by Kristi Rose
She scanned the area, lit only by streetlights. Still in the car, the keys in the ignition, Elizabeth looked for William. They were parked in a lot adjacent to a closed restaurant. The rain had stopped, or they had driven out of it, she wasn’t sure, but the ground was wet and riddled with puddles. There were no other cars in the lot, and for a moment Elizabeth pictured the opening scene to a post-apocalyptic movie with her in the starring role. That was the eerie and desolated vibe she was getting.
She giggled nervously.
When William came strolling around the corner, she half expected him to be running from zombies or something. But he wasn’t. He was whistling and waved when he saw her face against to the glass.
She pressed the lever to put the window down. “What are you doing?” She called out the window.
William walked up, leaned forward, and delivered a light kiss to her lips. “If you must know, I was using the restroom. Did you sleep well?”
“I did. Where are we?”
“Some place in Iowa. We’re headed away from most of the storm, but the bands are wide so it’s unavoidable.” He kissed her again then moved around the car and slid into the driver’s seat. “I’ve been studying the radar and the predictions. I thought about trying to drive home, back to the ranch, but we’d have to go through some of the weather. That, quite frankly, scares me.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Nothing scares you.”
“You turning me down and telling me I was the last man you’d ever consider marrying scared me.” He leaned across the seat, his arm over the back of her chair. “When you stopped looking at me with angry eyes, but with those filled with disappointment and distaste, that scared me.”
Elizabeth covered his mouth with hers. This would never get old, the excitement that filled her even with the merest touch from him. She brushed her lips against his one last time and then sat back with a satisfied sigh.
“Another time you scared me was when—”
She covered his mouth with her hand. “Why must you bring it up? Let’s not think about what I said or did. We’re on our honeymoon. We should focus on that.”
He mumbled something from beneath her hand.
“If I remove my hand will you promise not to bring up the past?”
William nodded, and Elizabeth dropped her hand to his shoulder.
“I only brought it up to get you to kiss me again.” He closed the space between them, took her in his arms, covered her with kisses. Elizabeth lost herself to moment and the bliss that came with having William love her.
The only thing to break them from their pleasure was the sudden crack of thunder and downpour of a heavy rain.
William tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ve had my assistant looking for a hotel. Everything is booked. Looks like lots of people had the same idea we had. But he did find us something—a farm-like B-and-B. Shall we press on?”
Glancing at the clock, Elizabeth gasped at the hour. She’d slept through the remainder of the day and a good part of the early morning.
“What happened to Kansas City?” She shook her head trying to clear the sleep.
“Booked. The storm shifted some so I decided to skirt it.”
“You have to be exhausted, let me drive.”
William yawned. “That sounds like a good idea. I’ve plugged the next city into the GPS, the bed-and-breakfast is waiting for us when we get there if you want.”
“Of course I want. But at this hour?”
William nodded then reached for her and lifted her over the seat and onto his lap. “This isn’t much of a honeymoon.”
“We’re together. That’s what counts.”
“We could be halfway to Africa now if not for this weather.” He kissed a spot below her jaw line.
“This will be our honeymoon adventure. Who needs elephants and lions?” She wanted to paint a nice picture so he wouldn’t see her disappointment. Not that she didn’t get to go to Africa, but that they weren’t having the final connection to bond them further. She knew it would happen. But did it mean something that getting it to happen was not coming easily? Would they always have obstacles?
Darcy chuckled, his mouth so close to her neck the vibration of his laugh went right through her. “How about tornadoes and corn?”
“Sounds exciting.” She laughed. Necking in a car in the middle of a parking lot was something she never thought she’d experience with William, but there were so many of the firsts she would share with him. He was the person who was meant for her, and she’d saved everything she could for him.
Elizabeth pushed away. “Let’s not honeymoon in the car.” She looked out the windows. “As remote as the location feels, I get the sense we won’t be alone for long. That could be my active imagination though.”
William looked over her shoulder into the fading night. “I agree. Let’s make progress toward a waiting bed.”
He shuffled from the seat, sliding over the console and bumping his head in the process. “You’re not too tired to drive?” He asked while buckling in.
Elizabeth snorted. “I took a seven-hour nap. I should think I’ll be fine.”
“I haven’t seen anything open but one place where I filled up and got rot-gut coffee. There are a few bags of chips and granola bars in the back, that was the best I could do. Keep your eyes open for another service station.”
Elizabeth saluted him. William chuckled and eased the seat back into a full recline while Elizabeth moved hers forward, started the engine, then set out to the bed-and-breakfast William’s assistant had found.
What a mess of a honeymoon. She couldn’t help that they were falling behind. Behind what? She wasn’t sure. She felt as if they’d lost so much time already, with her spending so much of it angry with him that she wondered if that wasn’t what was stirring all these negative, fear-based emotions. Even after she’d realized the errors of her behavior and stubborn mindset—how horribly she misjudged him—they’d lost even more time wondering what the other thought instead of having a simple conversation. A conversation that would have led to them being together sooner.
