by E A Chance
“But it’s only eight-thirty. I’m not tired.”
“Your body needs strength to recover, and you’ve been awake all day. You can read until you fall asleep.”
She made a face but grabbed her crutches and got up to follow Riley. “I wish that shower worked. I feel disgusting.”
“You wouldn’t be able to use it if it did work because of your brace and stitches,” Coop called after them.
“He’s right. I’ll boil water and give you a sponge bath.”
Julia scrunched her nose. “Better than nothing, I guess.”
While Riley bathed her, she said, “Tell me why we had to leave the compound. It can’t be worse than the other stuff that’s happened.”
Riley studied her for a moment, deciding how much to tell her. Before their trip to D.C., she’d viewed Julia as a child, but she was a young woman. The horrors they’d experienced since the CME had forced her to grow up in a hurry. She’d seen more death and pain than most teenagers would know in multiple lifetimes. Julia continued to amaze Riley every day with her resilience and wisdom. There was no way of predicting how the trauma would affect her in the future, but Riley believed she’d weather it fine. She chose to tell Julia the truth.
She gave her the details of the aftermath of the attack and what happened to Jepson.
“He was one of the ones who shot those people at the church. He’s an evil person, but Mr. Branson is equally as dangerous. After what he did to Jepson, we knew we had to get you out of that compound.”
Julia grew quiet. “I’ve seen stuff like that in movies but knew it wasn’t real. It’s scary to know there really are people who’d do those kinds of things.”
“Dangerous people have existed in the world since the beginning of time. Events like the CME can bring out the worst in some, but there are far more good people, like Coop and Angie. Don’t ever forget that.”
“I won’t. Thanks for getting me out of there, Wonder Woman.” Riley rolled her eyes. “That explains why you cried at leaving Angie. That must have been so hard.”
Riley stopped soaping Julia and stared at the floor. “Hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
“Maybe they’ll just put her in their jail for a while or something. What could they do to a person just for wanting to get back to their family?”
Riley knew what Branson was capable of, but she said, “I’m sure you’re right. Let’s get you dried off. I need to change your dressing and check your sutures.”
The sunlight turned the snow into a glimmering field of diamonds the next morning, but Riley wasn’t buying it. The same had happened the day before, and they’d ended up with another foot of snow. Even if they got the tree cut, they weren’t going anywhere until the weather warmed enough to melt the snowpack. Even another foot or two could trap them in for weeks.
After a breakfast of reconstituted powdered eggs and protein bars, she and Coop suited up to start chopping up the tree. Riley wasn’t thrilled to leave Julia alone but knew it would be impossible for anyone to get to her in a hurry.
“I’ll come back every ninety minutes to feed you and help you to the bathroom,” she told her as they got ready to leave. “Promise not to get off this couch until I’m here.”
Julia crossed her heart. “I won’t move a muscle.”
“That’s my girl.”
Coop went down the slope in front of the cabin first to forge a new route for Riley to follow. The snow reached up to her thighs. She had a hard time keeping up with him and was relieved when she saw the opening to the road where the truck was stranded.
“This would be much easier with cross-country skis or snowshoes,” she said when they were ten feet from the road. “Did you see any in the shed?”
“I didn’t notice. Not what I was looking for. We’ll check when we’re done.”
They broke through the treeline and trudged around the last curve, then stopped and stared at the empty spot where the Humvee should have been. Visible tracks led in the opposite direction. Riley dropped onto the tree trunk and covered her face with her hands. Their one hope of getting to Wytheville was gone.
Coop put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s not like we were going anywhere today. At least we don’t have to chop the tree.”
She pushed his hand away and jumped to her feet. “Is everything a joke to you? Do you know what this means? Unless we find another truck, we’re stranded for weeks, if not months until Julia’s leg heals. And what happens when the food runs out? There are no stores or other food sources within miles of this place.”
