January 8th, Tuesday

Max emerged from the basement holding the flashlight for light. Behind the door, Sonja was eagerly waiting for him.

He almost had a heart attack when he noticed her.

“Oh, Sonja. Hey! There is nothing I could do. It's not a problem with the boiler in the basement” he explained “But I found some candles and some blankets” he added then, handing her the box.

“Oh, that’s good. Tante hasn't returned yet. And the snow continues to fall. We will need as many supplies as possible. For the customers, too” Sonja took the blankets from his hands, confidently, and walked towards the customers grouped at a table in the corner, near the radiators which were gradually losing intensity.

Max was amazed by this takeover. His colleague, up to that moment, had always remained in the shadows, skilled, attentive but disinclined to take the reins, and limiting herself to doing her job.

There was a determined light in her eyes now, and Max had to admit that he was quite impressed.

“I’ll put the candles around the room, to shed as much light as possible” he proposed, placing the torch upwards to light up the room and checking the number of candles.

“Wait, look for five technical posts and put only five candles. We don't know how long the blackout will last, and it's better to ration them” Sonja suggested to him, distributing the blankets.

Luckily there were only five customers who braved the weather to get their daily coffee, so they had enough blankets for everyone.

“At your orders, Corona Princess” Max gave her a soldier's salute, and took five candles.

“Excuse me?!” Sonja asked, stiffening and looking at him with wide eyes.

Max was taken aback by that reaction. He was just kidding.

Maybe it was a translation error.

“It was a joke. You know, your aunt is the owner, so she's the queen of the place. And since you're his niece this makes you the princess” he explained, a little embarrassed.

Why was he so goofy when he liked someone?! Not that he liked Sonja yet, but she was a really nice girl.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry I misunderstood. Nice association” she smiled, returning to her task.

Max hurried to his own, breathing a sigh of relief that he hadn't made a big gaffe, and inadvertently blowing out one of the candles.

“Lily-of-the-valley” he commented to himself, setting it down and turning it on again. He had grown up hearing his father calling flowers names instead of swearing, and he had assimilated that habit.

The back door opened, letting in a cold wind, a few snowflakes, and the owner.

And blowing out the candle again.

Max gave up and decided to turn them all on once they were settled.

He hurried with the flashlight to Roelke, Sonja's aunt, who was closing the door behind her with some difficulty.

“Looks like the blackout has taken over the whole neighborhood. Maybe a good part of the city. Until the snow stops falling, it will be very difficult to move. I had a rough time out there, boy. How are you in here?” she asked, shivering and approaching the counter, from which she took a glass and a bottle of Baileys Coffee, which she poured and drank in one gulp.

“I tried with the boiler but nothing. We've distributed blankets and I'm setting up some candles for light. Phones aren’t working” illustrated Max, as he arranged the candles.

“I think that before tomorrow morning we won't be able to resolve the situation. We should set up some makeshift beds. We have a couple of sofas for some clients” observed Roelke, taking the candles from Max's hands and placing them in his place.

Max really appreciated Roelke as a boss, she was smart, decisive and easygoing. She didn't delegate the most important tasks to her subordinates, in fact, she seemed to enjoy getting her hands dirty. She had opened the place together with her now-husband, Kodie King, when she was barely of age.

It was amazing how successful she had been in such a short time, and how good of a business-woman she was.

Max let her do it and went over to the customers and Sonja to check on them and report the news.

“So guys, looks like we're all going to sleep here today. The blackout has involved the whole city, and the snow doesn't stop falling” he announced, raising a few annoyed grunts, and only one enthusiastic exclamation.

“Yay!” said Clover, who was among the patrons of the bar, the only one who wasn't wearing a blanket.

Beside her, a blonde girl Amabelle's age was wearing two, shivering in concern and cold.

Max sighed, took a blanket from the many piled up in the corner, and handed it to her.

“I envy your enthusiasm, Clo” he commented.

The girl didn't take the blanket, but pushed it in his direction.

“A night away from my father is a blessing. You take the blanket, I'm fine like this” she said pointing to her sweater.

Max didn't consider it anywhere near warm enough, but he knew his friend's pride, and her well-hidden generosity. She would have ripped the skin off herself to keep someone warm.

“You're fine now, but the radiators are gone, and we don't have any other sources of heat, so take it. There are enough for everyone” Max insisted, wrapping her in the blanket without taking no for an answer.

Clover rolled her eyes, but finally hugged the fabric around her, without further objection.

Max took a look around.

Besides Clover and the little blonde girl, there were three other people: a vaguely familiar-looking woman in her thirties surrounded by bags from various stores, a regular customer Max knew by sight but had never exchanged greetings with, and Mathi, the Japanese boy who was going on a date with his brother. He had the cell phone in his hand and was talking to Sonja at that moment, who was listening carefully.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, coming closer.

“I was just informing Miss Donner about the weather forecast, and the city has issued a notice declaring a state of emergency for the next three days. Luckily, however, from tomorrow morning the snow plows will get to work to allow people to walk freely through the streets of the city in case of emergencies” explained Mathi, showing the phone.

“But how... how did you manage to use it?” asked Max, surprised.

"It's a latest-model satellite phone," Mathi explained “I lent it so that everyone could inform the families, but the line still doesn't give support” he then added, in a practical tone.

“Hmpf, I'm sure those pests are having fun at home around the fireplace. And I'm stuck here like an ordinary peasant” Max heard the thirty-year-old woman comment to herself, in an acidic tone.

It was at that moment that he recognized her.

Bonnie Clyde, Mirren and Petra’s stepmother. He had only seen her a couple of times, but she hadn't given him a very good impression.

He was glad that at least Mirren and Petra got her out of the way.

Max thought about his brother. He had a study session right at the Hart house that afternoon. He really hoped he was still there, and not in the middle of the road with that blizzard, trying in vain to get home. Unfortunately, he had no way of contacting him.