Elaine sat in the darkness outside the lodge, watching the lights turn on and off in the rooms above. She sighed heavily, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to sleep, and if she did, the nightmares would come. Shuddering at the thought, she drew a knee up and wrapped her hands around her leg.
She watched as a silver Mini Cooper pulled up to the front entrance and a young woman got out. She looked to be in her early twenties and had a carefree air that reminded Elaine what it was like to have the eagerness of young love. The front door of the lodge opened, and Hannah stepped outside, throwing her arms around the young woman’s neck and kissing her soundly. Elaine watched as the two women took each other in, and Hannah slid her hands around the woman’s waist and hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her jeans.
Elaine smiled at the gesture and was happy to see Hannah with someone. She had met Hannah during her first stay at Willow Springs three years ago. Hannah had been little more than a child then, but now…she had become a strong and beautiful young woman.
Elaine thought back to her own love, and she longed for the gentle touch of her lover’s fingers on her skin. She ached to feel that she was no longer alone. But the fear that gripped her said no. A blinding red light flashed through her thoughts, and she shuddered as she gripped her leg tightly and stifled the scream that threatened to escape her.
She sat alone in the darkness holding her breath, her hands trembling as she watched Hannah and her lover walk to their car and drive away.
*
It was just past sunrise when Christian woke with her head in Alex’s lap. Alex was lying with her head against the corner of the sofa and her legs propped on the coffee table that stood between the couch and the fireplace. Her breathing was deep and restful, and her hand twitched slightly as it lay protectively across Christian’s chest.
Christian starred up at Alex, amazed at her beauty and shocked by the fact that she had awoken for the second time on Alex’s sofa without knowing how she had gotten there.
As if feeling Christian watching her, Alex opened her eyes and looked down at Christian as she tightened her embrace.
“Sorry,” Christian said guiltily as she sat up. “I guess I fell asleep.”
“You had a tough day. You needed the rest,” Alex said gently.
“Actually,” Christian said, stretching, “I think that’s the most sleep I’ve had in months. It feels incredible.” Then she paused, seeing the tired look in Alex’s eyes. “You, however, must feel terrible. You couldn’t have been comfortable sitting like that all night.”
Smiling softly as she worked the stiffness from her legs, Alex said, “It was nice to feel needed, and I guess it was nice not to be alone. I’m glad you were here.”
After breakfast, Christian decided to paddle back to Willow Springs. Alex offered to drive her in her Jeep, but Christian was feeling good and wanted the peace of the lake to help her process everything that had happened. Alex still looked worried, but Christian assured her she was okay.
Christian had the urge to put her arms around Alex as she thanked her again, but instead, she took a step back, uncomfortable with the intensity of the feeling. Their time together had been intense, and the intimacy that had formed between them was unsettling now that she was rested and thinking more clearly. She needed to put distance between them so she could clear her mind, and getting back in her kayak was the best way to do that. Finally, she settled for taking Alex’s hand as they said good-bye. She was acutely aware of the warmth of Alex’s hand, and her heart beat faster when she caught Alex’s intense gaze on her. She pulled away quickly. She didn’t want these feelings. It was too much.
The water was smooth as glass as the boat skirted across the surface with very little effort. The air was crisp and the coolness soothing as Christian filled her lungs with deep cleansing breaths. She thought about Alex and the gentle way she had taken her into her home and listened to her pain. Being with her had been easy. The memory of waking up in Alex’s arms sent a tingle down her body, making her smile. An equally disquieted feeling immediately followed, and she sighed. She had made Alex into a dream figure over the past weeks, watching her from afar. Allowing Alex to soothe her, confiding in her, was beyond her imaginings. But this wasn’t real. She didn’t really know anything about Alex. She shook her head to dislodge any further images of Alex from her mind. She had to stop kidding herself and focus on what was real.
Looking ahead, she could see the dock at Willow Springs and a figure standing, looking out over the water, waving her in. It was Hannah. Smiling broadly, Hannah steadied the boat and took Christian’s hand to help her onto shore. Christian shook her head in disbelief. “How did you know to be here?”
Hannah chuckled. “Alex called and said you were paddling in. She seemed a little worried and asked me to see that you made it in okay.”
The peaceful feeling filled Christian again. “Of course she did,” she said with a smile. Everything she had seen so far told her it was Alex’s nature to care for others, but it wasn’t like she had to have her hand held.
*
Alex felt a weight settle over her as she stood in her studio. It had been two hours since she had watched Christian paddle across the lake, finally disappearing from sight. She hadn’t been able to concentrate on her work and now felt frustrated. She had always been able to lose herself in her work, but now she couldn’t quiet her worry. What was she doing getting so worked up over this? Christian had seemed perfectly fine when she left. There was no reason to imagine she would come to any harm. She stood slumped over her workbench and shoved her fists into her pants pockets. The vision of Christian falling played over in her mind, but it wasn’t the image of Christian’s vulnerability that stirred her now, it was the nagging sense of loss she had felt since Christian had left. The silence in her cabin seemed stale, and she missed the sound of Christian’s voice and the way the air seemed to vibrate from her presence in the room. She jumped when the phone rang, grabbing for it before it could finish the first ring.
“Yes. This is Alex,” she said hastily.
“Hello, Alex,” the sweet voice said over the line.
Alex’s heart calmed the instant she recognized Christian’s voice and she felt some of the tension fall from her shoulders. Trying to hide her anxiety, she asked, “How was your trip back? Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes,” Christian said, “I’m fine, thanks to you.”
Alex imagined the voice as soothing as a touch on her skin. She listened to the sound of Christian’s breathing through the phone, and it was as if she could feel the hot breath brushing the skin of her neck as she remembered carrying Christian’s limp body from the dock.
“I wanted to call you myself to reassure you there are no worries. Young Hannah was waiting at the dock as I arrived. She insisted we call before going back to the lodge,” Christian explained.
“Thank you,” Alex said, allowing a sigh to escape as she gripped the phone, wanting to reach through the distance and touch Christian for proof that she was okay. “I’m glad you’re safe. I hope you’ll come back out to the cabin sometime. I really enjoyed your company,” Alex said, holding her breath.
“I’d like that,” Christian answered.
Alex held onto the phone even after she heard the line disconnect. She leaned her palm on the surface of her workbench to steady herself from the sudden feeling of loss that overcame her when Christian’s voice was gone.