Chapter 15

Now that they were getting some sunny days, Peter started stopping by for lunch. At first they played cards, but Peter always won. Alex couldn’t figure it out until Steve whispered to her that Peter could remember every card that had been played. From then on, they played board games where everyone had a fair chance. At night, she would look out the window, but there wasn’t any sign of the unicorn.

One night they got another heavy snow. The next morning Alex went out to shovel the porch off after she’d finished her chores. She’d just finished and was leaning on the shovel to enjoy the view from the yard. Mandy was bounding across the snow drifts enjoying the freedom.

An ominous creaking sound echoed around the area. She looked around trying to figure out the source of the sound.

Nothing obvious.

The creak sounded again. A clump of snow fell from the porch. She looked up as another creak sounded. The snow on the roof moved. Shit. I’m right under it. She tried to get her muscles to move but they refused to respond. Too late. The snow headed straight toward her. The mounds slid down the tin roof, getting closer and closer. She took a flying leap to try and get a little farther away. It didn’t work. Of course not. She’d never been good at sports.

The snow knocked her to the ground. She’d managed to maintain a pocket of air around her face with her arms, but she couldn’t move. “Damn,” she muttered. “I never had a chance. I swear this storm is out to get me. One way or another.”

She took a moment to wiggle her legs, get a little bit of space around her body, to get some air. She couldn’t move at all. She had to do something. Anything. Anything that might let her hang on long enough.

Steve must have heard the avalanche. He’ll find me. He has to.

The cold started seeping into her limbs.

No one is coming. “Help,” she uttered. It became harder to get a breath.

What she wouldn’t give for a fresh breath of air. She didn’t want to end up under a pile of snow. She wanted to get married and have some children.

She had to relax. Anything to give her a few more seconds, seconds that might matter.

When you think about dying, you come up with so many possibilities. Getting lost in a jungle, being attacked by a tiger, car accident, getting involved in a bar-room shoot-out, or getting shot walking down the street. She never envisioned being buried under snow off a roof.

The small air pocket around her face looked smaller and smaller as the seconds passed. The feeling of helplessness had to be the worst. If she had an arm free, she could at least try to dig. Being trapped like this, she could only wait while her air ran out.

Life’s too short. There were too many things she wanted to do yet. Find a job she enjoyed, find a man to share her life with, even something as simple as going to Hawaii.

Relax.

She had to slow her heart-rate down to give her a few more seconds.

If only Mandy would find her. She kept thinking, Lassie, go find Timmy, in the hopes that maybe Mandy could pick up her thoughts. You never know what dogs were capable of.

But no. No one was coming. She was beyond feeling light-headed.

She thought one last time, I don’t want to die.

Everything faded to black.

****

Steve finished his chores and was headed around the barn to help Alex finish shoveling. Mandy was barking up a storm and frantically digging at a mound of snow. Steve glanced around but didn’t see any sign of Alex. She wouldn’t have gone in without clearing the pile in front of the porch. Then he noticed the foot sticking out from under the mound.

He ran for all he was worth, dropping the shovel as he got close.

Mandy barked only every few seconds now as she concentrated on her digging.

Both of Alex’s feet extended out from under the snow. He grabbed them and pulled as hard as he could, but she didn’t budge.

He patted the snow next to Alex’s body, “Here girl, dig here.” He patted the snow again.

Mandy left the top of the mound and moved to where he’d indicated.

Steve grabbed Alex’s feet again, planted his feet and pulled, and pulled. He could feel a slight shift, then another. He strained even harder and Alex started to move an inch at a time. “Hurry girl! Get it!”

Mandy continued to concentrate on the space she’d created, sending snow flying out behind her.

Steve took a deep breath and heaved. Alex started moving. He repositioned his feet and used his weight to help pull. Alex’s torso finally cleared the mound, then her head. Steve gave one final pull and her arms came out. He dropped down to his knees and flipped her over. He yanked off a glove and searched her neck for a pulse. It was there. Faint, but there. “Good girl, Mandy, let’s get inside.”

