October Snow by Jenna Brooks

that maybe, I’ve played a pretty big part in creating my own miserable life.”
    Max raised her eyebrows, impressed. “That’s quite the insight, Bim.”
    “Yeah. I’ve been sitting here wondering if I had my first adult thought today.” She propped herself on her elbow. “So, Tyler’s coming home from Boston in two days, and I have nowhere to take him. Unless I go back to Jack.”
    Jo turned the volume down on the stereo. “Sammy, what about the other night?”
    She nodded, then, “I don’t know. I…” She sighed, exasperated with herself. “Oh, hell. I’m not going to play virgin-in-flight anymore.” She sat up then, grabbing her beer. After a long drink, she stood up and went to the window, looking out as she spoke. “Simple. He just had a hair across his ass all day. I wasn’t ‘friendly’ enough in the morning. That’s what he calls his one-sided sex acts. Then, I didn’t come running home after work, and he started screaming at me before I got my jacket off.”
    Her phone beeped with another text. She gave it a cursory glance, then rolled her eyes. “If Tyler didn’t need me to have this, I’d drown it in the toilet right now.” She handed it to Max. “Answer him whatever you’d like.”
    Max gave her an odd look as she took the phone from her, then glanced at Jo.
    She shook her head, mouthing, “ No .”
    “Well, this time–the other night–I got pissed. I came right back at him. Told him what I thought of him and his attitude, how sorry I am that I ever met him. And he started throwing me around.” She started to tremble slightly; whether it was fear or anger, Jo couldn’t tell. “I managed to lock myself in the laundry room long enough to get to you.” She looked over her shoulder at Jo. “I didn’t thank you for coming, and so fast, by the way–thanks.” She gave them a weak smile.
    Max nodded. “Of course we did.”
    “You’re good friends. The best. And I want to do the right thing here.”
    Jo got up to place a fan in the window, to exhaust the smoke from the cigarette Max was lighting. “Any idea what the right thing is?”
    “Flush him,” Max said.
    Jo gave her a disapproving look as Sam chuckled.
    “Oh , what ?” Max demanded, staring petulantly at Jo.
    “Her choice, Max.”
    “I know. Doesn’t mean I can’t comment, though.” She exhaled loudly, annoyed. “Just how hands-off should I be, anyway?”
    As if by reflex, Jo glanced at her hands. “Just don’t push, okay?”
    “It’s fine, Jo.” Sam sank back onto the couch, her long nails tapping the sides of the can she was holding. “I do know what I want to do. I just need to figure out how.”
    “You leaving him?” Max asked eagerly. “You and Tyler can stay here until you’re on your feet. I have that small bedroom that I don’t even use. I can take that one, you and the kid can share my room.”
    Sam tried to smile, but it was shaky.
    “Or you and I can share the big bedroom, and give Tyler his own space. I’ll be up at the lake with Jo for the summer–it’ll give you plenty of time to figure things out before I get back.”
    Jo leaned forward. “What are you thinking, Sammy?”
    “I need to figure out how to keep us both safe. I don’t know how to do that.”
    “Your mom doesn’t know where we live, does she?”
    Sam shrugged. “She might. Even if she doesn’t, she can find out. It’s not that hard.”
    “She wouldn’t tell Jack…?”
    Sam wouldn’t look at her. She took another drink. “I really can’t tell you what she’d do anymore. She’s just not on my side, I can tell.” Tears welling, she whispered, “I just feel like such an orphan today.”
    Max crushed out the cigarette, and put her arm around her. “C’mere, hon.”
    “I don’t even have any money ,” she sobbed, laying her head against her shoulder. “He makes a ton selling his cars, but he keeps it all. Even all the child support Dave sends. He gives me a little here and there–but right now, I don’t