Chapter Thirteen
Winter
“Uh, what was all that?” I point to the ceiling and gesture a bit wildly. “I swear I heard you talking to someone, and I’m just wondering how you made it out unscathed?”
“There’s a momma raccoon up there with her babies. You scared her, so she was protecting little Timmy, Tot, and Tabitha.”
“You named her babies?” My mouth is hanging open; I can feel it. Who is this man?
He shrugs, “May as well. Once she saw I was headed to the other side of the attic, she didn’t pay me much attention.”
“Um…that raccoon was hostile and ready to take a bite out of me moments ago. Now you’re telling me she didn’t even bat an eye when you went to grab the boxes?”
He shrugs again like it’s no big deal. “Probably brought her kids up there to stay warm with the random snowfall. They won’t bother you.
” He’s talking about them as if she’s a little old lady and her babies are my long-lost cousins or something, just as ridiculous.
Here I am fearing for my life, while the animal whisperer in front of me is ready to invite her over for Sunday brunch.
With a huff, I ask, “Have you seen the videos of pet raccoons? There a menace, getting into everything. They know how to open refrigerators. Refrigerators! And I’m pretty sure it takes a tiny mastermind to figure that out.”
“You watch raccoon videos?”
I wave him off, not ready to admit anything about all the animal videos I watch when I’m bored. “That’s beside the point. Were those the only two boxes marked Christmas candy supplies and holiday market on them?”
He nods, and relief fills me knowing I won’t have to venture back up into the attic anytime soon. I’ll have to let Dad know, though, so he can try to get the new tenants out once he’s healed and back to working the farm, or else they may tear the place up.
“Okay, let’s get back home. My feet need defrosting by the fire before my toes decide to fall off.” I move for the boxes, but he beats me to them, easily carrying both.
I hurry to open the door for him and follow him out, closing the sturdy wood door behind us.
I watch his bubble butt as he walks, checking him out.
Noting that even after he’s helped me nearly all day with random stuff, he still manages to look the same as he did when he’d surprised me in the barn.
There’s not even a hair out of place, while he smells like a snack, and looks like one, too. Gah.
I’m thinking of that taut stomach of his when I nearly crash into his back while stepping down the stairs.
I manage to quickly dodge to the side. “What’s the matter?
” My gaze shoots around the cleared area, wondering if we’re having another run-in with a different animal. Hopefully not an actual bear this time.
“Please tell me you have a spare that I somehow missed when I was loading the tree in the back?”
“A spare?” I glance at the truck, not seeing what he’s obviously noticed. “For what?”
“The tire is flat.”
I jog over to Dad’s truck, staring at the tire in question.
As soon as I’m close enough, I kick the snow away from it.
He’s right. It’s not only a little flat,1.
2.. either; the rim is basically sitting on the frozen, hard ground.
There’s no way I can drive it back like this, even just to the farm, without seriously messing something up.
The road home is snowy, icy, full of potholes, and who knows what else, because it’s not an actual road.
It’s the same path we always use to get to the cabin, so the ground has been worn down, but there’s no gravel or pavement.
He opens the tailgate and sets the boxes of supplies down on it, shifting the tree from side to side, peering underneath it.
I guess he’s checking for a spare he thinks has magically been tucked away under the branches.
Next, he ducks his head below, looking underneath the bed, but it’s useless.
I already know there’s no tire anywhere.
Dad is notorious for taking the spare tire out when he’s moving something, and then forgetting to put it back in. “No tire.”
“No tire,” I echo, confirming. “Dad pulls it out all the time and forgets to put it back in.” I tug my cell free from my jacket pocket only to discover I have zero bars.
No surprise there with the snow-covered mountains surrounding us and the flurries making it hard to see more than ten feet in front of us.
“I’ve got no cell signal either,” I call out as I shiver through a gust of icy air.
I hurry to the closest tree, standing under it to help block the snow from landing on me.
I wish I’d grabbed my heavier coat before we left, but in my defense, I was expecting this to be a quick trip here and back.
I had no idea I was going to get caught up in the moment and end up spending extra time out here with Sean.
He tries his phone, but he actually has service.
Weird how that works, and it may be time I switch providers.
He calls someone, walking around the truck to check each tire.
“Hey Doug. Winter’s dad’s truck has a flat, and we’re not at the farm.
Are you free to swing by and grab it since David is still on crutches back at the house? You can add it to my bill.”
He glances at me for a beat as he comes to stand under the tree, his brow furrowing as he listens to whatever Doug is saying.
“You’re joking, it’s been a few hours, tops, since we got out here.
Town was fine this morning when I left my mom’s place.
No way. Jesus. Okay, yeah, thanks. We’ll figure something out. Stay safe out there.”
My body starts to shiver more, making me realize it’s from a drop in the temperature, and not just from walking outside into a random gust of freezing wind.
I take in our surroundings the best I can, noticing how the snow has been piling up quickly compared to when we first arrived.
It seems to keep getting worse as time passes.