She shook her head, denying the past a chance to bring her down. Regardless, they had found their way together, and that’s all that mattered. A chaotic honeymoon was not indicative of anything. Feeling as if Mother Nature or the universe had it out for them was all in her head.
Elizabeth pulled onto the interstate easily but was unfortunately unable to find an open service station. All around them were signs of the powerful storm, trees uprooted, branches and debris littered the roads, signs were torn from their posts, and power was available in spotty areas. She’d driven through areas with no power only to travel a few miles further and find power. As fast as the miles ticked away, the gas did as well. The GPS took her from the interstate onto a country road that, by looks on the map, would wound its way into an isolated area. William snored softly beside her. She’d been in touch with his assistant Tolliver, a serious man who’d stayed up most of the night searching for fuel and lodging for them from the safety of his fully powered home in Billings.
Elizabeth chewed her lip and stared at the recent text from him. There was nowhere to get gas, and the powerful storm, undoubtedly unpredictable, had shifted once more. Heavy outer bands were moving in, locals were hunkering down, waiting for spin-off tornados. Tolliver had told her the Storm Chasers were headed to their area. That didn’t bode well.
Why they had left the safety of the hangar, Elizabeth would always wonder, though her practical mind told her they were no safer there. The storm would pass over the airport and hangar as well.
The flashing light on her dash indicated they had enough gas left for twenty-three miles, the GPS told her the bed-and-breakfast was eight miles beyond that.
“William,” Elizabeth touched his shoulder and pushed slightly. “William.”
He sprung up into a sit. “Is everything all right?” He blinked several times.
“We’re going to run out of gas. Tolliv
er has contacted the rental agency, but no one is currently able to bring us gas, and all the service stations are closed.”
“How far are we from the bed-and-breakfast?”
She filled him in on the situation including when the next bands of rain were scheduled to hit.
“I suppose we’ll have to hike the rest of the way. It should be easy for us.” He glanced out the window. “We’ll have morning light which will help.” He toggled through his phone and showed her a map. “If we take this route we can shave off two miles.”
“Shouldn’t we stay to the road, just in case?”
“I’m not sure we have that luxury. We need to beat the storm.” He unbuckled his seat belt and climbed in the back. “I’ll pack our backpacks with the essentials.”
Elizabeth almost wrecked the car she swiveled in her seat so fast. “Wait, I’ll do my bag.”
In her suitcase was an assortment of lingerie. All Jane and Lydia’s idea. She didn’t want William to see any of those garments. Yes, these were expected honeymoon items, but she had never imagined he’d be going through her bags. Uncertain as to what he might prefer, Elizabeth had packed a variety of evening wear, including Lydia’s gift of a prank naughty nurse costume.
“It’ll save time if I can do it while you drive. We’ll want to get out and start walking to the bed-and-breakfast as quickly as we can if we hope to beat the deluge.”
“But…” What could she say? But I have things I don’t want you to see until the lights are off and it’s the pitch-black of night? Could she sound any more prim? None of these outfits had been her idea or her taste. She was a long T-shirt nightie sort of girl, but now he was going to see them, and it would embed an image she wasn’t sure she wanted him to have.
She listened to him shuffling bags and working zippers. “The small blue bag is filled with my toiletries. That one is essential.” Not because she needed her hair products, but because she was desperate to brush her teeth.
“All of it is essential? We will be coming back for this stuff if we can, but we have to take what can’t be replaced. The lighter our load the quicker our footsteps.”
As if she didn’t know that. She refused to be irritated with him on their honeymoon—such as it was. “At least pack my toothbrush and my hand cream.”
“Are those essential?” He oomphed and a large bag landed in the back seat.
“Yes, to me they are. Essential to my peace of mind.”
“How about the toothbrush and we let the lotion stay?”
Were they really negotiating over lotion? She unclenched her jaw and massaged her temple. “Add aspirin to that, please.”
William groan. “I’ll add aspirin because it’s pertinent to a first-aid kit. Is there anything in either of your bags that cannot be replaced?” Another bag landed in the back seat. Looking in the rearview mirror she saw William crouched in the cargo area; he was picking up her bag with the lingerie.
“I really don’t need anything from there.” She’d figure out what to use for panties tomorrow if she had to. Go bare if it came down to it. The suitcase he was holding had been packed by her sisters, and the only reason she took it was because she didn’t have to worry about airport security, flying on William’s private plane afforded them one security inspection as the flight was direct, even the stop in Dallas for fuel would not require an inspection.
There was no point in kicking herself for bringing the bag. It was here, and William was about to discover it.
“Isn’t this full of clothes? Don’t you want clean clothes?” His hand hovered over the zipper.
“More like nightclothes. The other bag has jeans and stuff.” Her eyes darted from the road to him and back, her breath caught somewhere in her throat.
“I’ll grab you pajamas,” he said.
“Is that really essential?” she countered. “I can wear a T-shirt.”
He smiled. “Good thinking.” He then tossed the suitcase over the bench seat, it came to a thud on one of the other suitcases and slid down, coming to rest in the leg space between the console and the middle seat.
