Calida laughed as she drew the quilt around her teasing him, “Let’s see what you’ve got, handsome” to both her astonishment, and Edric’s delight.
He winked at her as he began to deal the cards and the game began as the sky darkened with the wind increasing in velocity while the snow began to cover the ground.
After a few games where they tied, Edric suggested they started making dinner seeing the time and Calida nodded her head letting him help her up before they headed for the kitchen. They worked together to make dinner keeping up an idle conversation that didn’t touch on anything personal for the moment.
With dinner done, they sat down and began to eat listening to the storm getting stronger and just as they finished the lights went out.
“I have a backup generator for such occasions,” Edric told her a second before the lights came back on.
“Go ahead and listen to the radio,” she told him as she cleared the table. “I’ll clean up and join you.”
Edric didn’t bother arguing as he wanted to go over some more work before Calida joined him, but once he sat down on the couch relaxing to the radio he began to drift off to sleep so that when Calida finally joined him, he was sleeping soundly.
Calida shook her head as she walked into the living room and using the quilt that he gave her earlier, she covered him up switching off the radio and lamp he turned on when he sat down.
She watched him for a few minutes her eyes flickering with different emotions before she turned and went into her room closing the door quietly behind her as the wind blew hard against the house.
Edric woke up in the middle of the night when the screen door slammed hard against the front door. He stood up quickly as the quilt fell off him and he stared down at it before he leaned over picking it up noticing that the room was dark except for a brief light from the windows. He smiled softly as he folded the quilt and placed it on the couch before going to latch the screen door, and then locking the inside door.
He headed for his room stopping in front of Calida’s first where he slowly eased open her door and poked his head inside to check on her.
Calida was laying on her back on the bed a frown on her face and as he watched her, she shifted on the bed the frown deepening as if something was worrying her.
Edric stopped himself from going inside the room and gathering her into his arms as he forced himself to step back closing the door behind him.
He went to his own room leaving the door open just in case and stripped down to his bare skin before putting on a pair of bottoms, and climbing into the bed where sleep was hard to return.
Just as sleep almost came upon him, he heard a sound coming from Calida’s room and he sat up a worried look crossing his face.
He crawled out of bed and headed for Calida’s room where he eased open the door only to stop and stare as Calida sobbed into her pillow although she was sleeping.
He stood there watching until finally she stopped sobbing although tears still stained her cheeks and he sighed heavily leaning against the door as he whispered, “I wish you would talk to me, honey, so the nightmares can finally leave you alone.”
He stood there for a little longer before he went back to his room leaving his door open a crack so he could hear when she got up in the morning as he climbed back into bed and putting an arm under his head, he laid there listening to the wind and rain slamming against the house.
Finally unable to go back to sleep, he got and dressed in warm clothes before checking on Calida one more time and then heading out of the house against the biting weather he had a feeling that although his generator could last, he was sure that the gas would run out before the weather stopped as he hadn’t been up here in a while. He went to the barn where he got his axe and then around the back where neighbor stock pile wood for him although he had to chop it up.
He went to work lightening a lantern he had hanging in the area as the wind picked up and snow started to come down heavier covering the ground in a white blanket.
Chapter 29
Calida woke with a start as she heard the hollering of the wind and the front door opened with a bang as Edric came back into the house.
She climbed out of bed still shivering from the nightmare that still lingered in her mind and she thought briefly of telling Edric about it, but when she reached the door to her room and watched Edric carrying a load of firewood over to the fireplace, she decided that Edric wouldn’t be interested in what haunted her although at the moment, she wasn’t sure of anything involving him.
He put the wood down before turning to go back outside when he saw her standing in her bedroom door watching him and he smiled green eyes alight although they were watchful at the same time.
“I’ll get dressed and help you,” she offered quietly as she stepped back into her room and closed the door not seeing the smile slip from Edric’s face only to be replaced with worry.
When she came out of the bedroom, Edric had already went back outside and Calida walked over to start coffee for the both of them as she took stock what they had in the kitchen thinking about what Edric said last night.
When he returned to the house, he was covered in snow and shivering slightly remarking, “The storm actually came faster than I thought it would.”
He put the pile next to the fireplace as Calida walked over with a cup of coffee which she handed to him before asking, “Do you need my help?”
He shook his head taking a sip and sighing at the hotness before he told her, “No, I’m almost done. The gas for the generator probably will hold out until tomorrow at the most so I’m going to be prepared just in case.”
Calida nodded her head as Edric drank more of his coffee and then giving her a kiss before he headed back outside to finish up.
Calida shook her head grabbing his coffee cup and taking it into the kitchen where she made another pot of coffee before starting breakfast.
Edric came in shutting the door behind him rubbing his hands together before pulling off his gloves and jacket hanging them up. He slipped out of his shoes and walked further into the room as Calida walked out of the kitchen another cup of coffee in her hand.