Coop stepped closer and leaned his face inches from hers. “I’m aware of our situation. I use humor to mask my anxiety and find hope in dire circumstances. Would you rather I go around growling and sobbing like you every time things don’t go our way? I know we’ve been through a crap storm of trouble but acting like we’re on the edge of death every minute doesn’t solve our problems.”
Riley had never seen Coop angry. She stepped away from the intensity of his reaction and toppled backward over the tree. She scrambled to her feet and dusted herself off before turning toward the cabin. Coop stepped in front of her. She tried to move around him, but he wouldn’t let her.
“You’re not running off this time. I’m sick of you arguing with everything I say and blaming me for whatever goes wrong. I’ve risked my life for you and your daughter more times than I can count, yet you treat me like I’m the enemy whenever there isn’t another one handy. I’m on your side, Riley. I love you and meant it when I said I’d do anything for you, even die for you. If you can’t see that by now, there’s no hope for us.”
Riley was glad she was too angry to cry and give him the satisfaction. She shoved him in the chest, but he didn’t budge. “You killed Angie! You saw her calling for help, but you drove away like it was nothing. How can you be so cold?”
She stopped to take a breath and was shocked to realize she was yelling. She’d never raised her voice at anyone in her life. She moved back to the tree with her head lowered. Coop sat next to her but didn’t attempt to touch her. She felt empty and was at a loss where to go next.
She and Zach had had their petty arguments like any married couple but never screaming matches. He’d never gotten her fire up the way Coop did. As infuriating as he was, she had to admit it made life interesting.
“Riley,” he said calmly, “I’m sorry for losing my temper. I’ve never done that, not even with my cheating ex-wife, and I’m as shocked as I can see you are. I put it down to the hideousness of these past weeks. Please, forgive me.”
“I was the one screaming. I’ve never done that either. We’re both in foreign territory here.”
“If you ask, I’ll go and leave you in peace. I won’t force myself on you.”
“Julia would never forgive me if I let you go.”
“That’s not an answer. I wagered on getting you and Julia out, alive and safe. I wanted to help Angie, but I couldn’t do both. It was an impossible choice, and I don’t regret the one I made. But this isn’t just about Angie.”
She raised her eyes to meet his. “What are you saying?”
“You’re angry about Hannah, Julia getting shot, Angie, and you’re blaming yourself for all of it. But it’s not your fault. It’s not my fault. It just is. So, I ask again, do you want me to go?”
She felt like he’d cracked her brain open and peeked inside. Or was she just that transparent?
“If I had been strong like you and Julia after Hannah died, we could have left the campground when you wanted. Instead, I spent three days wallowing in my selfish fear and misery. That caused Julia to get shot. It caused us to be taken captive and may have cost Angie her life. What you said about me was right. You’re not the monster here, I am.”
“Stop this, Riley. What I said was out of anger. It was cruel and it’s not true. You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever known. The fact that you’re taking responsibility for the cosmos conspiring against us proves that.”
“I want to believe that it’s not my fault, but it isn’t that simple.”
“Why not? I’m painfully honest, remember? You can trust whatever I say.” She gave him a weak smile. “Forget what I think. Believe Julia. She loves and trusts you without reservation. She doesn’t blame you and has too many other traumas to face to add your guilt to the mix. Julia needs you strong and whole.”
“Can’t remember the last time I was strong and whole, but I understand. I’ll give it my best, but don’t expect overnight change. And don’t you dare leave us.”
“Done. Can we put this behind us and go back to our cozy cabin to figure out how we’re going to get the hell out of here?” When she held out her hand, he ignored it and lifted her into his arms. He pressed his lips to hers, then whispered, “No monsters here.”
Chapter Sixteen
Riley pushed the shovelful of snow off the porch and watched it tumble down the steps. She had to restrain herself from throwing the shovel after it.
“This is pointless,” she yelled at the endless drifts of white spreading in every direction. “Go away and leave us alone.”