Elizabeth made a plan. Once they stopped, she would quickly pull a few pairs of undies from the suitcase and stuff them in her pocket if she had to.
She followed the windy road through what seemed like the thickest part of the woods. They hadn’t passed a car since she took over the driving, and it was unnerving. As if everyone one on the planet had suddenly vanished.
“How much time do I have left?” His head was down, and she could see him shoving things into their backpacks.
“Three more miles. I expect this car to start sputtering any minute.” She watched the red gas light flash.
William began to remove the suitcases he’d tossed onto the back seat, and Elizabeth panicked. She was not a girl who liked to go without underwear.
“Did you grab my hoodie? It’s light green, can be used as a rain shell, and I can tie it around my waist. It’s in that large bag right next to you.”
William paused then turned back to the luggage. Elizabeth hyperextended her arm and grabbed at the bag. She found the zipper and weaseled her hand into the suitcase feeling the soft, wispy material of what she didn’t want William to see. Finding the section of cotton she grabbed a handful and pulled out what she could, tucking it in her purse without looking. She’s no sooner brought her hand back to the steering wheel did the car begin to sputter. William tossed the suitcases in the back and climbed over the seat while she pulled the car onto the shoulder, out of the lane completely, and let the car come to a natural stop.
“All right. I’ve mapped it on the phone, I have plenty of battery power.” He looked at her phone. “As do you. We should be good to go.”
“Do you think we’ll see any wild animals?” She teased and took the hoodie she’d asked for.
“If they have any sense they’ll be hiding from this storm. Ready, babe?” He grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her soundly.
“Ready.”
Day was breaking, but it looked just as much night as it had hours earlier. Dark clouds were racing in across the sky, and when she stepped from the car wind whipped Elizabeth’s hair around her face. Quickly, they secured the car then headed up the road a mile where they would pick up a trail. Elizabeth would have preferred to stay on the road, but she knew the odds of another car coming by were slim.
One day they would laugh about their honeymoon and what they did the days following their wedding, but today she couldn’t see the humor. Her stomach rolled with uneasiness as they raced to beat the storm that—on radar—looked massive and to be packing a wallop.
Chapter 3
The path was overgrown and gave a clear example of the saying about the one least travelled. Trail was a word that could be used loosely. William led the way and, even in their haste, would hold back branches and stomp down on heavy thicket for her
Occasionally, the trail would open to a clearing where it met another trail and often she wanted to ask if they shouldn’t take the extra time and make use of the more worn paths. But this was William, he’s summited Everest. Overgrown weeds and branches weren’t going to contain him. They’d stopped twice for water and to check the GPS and the weather. The system appeared to be making ground quicker than them.
They’d walked in silence, their mood reflective of the faint light and the ominous air that surrounded them. Coming around a bend, they stopped short when the path came to an abrupt end.
“That’s odd,” Elizabeth said. Though in hindsight the further into the woods they walked the more overgrown the path had become.
William scanned the area. “I’m going to push through that area.” He pointed to the thick tangle of weeds and shrubbery. “I can see a path through there. I’ll go up the hill a bit and let you know what I see.” He would need a machete to get through it.
“Shouldn’t we backtrack? I remember seeing a split of from the path. That might work for us.”
Thunder boomed, and Eli
zabeth bit her lip. William pulled her against him, kissed her firmly and then tore at the brush.
One thing was for certain, she would never get tired of those needy kisses. Never.
The wind picked up, and Elizabeth stepped closer to the hole William was making, trying to track him through the mess.
She didn’t want to climb through that. She liked to hike well-defined paths, not forge new ones.
William stopped at the crest of a small hill and appeared to be scanning the area. When he was done he turned in her direction. “I think it’s good. Opens to a pond. Can you get through?”
No.
“Sure. I’m coming,” she shouted back. Going against her gut, she stepped through the hole he’d made and tried to walk in his footsteps and eliminate some of the work it would take to get through.
“Can you still see me?” William called.
“Yes.”
“I’m going to move down the side a bit. I see a trail.” William began to walk sideways along the hilltop.
“Wait,” she called, wishing they’d stayed back at his ranch. Her mother might be annoying, but this was rattling her to her center.
Lightning cracked above them, and another boom of thunder shook the earth. William swung to face her, and the ground he was standing on gave way.
She screamed his name the same time he yelled hers, and seconds later he was out of sight.
Cutting through the branches, some tearing at her face and snagging her hair, she kept focus on where she’d last seen him. Finally, she came through the worst of the weeds and was forced to reduce her pace, fearing the same would happen to her.
At the crest, she looked over. She saw the soft muddy soil churned up where he had slid and William lying on the bank of what was likely a pond formed from a low-lying area and too much rain at one time. In the dry season, it was probably a valley.
William was covered in mud, his wet pack beside him.
“Are you all right?” Elizabeth hollered down to him?
He waved a hand in the air.
“I’m coming down.”
William sat up. “No. It’s too slippery. The last thing we need is for us both to be stuck here.” He held a hand to the side of his head, and when he took it away Elizabeth could see the bright stain of red.
