas!
Once upon a time, but not that long ago, in a land far, far away... let’s call it Berven....
Ursula managed to park the car near the entrance of the service station: a small snowplough had already cleared part of the parking space, but with the truck sideways on the motorway, she doubted other cars would be following soon. She was proved wrong when the pickup that was driving behind them entered the lot, just as they were about to open the café door.
The doorbell rang with a Christmassy tune. The shop looked cosy and warm, with all that snow falling outside, the nicely chosen decorations, and the smell of coffee and baked pastries. A young woman emerged from the back room, welcoming them with a smile that seemed genuine; perhaps she was just happy to have some customers.
Jan told her what had happened on the motorway, but she already knew: the traffic police had called her landline to keep her updated.
“Don’t worry, no one got hurt, but it’ll take a while before they can straighten the truck up: the snowfall is getting heavier, it’s turning into a proper blizzard.”
As she spoke, everyone looked at the large window next to the entrance. The thickness of the snowfall was almost fog-like, and the windscreen of their car was already covered with a few centimetres of the white stuff.
The door opened and a man walked in, bringing with him a flurry of flakes and a gust of cold air.
He was handsome: tall, broad-shouldered; a trimmed beard encased his full lips. A camera; hung from a long strap, rested on the side of his hips while a yellow scarf, loose around his neck, matched his snow-covered hat. He smiled when he saw the group looking at him.
“Is this the welcoming committee?” he joked.
“Hi! They were lucky to get through,” said the bartender.
“Hi Liza, yes, I know, me too, I was right behind them. Any news on the accident?” So Liza repeated what she knew to the newcomer.
“Hi, I’m Stef by the way.” He shook hands with the others. “These locals are friendly,” thought Jan, holding the man’s hand a little longer than necessary, “and hot.” Stef must have been his same age, and the way he had looked at him with his big brown eyes and smiled, had made him feel a little weak. It was a shame they had to continue their journey, he thought.
“Well, we’ll have to keep going before it gets worse,” it was as if Anders had read his mind.
“Where are you heading to?” Liza asked.
“Darwent, we’ll have at least for another couple of hours.” Ursula looked worried.
“Honestly, I don’t think it’s wise to keep driving, at least not in that car. You haven’t reached the pass yet and it’s going to be even worse up there”
“But we have to, we have an important meeting tomorrow.” Anders was already thinking about how to explain this to the President.
“I don’t know, maybe if the storm eases tonight you could try in the morning...” Liza wasn’t sure what to suggest.
“Do you have any rooms here?”
Liza shook her head with a regretful expression.
“Are you open all night?”
She shook her head again. “But there’s a safe room for situations like this... it’s not ideal, but at least you’ll be warm...”
“Ah, the safe room! It’s like a prison cell, with no beds, I had to spend a night there way back on an occasion like this. It’s not fun, I’m telling you.” Stef made it clear what he thought of this option. “Listen guys, I’m on my way home, it’s only five miles away. Why don’t you hop in my truck and we’ll find you a place to stay in town? I’m sure there are some vacancies at my friend’s hotel; the tourists won’t arrive until Christmas Eve.”
Anders looked at Jan, who looked at Ursula. As usual, when it came to practical matters, she was the one who made the final decision.
“ I think we should take him up on the offer, boss.” Boss, she liked calling Anders boss, even if it was a bit of an in-joke.
“ Boss, huh?” Stef seemed intrigued.
-”Yes, Anders is the lead...”
“ I’m the CEO of a financial institution.” Anders intervened to prevent Jan from telling the truth. - But Ursula actually calls me boss just for fun. - He shot her a sidelong glance.
“ Cool! Where are you guys from? What’s the accent? “
Anders again prevented Jan from answering: “Central Europe,” he said vaguely. “Should we get a coffee before we move on?” he desperately wanted to change the subject.
“ Sure! Actually, that’s why I stopped here. And I need the restroom. Excuse me for a moment.” Stef , placed the camera on the counter and left the group heading for the loos.
“Me too, now that I think about it,” Jan started to follow Stef. Anders, knowing him well, gave him a stern look that said it all.
“I’ll be back in a second...” Jan sounded offended.
The toilets were clean but small: a cubicle and two metal urinals set side by side. Stef was already standing next to the one farthest away, still busy undoing his belt.