Julia opened the door and maneuvered onto the porch. “Who are you yelling at, Mom?”
Riley huffed and shoved more snow off the porch. “Not who, what. I’m yelling at the snow.”
Julia closed the door and propped herself against the doorframe. “As long as you’re not expecting it to answer.”
“I was ordering it to go away and leave us alone. How many times have Coop and I shoveled this porch in the past two weeks?”
Julia shrugged. “Seems like a hundred.”
“Every time we clear it, another storm comes. That’s over five feet of snow out there, mocking me. I’m sick of you," Riley shouted and her words echoed off the hills.
“My diagnosis: cabin fever.”
Riley glared at her. “Thanks, doctor.”
“How do you think I feel? I can’t even go past the porch. At least you have your little ski outings. I’m stuck inside with these stupid crutches.”
A smile crept up Riley’s face. “You just gave me an idea. Where’s Coop?”
“He said he was going to work on the tree. He’s chopped enough wood to last if we’re stuck here for three years.”
“Bite your tongue,” Riley said and pretended to spit three times on her knuckles to ward off evil spirits as her grandmother used to do. “He’s determined to chop up that entire tree. It may take him three years.” She snapped on one of the pairs the cross-country skis they’d found in the shed. “Go inside. I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?” Julia called after Riley as she skied down the hill.
Cross country skis weren’t made for downhill, so she made her way to the road in a switchback pattern. Getting back uphill would be tricky, but at least she had a way to travel across the snow since it was as deep as she was tall.
She glided around the bend to where Coop was lopping away at the tree and slid to a stop. When he saw her, he buried the ax blade in the trunk and straightened, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“What’s up? Julia okay?”
“She’s fine.” She looked at the wheels of trunk sections and split pieces scattered on the snow. “Why are you bothering with this? We don’t need the wood, and there’s an opening big enough for a tank.”
“It’s very satisfying and keeps me from going stir crazy in the cabin. I have to take advantage of breaks between storms.” He pulled the ax from the tree and held it out to her. “Want to take a whack at it?”
“I’ll pass, but I might have a more constructive way for you to pass the time. Let’s build a sled for Julia. I feel terrible that she can’t leave the cabin, and it might come in handy when we’re ready to leave.”
He grasped her shoulders and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Brilliant idea. I was thinking we need a way to leave since our food stores are getting low, but I didn’t know what to do with Julia. A sled would solve that problem. Let’s go draw up the plans."
He sat on the trunk and strapped on one of the pairs of snowshoes they’d found in the shed with the skis. Coop had the advantage of ascending the incline to the cabin, but Riley did a decent job keeping up with him.
When they told Julia their plan, she squealed in delight. Coop spread three pieces of paper he’d torn from an old notebook on the table. “Don’t get too excited. None of us has ever built a sled, and we may not have all the tools and supplies we need.”
Riley sketched out a detailed design and proudly held it up for Coop to admire.
After studying it for three seconds, he said, “Perfect if you’re hiding a scroll saw and the electricity to power it. You need to think more Man Versus Wild than Pottery Barn here.”
She balled up her design and tossed it in the fire. “I got carried away for a minute.”
Julia, who’d been listening from the couch, said, “Couldn’t we take the legs off the coffee table, turn it upside down and nail the snow shovel to the end of it?”
Riley and Coop turned and stared at her, wondering why they hadn’t thought of that.
“Aw, the nimble mind of the young,” Coop said. “We’d need runners to lift it off the snow, but yes, that might work.”
They had a workable design an hour later. Coop stood and stretched. “My brain’s melted. I’ll see you both first thing in the morning.”
While Julia made her way down the hall, Riley leaned close to Coop and whispered, “Wait for me in your room after Julia’s asleep.”
He raised his eyebrows, then winked. “With pleasure.”
Riley gave Julia a sponge bath and ran through physical therapy exercises with her before tucking her into bed. She sat next to her and brushed a wisp of hair from her face.
