Chapter Text
Susan strikes a match and touches it to the candle wick. Once the flame is steady she moves her hand to the next, lighting all eight tapers in the front parlor windows before shaking out the match just as the flame touches her fingertips.
“ ‘...can I get there by candlelight?’ ” she murmurs, looking out into the street. “ ‘Yes, and back again.’ ” Through the gently falling snow she sees other candlelit windows along their street, celebrating a Christmas no longer shrouded by blackout curtains.
She stands in the candlelight and waits for Samantha to find her way home through the night.