“Here,” she said pushing the cup into his cold hands and he sighed at the warmth before taking a swallow. “Go take a hot shower and get into some dry clothes. Breakfast will be done shortly, Edric.”
With that remark, she walked back into the kitchen and Edric stared after her with thoughtful green eyes before he did as she told him with the cup still in his hand.
Calida heard him go into his room before the closing of the bathroom door and turning down the stove, she went into his room shaking her head at the mess he left behind as she picked up the discarded clothes and grabbing the empty coffee cup from the dresser.
Edric walked out of the bathroom ten minutes later with the wet towel and disappeared into his bedroom where he stood for a second before getting dressed laughing and coming back out to stare at Calida.
“Breakfast is ready,” she told him feeling his stare as she refreshed both of their coffee cups and placed them at the table before going back to fix their plates.
Edric smiled running the towel over his hair one last time before he put it in the hamper in the bedroom before taking a seat at the table and picking up his cup.
“Thank you,” he told her gently giving Calida a smile as his green eyes flashed at her.
Calida gave him a quick one back taking her seat while telling him, “You were working hard so I should do something in return instead of being lazy.”
Edric would’ve said something to that but he let it go as he put down his cup and began to eat as Calida sat back in her seat sipping her own coffee observing him quietly.
“We will probably lose electricity by tomorrow evening at the latest,” Edric repeated after chewing a forkful of food. “I’ve cut as much as possible and stacked it on the front porch so we don’t have to go out if gets too bad.”
Calida nodded her head as she a
te her breakfast and Edric glanced up noticing her red eyes and pale face while she pushed the food around on her plate.
As they were finishing up, Calida went to go clean the table but Edric stopped her with a light touch on her wrist and she looked up at him.
“I’m doing dishes today,” he told her getting up to clear the table.
“But…” Calida began only to stop when Edric gave her a narrowed look with his amazing green eyes and she scowled but grabbed her coffee and went into the living room putting on the radio.
“It’s a good thing that the radio is battery operated, or we would have to find some other form of entertainment,” he teased as he joined her fifteen minutes later and Calida blushed focusing on her coffee curling up in the chair she was sitting.
Edric watched her for a moment before he put his cup down and disappeared into his room. He came back out and dropped a book on the table before sitting on the couch close to the chair as Calida stared at the book and then up at him.
“I know you like to read those,” he indicated the book with his head. “I bought a few more on the off chance that we may get snowed in here.”
Calida glared at him even though she reached for the book stating, “Why do I have this weird feeling that you were hoping that would happen?”
Edric didn’t comment but gave a roguish smile and winked at her as he leaned forward to grab the papers from the table.
“Besides, I miss having you with me when I do my work,” he added casually eyes focused on the papers although he saw from the corner of his eye how Calida’s mouth turned up at the corners at his admission.
He smiled mentally and focused on his work as Calida curled more into the chair to begin reading the book that Edric picked up for her.
The day wore on and Edric got up once staring out into the white world as he asked, “Have you ever gone sledding, Calida?”
Calida looked up from the book and frowned as she shook her head, and Edric came back over to the couch sitting back down.
“If it’s not too bad tomorrow, would you like to try it,” he asked leaning forward to grab her hand. “It shouldn’t be too much on your wound and we will take a look at it when we return just to be on the safe side.”
Calida smiled nodding her head hazel eyes gleaming with anticipation. “That’s sounds like fun, but are you sure that you wouldn’t rather work?”
“I told you, Calida, that this was my vacation,” Edric reminded her grasping her hand more firmly. “I can do work at night like we are doing now, but during the day that’s our time to do things together.”
Calida stared at him seriously before she remarked on a deep sigh, “We still need to talk, Edric, according to you.”
Edric nodded his head as he kissed her hand before releasing it and sitting back on the couch. “I know, but right now I’m enjoying just spending time with you. We’ll talk soon, honey, so don’t worry.”
Calida opened her mouth to say something but Edric gave her a smile and went back to his papers. She shook her head watching him for a few minutes before she became engrossed in her book.
It was getting late when Edric suggested making something simple to eat and Calida laughed as she said, “All we seem to be doing is hanging out and eating, Edric.”
Edric frowned glancing down at his stomach which was still flat before looking over at Calida tilting his head eyes intent on her flat stomach and Calida blushed until she saw the look in his eyes, and she stepped forward putting a hand on his arm.
“Edric,” she said softly getting his attention and he shook his head seeing the look she gave him.
“I tell you later what I was thinking,” he promised her with a light kiss on her temple before going into the kitchen.
Calida shook her head at him before she followed and they laughed as they made something light for dinner while the sky darkened and snow continued falling to the ground.
Over the next few days it snowed heavily that leaving the house was impossible although the generator held up until the third day which was also the same day that the snowing stopped for a brief time.
