I peered straight down the walkway, keeping my sights on the figure hunched beneath the warm tungsten bulbs lighting the train platform. I knew I’d find him here.

He was sitting on the bench. His head was turned right, where the tracks led out to the North. The station normally bustled with South-bound city trains in the summertime, the platform filled with the pleasant buzzing of life. Now though, the only sound heard was the whining of the winter wind as it peeled the rust off the ancient iron awning above. Glowing yellow snowflakes shot sideways through the evenly spaced out lights, and then they quickly extinguished themselves as they passed into the night.

I shuffled my way over until I stood at a polite distance. I counted the seconds, waiting to see if he would sense my presence. He sat motionless on the old wood bench, staring down the lonely set of tracks that tapered off somewhere in the distance.

My bare legs nearly buckled as another icy gust brought to mind images of black, frost-bitten appendages.

“Excuse me?”

He turned.

“Do you mind if I take a seat?”

His eyebrows rose.

“Oh no, not at all Miss!” He scooted over a bit, leaving me a respectable amount of space to sit. The pit of my stomach dropped.

“Thank you very much.” I maneuvered my way onto the bench, wincing as I failed to keep the snow from coming into contact with my barely covered skin. I looked over and saw him trying to keep from revealing an amused little smile from underneath that frosty white mustache of his.

“Miss, I don’t mean to pry, but I don’t think you’re dressed to be going anywhere in this sort of weather.”

I chuckled, despite everything. “No, I don’t suppose I am.”

He began to unbutton his coat. “Would you…?”

“Oh no, that’s alright,” I tugged my jacket tighter around me, “I’ve got my own.”

“I see that,” he nodded, “but how about you just sit on this? Instead of sitting on the snow?”

I hesitated. “Okay.”

He pulled off his coat and quickly handed it over. It was warm, and smelled strongly of him.

“Thank you.”

“Not a problem.”

The station was quiet again, save the wind. I let a handful of seconds pass by, watching the glowing snow dance in the station. He kept checking his watch, grumbling to himself.

“Waiting for someone?”

He smiled. “Yes. My daughter’s coming home from the city for the holidays. Train must be late. She’s in college now. Smart girl. Makes me proud.” He pointed a finger at his head. “She knit me this hat for my birthday last month.” It was a weathered wool cap, comically oversized for his head.

“It’s a very nice hat.”

“That it is.” He stamped his feet on the ground. “My wife would be here too, if it wasn’t for this damn snowstorm.”

I nodded my head. “I’m sure she would be.”

He nodded in turn. “Are you waiting for someone?”

“Yeah.”

“When are they coming back?”

I tried to swallow the lump in throat. “I’m not sure.”

He exhaled through his nose. “Listen, you see that last house down the road there, next to the tracks? The one with the light on upstairs.”

I looked to where he was pointing. “Yeah?”

“That’s me and my wife’s house. How about we go inside and get you warm? Get a bowl of soup into you. We'll hear and feel the train come into the station from there for sure."

I tried to put on a gracious smile. “That’s very kind of you. Thank you.”

He smiled warmly. “Let’s go then.”

I gave him back his coat, and he hooked his arm around mine, leading me out of the station. We walked together, huddled against the wind and snow. He pointed out the ice patches on the dark sidewalk, taking great care not to let me slip.

Eventually, we made it to the house. As we walked up the small path through the front yard, I saw him reaching into his pockets, grumbling as he did so.

“Hold on a minute,” he called out as I made my way to the front door, “I think I’ve gone and forgotten my keys.”

I pulled my Mother’s key out of my jacket and slid it through the tumbler, turning the handle and quickly palming the key.

“That’s okay, the door’s open.”

“Oh! So it is. Let’s get inside then.”