“I’ll give you a haircut tomorrow and let you try out the hot shower system Coop rigged. I’m not making any promises it’ll work, but your scar is healed enough to try it.”
“A hot shower sounds heavenly, but not until we build my sled. I’m sick of the view from the porch.”
Riley kissed her forehead. “After we build the sled, then. It’s late. No reading tonight.”
Julia yawned big enough for Riley to see her tonsils. “I’m too tired to read. Love you, Mom.”
She rolled over to face the wall, and Riley waited until she heard her soft, even breathing. She was glad Julia had fallen asleep so quickly, but she also felt a pang of jealousy. Sleep was much harder for her to come by.
She tiptoed out the room but hesitated before tapping on Coop’s door. She’d been cordial since their encounter at the tree but had kept him at arm’s length while she worked through her tangled mess of emotions. His patience and consideration had helped, along with the diminishing supply of Xanax he’d stolen from the infirmary. She’d been tapering her dose down and felt more like her old self.
As her anxiety faded, her desire to be close to Coop grew. While the memory of Angie still stung, she’d come to believe he’d made the right choice to leave without her. Attempting to save Angie would have put them all at risk. She still clung to the hope that Branson had been merciful with Angie, but it was hard to accept that they’d never know her fate.
Her love for Coop had gradually reignited, and she was ready to commit to him. Julia had easily embraced him as part of their family. She was willing to do the same, but it wasn’t just his love she desired. She pushed his door open without knocking and drew in her breath when she saw him sitting propped up and shirtless on the bed.
“I’m ready,” she whispered as she kissed his neck and chest. “And you’ve waited long enough.”
Riley lay awake with her head resting on Coop’s chest, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat and reflecting on their lovemaking. She never imagined anyone could satisfy her the way Zach had. Coop’s style was different but every bit as pleasurable. She snuggled closer to him, almost able to forget they were trapped in a cabin at the end of the world.
Her only concern was how to e
xplain their relationship to Julia. Riley had made a point to impress upon Julia the importance of waiting for marriage to have sex. She knew it was an unpopular concept and that Julia likely wouldn’t heed her advice, but she hoped it would get her to postpone sex until she was in love.
As a doctor, Riley had seen the damage a promiscuous lifestyle could wreak, especially on teenagers, and wanted to shield Julia from that. She’d seemed receptive to Riley’s advice and planned to follow it, but she was young and with the world was on its head, who knew what her kind of romantic future she’d face?
Riley pushed thoughts of her daughter aside and allowed herself to enjoy her minute of contentment. Those times were a rare commodity in their new lives.
Coop shifted and opened his eyes. When he saw her lying on him, he smiled and tightened his arms around her.
“What are you doing awake? Have you slept?”
She smiled up at him. “I’m just savoring the peaceful moment. That was incredible last night, Coop, and it feels so right to be with you. I’m sorry I wasted so much time.”
“You chose a time that wasn’t an impetuous act of desperation when we could die at any second. This was worth the wait.”
“Thank you for saying that. I was worried you’d resent that I put you off for so long.”
“I wouldn’t have done that.” He picked up his thermal shirt, and Riley moved so he could put it on. “It’s freezing in here. We forgot to stoke the fire last night.”
Riley eyed him seductively. “Oh, we stoked the fire last night.”
Coop feigned shock. “Dr. Poole, I never expected to see this side of you.”
She blushed and rolled on top of him. “Me, either.”
He put his warm hands on her waist and pulled her closer. “I hope to see more of it.”
She gave him a sensual kiss and whispered, “Trust me, you will.”
Julia was surprised to see her mom’s empty and tidy bed in the morning. She woke before her mom most mornings, but even when she didn’t, her mom put off making the bed until Julia was up so she wouldn’t bother her. She hoped it meant that she and Coop had gotten an early start on the sled.