“It stopped snowing,” Edric commented sometime that morning after breakfast and Calida had come out of the kitchen.
“Yeah,” she said walking over to stand next to him.
“Want to go sledding before it starts snowing again,” he asked giving her an encouraging look.
Calida stared out the window before nodding her head and smiling. “Let’s do it.”
Edric laughed going over to a closet pulling out snow boots and thick jackets as Calida watched him with amused hazel eyes.
“So well prepared,” she muttered as he handed a set to her and he merely winked putting on his own heavy clothes.
Once dressed, he grabbed her hand and they walked out of the house going down the steps heading for the barn trudging through the snow laughing.
“Wait right here,” he told her with a smile and Calida nodded her head.
“Where am I going to go,” she called out when he walked away and she could hear his laughter as he disappeared inside the building.
She giggled stifling it when he came back out with a sled big enough for two if they were pressed close together.
“Just so you know, you are the first person I’ve brought up here,” he revealed as he closed the door behind him seeing Calida’s astonished look at the sudden remark. “As I told you before, this is where I come when I want to get away from work and people in general.”
“Even…” Calida began only to bite her tongue as Edric laughed carrying the sled over to her.
“Do you really see Sophie being able to stay here longer than twenty-four hours if that?” Edric remarked in a mocking tone.
“Where is the closest store,” Calida asked giving him a searching glance as they continued on his hand gripping hers tightly.
“About half an hour give or take,” he admitted as they walked farther on. “The closest mall is almost four hours away.”
Calida nodded her head when Edric came to a sudden stop and put the sled down giving her a wicked grin.
“On you go, honey.”
Calida sighed as she settled on the sled and Edric sat down behind forcing her to scoot up more to the front. He crowded her back before he whispered, “Ready?”
Calida swallowed and nodded her head feeling the warmth of his body against her as he laughed pushing the sled off.
The sled went flying down the hill as Edric steered them down hearing the gasp Calida made which turned into shouts of laughter when they reached the bottom and Edric misjudged the turn flipping them over into the snow.
When he pulled her up from the snow drift, Calida’s hazel eyes were bright with laughter and excitement.
Not wanting them to dim as reality returned, he asked, “Again?”
“Please,” she shouted as he grabbed the sled and they started back up the hill.
For the rest of the afternoon, they sled until weariness and hunger not to mention it began to snow again finally forced them to stop.
Calida was laughing and shaking the snow from her jacket with Edric watching her said, “I’m hungry. What about you, Calida?”
He watched as astonishment filled her eyes at the realization that she was because although as she had mentioned that’s all they have done since their arrival, she hadn’t eaten much.
“Actually, I am,” she admitted in a soft voice.
Edric smiled and picked up the sled as he suggested, “I make a delicious omelet.”
“Sounds good to me,” Calida stated as they headed back to the house.
At the barn, Edric told her “Go on to the house and get out of those wet clothes and I’ll join you in a minute so I can put the sled away for now.”
Calida nodded head before trudging through the snow to the house where she knocked off the snow from her boots and dusted off as much as she could get from her jacket, and then entered the house feeling its warmth penetrate her wet clothes.
She kicked off her boots and took off her jacket hanging it up before she headed to her room making a stop into the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot.
Once it began brewing, she went on to her room to get out of her wet clothes slipping into a pair of warm leggings and a long sweater before putting on warm wool socks on her feet.
She was just exiting her room when Edric stepped into the house and his eyes flared with heat as he saw her before he shielded them.
“Good you started the coffee,” he said smelling the delicious brew. “I’ll go change and then get started on those omelets for us.”
He smiled at her as he took off his jacket and boots before heading to his room stopping to kiss her briefly on the cheek.
Calida had seen the brief flash of passion in his eyes when he first entered the house and she knew that if she called him on it, he would play it off because she had a feeling that he was trying to take things slow. Calida appreciated the gesture but she wished that he would tell her what he wanted because she was beginning to fall even deeper in love with him and she didn’t know if she would survive it when he finally did break up with her.
“Now,” Edric said leaving his room and rubbing his hands together. “Let’s get something to eat.”
Calida allowed her lips to turn up at the corners as they entered the kitchen together and while Edric got the things out for omelets, she poured both of them a cup of coffee before she helped him.
Edric was pouring the egg batter into the pan when he suddenly asked, “What made you start your own bakery?”
Calida stilled where she had been cutting up peppers before saying, “Now, that’s something you haven’t asked me.”
Edric grimaced as he glanced over at her and he watched Calida relax as she answered his question, and he listened with his full attention wanting to know everything about her from her own lips.
As the sun went down, Edric watched as Calida began to get antsy and he had a feeling that there evening wasn’t going to be as pleasant as their morning and afternoon had been.
“Calida,” he murmured as she stood up for the fourth time from the chair she had been reading in while he did a little work.
Past Sins Revisited Page 38