He lifted Alex and dashed up the steps and into the house. Mandy dashed in after him and he kicked the door shut. He laid her on the floor, his hands trembled as he felt her wrist again to check on her pulse. It beat stronger now, but her skin felt so cold. He pulled all her wet clothes off, carried her into the bathroom, and laid her in the tub. Then he turned the warm water on. As the tub filled, he yanked off his coat and shirt, and crawled in behind her. His legs shook but he scooped the water over her cold skin, and gently rubbed her to get her circulation going again. She jerked, hitting him in the face. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her from hurting herself.

“Alex,” he said. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”

Alex jerked one more time.

“You’re safe.”

She relaxed her muscles.

“Open your eyes. It’s okay. You aren’t under the snow.”

She stirred. “No snow,” she whispered.

“No snow, you’re inside now.”

“No snow,” she said and went limp in his arms.

He pulled her up against his chest and continued to rub her limbs and torso. Her body was so cold. The incoming water was starting to cool so he leaned forward to turn the tap off.

“Feels good.”

“Are you starting to feel warmer?”

Alex nodded.

“Good, you’ll be warmer in a few minutes.”

Alex reached out and laid a hand on his twitching leg. She rubbed the jeans material between her fingers. “You have clothes on. In the tub.”

“I didn’t want to take the time to take them off.”

“Why?”

“Do you remember what happened?”

Alex shuddered. “Oh yeah, the snow. Hold me.”

Steve wrapped his arms around her and leaned his chin on her shoulder. They sat like that for a couple of minutes.

“Thanks for saving me. It seems like you’re always saving me.” Alex rested her hands on his forearms. “The way I’m going you might have to again.”

“I’ll save you any time you need me to.” The water was starting to cool down. “I’d better get you dried off before you get cold again.” He helped her up, dried her off, then went and got a blanket to wrap around her. “Go on out to the table, and I’ll make you a cup of tea.” He peeled off his wet clothes and wrapped a towel around his hips. He bustled around the kitchen getting the tea made.

“How did you find me?” Alex finally asked.

“Mandy. If it hadn’t been for Mandy I wouldn’t have found you in time.” Steve handed her a hot cup of tea. “You’re lucky she found you and helped dig you out.”

Mandy pushed against Alex’s leg. Alex ruffled her ears. “Thank you, Lassie. You found Timmy.”

“What?”

“It was something I was thinking about.” Alex pulled the blanket closer. “Even wrapped up like a cocoon, I still feel cold. The hot tea should help.” She shuddered. “For a moment there I thought I’d died.” She squirmed and shifted her position. “What made you look for me?”

“Mandy was barking nonstop. She never barks that much.” He blew on his tea. “I knew something was wrong. Then I saw a foot and saw Mandy frantically digging. Only your legs were showing.” He kept looking at the surface of the tea. “I was afraid I had been too late.”

Alex moved around the table and put a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

Steve stood up and searched her eyes. Then he reached up to touch her cheek. Alex tilted her head against his hand. He kissed her gently and paused, then kissed her again. All of a sudden, he stopped. “I’m sorry. I’m supposed to wait.”

“And I wasn’t supposed to even be here. Or am I?” She pulled him into a tight embrace and continued kissing him.

After several minutes he shifted back, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Alex slid the blanket off and let it drop, “I’m sure.” She kissed him again, then led him to the bedroom. She tossed the covers back and reached for his towel.

He put a hand over hers. “Are you really sure?”

She pulled the towel loose and tossed it, then climbed in the bed and held out her hand to him. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

He took her hand and climbed into bed. After making passionate love their bodies were warm all over. Steve only left to milk Anna Belle and bring them some sandwiches for dinner, then crawled back under the covers. They spent the rest of the evening curled up next to each other reading. Earlier than usual, Alex closed her book. She snuggled up against him and started running her hand slowly over his chest. She moved her hand down to his stomach and started easing it lower when he grabbed her hand.

“All right, I’ll quit.” He laid his book on the bedside table and extinguished the light. He wanted to fulfill her every desire and then some. He moved over on top of her. “Is this what you want?” He started kissing her neck.

“Yes,” she murmured as she encircled him with her arms and legs, pulling him closer.

He pulled away slightly, “We haven’t known each other for very long.”

“Long enough, now shut up and make love to me.”

Later that night, they finally fell asleep after exploring every inch of each other.