“No luck?” My teeth chatter, and I burrow deeper into my thin, knitted scarf Gram made for me years ago. I’ve worn it so many times, it’s practically threadbare at this point.
He shakes his head, cheeks flushed. It reminds me of what he looked like when we were younger, and I’d watch him play in one of the junior league games.
“According to Doug, the roads are closed in town until the plow can go through. I guess the village put out a snow warning yesterday for today, which wasn’t going to be a big deal, but… ”
“But?”
“The news said that the previous snow prediction was met with a new shifting storm today on top of it, coming in from the east. Now, we’re getting a record number of precipitation for the amount of time that’s passed.”
“Oh, no.” My eyes widen, shifting to stare at the truck again as the roof gets covered more and more.
It probably wouldn’t make it back to the house now, even if the tire wasn’t flat.
Having Sean around as a distraction hasn’t helped with my outer awareness, let alone with me keeping track of how much time has passed.
“I don’t think it’s as bad over here yet, as Doug was saying. The mountains are probably helping some,” he rationalizes. “The plows are about to go out to hopefully get it cleared enough so folks can at least make it home before the worst of it hits.”
“This is crazy. How are we going to get back to the farm? I can’t drive Dad’s old truck in this.” I gesture to the area we drove in from, “Look how deep it is over there!”
“I know.” He agrees with a frown, and then he’s calling someone else.
“David?”
It’s Dad. He’ll know what to do; he always does.
He listens for a minute, then replies, “Yeah, I just heard. The truck tire’s completely flat, and the spare isn’t in the back anywhere.
We’re both okay, still at the cabin. Should we walk?
I’m worried because we’re not dressed for blizzard weather.
” He glances my way, taking me in from top to bottom.
He continues after a moment, “No, she’s in her lighter jacket.
I am too. Should we just try it?” He nods at whatever Dad’s saying while flicking his gaze between me and the cabin.
“I can feel the temperature change, too; the wind gusts are no joke. Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.
Are you going to be okay? Do you have enough wood in the house for the living room in case you lose power? ”
He grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together, and begins walking toward the cabin. He gently tugs for me to follow, which I quickly oblige.
“Okay, good. I’ll get our wood stocked up right now; she’ll be safe with me. You have my word. Yes, Sir, you too. Talk soon.” He hangs up with a sigh, and he’s no longer the carefree hockey player I’ve come to expect. In its place is a super-serious Sean, ready to do whatever my dad told him to.
“What did Dad say?” I question as he slows his pace enough to wrap his arm around me. He tucks me in close to his chest, his bulk helping to block the wind and keep me warm as we walk together.
“Our moms are stuck at the clinic. Your grandparents' place got hit first, so I’m guessing they have more snow than us right now, and the temperature has just dropped fifteen degrees in the last forty minutes, according to the weather channel your dad has been watching. He’s worried that if we try to walk back in this, it’ll get worse before we have a chance to make it to your parents’ house. ”
“I hope everyone is okay. Dad will worry himself sick over Mom not being there with him.”
As soon as we’re on the porch, he leans against the front door and uses his bulk so it opens right away this time.
The last thing I want to do at the moment is release him, but I do, slipping out from under his arm.
He quickly shoves the door closed behind us, and I exhale a sigh of relief from being out of the bone-chilling wind once again.
It was so beautiful earlier, but now, it’s just plain nasty outside.
He heads for the fireplace, mentioning, “Our moms are waiting for the snow plows to go by so they can follow it to the farm’s driveway.
Their plan is to get that far and then walk the driveway, since the plow won’t go up it.
Luckily, they don’t have any patients tonight.
David wants us to stay put, he said to check the wood stack, but that there’s plenty of food and blankets here.
He said your mom is going to drive the tractor to get your grandparents since it’s close, and then your grandfather will drive the tractor here with some warmer clothes and to grab us, if possible. We just have to sit tight for a night.”
I nod, worry filling me that Mom, Gram, and Pop aren’t all at the house together.
It’s always the plan when there’s a big storm heading to town.
They’ve lived here forever, so they are more than capable of taking care of themselves, but they’re my family, so it’s natural to be worried.
Especially when Dad is too injured to help, and he’s the one everyone depends on the most around here since Dasher joined the military and had to move away.
I wish my brother were here to help out right now instead of being busy playing soldier.
Thankfully, the farm has generators and supplies for this sort of thing, so hopefully everyone makes it there soon, and Dad isn’t left alone.
I can’t believe Mom and Calla are going to try and walk the driveway; it’s at least a mile to the house from the road, and that’s only if it gets plowed that far.
However, knowing Mom, her SUV is loaded down with various supplies, including blankets.
I’d bet she even has a spare tire like she’s supposed to.
My gaze lands on Sean again, taking in his tussled hair. He ran his hand through it a moment ago, making me wish I could do the same. I haven’t been able to peel my attention off him ever since he showed up this morning, and now we’re going to be here overnight.
Alone in the cabin.
Together.