Joshua's Folly
Page 12
He’d awoken her by plopping on her bed just as hard as he could, which sent her flying into the air about two inches above the mattress, nearly scaring her to death. She’d flipped her light on to find him sitting on her bed, grinning from ear to ear. “Time for hot chocolate,” he’d said, as if it was the middle of the day.
Marisa couldn’t resist him.
They were both just a little rumpled, having awoken from their sleep in the middle of the night. It didn’t matter one iota. Marisa felt Josh looked darned adorable in his sweat pants and t-shirt, his feet bare, his hair sticking up here and there. She was equally disheveled in plaid pajama pants, an over-sized t-shirt, and her favorite purple slippers.
Marisa sat on the kitchen counter with her legs straddling Josh, a can of whip cream at the ready. Josh gave her a thumbs-up and she sprayed the whipped cream into his mouth. Not wanting to awaken Constance, they burst into muffled laughter as Josh swallowed the whipped cream amidst a fit of coughs.
“I will get you back for that,” Josh managed to say while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Ready for your turn?” he asked as he held the whipped cream to her mouth. She gave him a thumbs-up and, mercilessly, he sprayed it into her mouth. This time they laughed like two children as Marisa desperately tried to swallow and recover from the sudden mouthful of cream.
She’d hardly had time to recuperate when Josh covered her mouth with his, suddenly kissing her with wild abandon. Marisa wrapped her legs around him as he picked her up off the counter, kissing her as if he hadn’t seen her in a year. Josh stumbled around the kitchen, bumping into things, until he rested her against the opposite wall and they continued to kiss, mingled with laughter and gasps as they tried to catch their breath.
“Constance would kill us if she knew what we were doing in her kitchen right now,” Marisa told him as he covered her face with kisses.
“Nah, she’d only kill us if she knew what we were doin’ with the whipped cream.”
“Bet I can finish off the can.”
“Please, let’s not go there,” Josh mumbled.
“Hey, wanna watch a movie?” Josh’s boyish grin made her laugh aloud.
Marisa awoke from a sound sleep and stared at the clock, bleary eyed. “You do know it’s two a.m., right?” She wasn’t sure if she could handle being up in the middle of the night two nights in a row. They’d always let a couple of days pass before initiating another middle of the night foray.
“It’s the best time of night. Besides, the clock strikes two and I begin to salivate. I’m like one of Pavlov’s dogs and I have you to thank for it.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Absolutely not. Are you coming or what?”
“And miss out on hot chocolate? Not a chance.”
After downing two mugs of hot chocolate each, they cuddled up on the couch in the name of watching a movie, but they both slept in each other’s arms instead. When the credits came up, Josh said, “Let’s sit by the fire for awhile.”
Since she was always cold in the air conditioning, Marisa readily accepted the invitation. Besides, she knew what he had in mind and she wasn’t about to turn him down.
Once the fire was roaring, they sat side by side, staring into the flames, each lost in their own thoughts. “This is nice, me and you,” Josh said quietly.
“Yes, it is,” Marisa replied.
“Did I ever tell you about my stepmother?”
“No,” she said, puzzled at the sudden change of subject. “When was this?”
“My father’s third and final marriage. It was after Mary left, she never knew her. I wanted her to be the evil stepmother and I tried to force her into the role, but she was always good to me. I was fifteen by then and had decided I did not need a mother to tell me what to do.” He scoffed. “The marriage only lasted two years. The day she left was a hard day, even though I pretended like I didn’t care either way. The experience only made me realize what I was missing.”
Josh was quiet for awhile and Marisa said nothing, not wanting to interrupt his introspection.
He turned towards her then, cupping her cheeks in his hands. “You bring it all back to me, Marisa. You bring this house to life and I love it. I absolutely love it,” he said as his lips descended onto hers ever so softly. Slowly, they lowered to the ground, till he was on top of her. His hands held her face tenderly and she let her hands run through his hair. He kissed her with reverence, as though she was the most precious thing in the world to him. It wasn’t the crazy, wild kisses that so often overtook them. It was soft, slow, and tender. It was as if time stood still just for them. They weren’t in a hurry, they savored every touch. There were no worries over how far their intimacy would go. They’d already set those boundaries for themselves, hence Marisa felt relaxed in Josh’s arms, trusting him implicitly.
It was a night Marisa wouldn’t forget for a very long time.
–10–
“Marisa, are you awake?”
A small smile graced her features. “I wish I could fake it, but I can’t. I’ll start laughing. I’m not a good actress.”
“Your eyelids were fluttering slightly, that’s how I knew you were awake. I think we’d better get back. It’s been a couple of hours and I accidently-on-purpose left my cell at the house.”
“Can you even get cell phone reception out here?”
“Mostly, but there are a few dead zones.”
“You’re right. We’d better go. Bethany will be awake and wondering where I am.” Neither of them moved. “Mmmmmmm,” Marisa said as she stretched. “That’s the best nap I’ve had in years. I like sleeping in your arms.”
“I like havin’ you in my arms. I could definitely get used to it.”
“I can’t complain about the surroundings either,” Marisa commented dreamily. They’d ventured out for their afternoon ride, riding double on Carson. They rode deep into the ranch, till they found an isolated spot that took their fancy. They’d hiked for a bit, till they stumbled across a large field, similar to the one they’d run through earlier. But running wasn’t on either one of their minds today. When Josh took her in his arms and kissed her, they collapsed to the ground, surrounded by tall yellow weeds, blowing gently in the wind.
“Marisa, Marisa…” Josh said her name over and over as he kissed her. He took her arms and held them at either side of her head, their hands lacing together tightly. Staring deeply into her eyes, his lips hovered over hers as she caught her breath, breathing him in, wanting to be a part of him so much that the simple act of breathing in his air was exhilarating in and of itself.
While there was an intense passion between them, there was also a peaceful, relaxed feeling, as if neither one of them had to try very hard for things to work between them. Marisa liked that, she liked it a lot. She never felt as though they were desperately grasping for interesting conversation. Nor was their physical contact forced or hurried, it just happened, naturally, as if it was a given that when they were together, this was what they were meant to be doing.
After awhile, Josh had rolled over onto his back and Marisa followed, wrapping her arms around his waist, her head on his chest. They’d fallen asleep together, having stayed up last night for far too long. Taking a nap together solved their dilemma. They could be together, holding each other, and catch up on some much needed sleep at the same time.
“The ranch hands are starting to give me a hard time. They know you and I go out and ride the ranch together every afternoon. And they know we aren’t out here playin’ tag.”
“Well, maybe just once.”
Josh laughed. “I won’t admit to that, so don’t expect me to.”
“I can keep a secret.”
“I’ll tell you a secret; I’ve never kissed anyone in my life the way I’ve kissed you.”
“Me either.” He was the only man she’d ever kissed, but she didn’t mention that little tidbit.
“Your turn. Fess up. I told you mine, now you tell me yours.”
“Noooo.”
“It’s true, sometimes I’ve even been known to save a napkin from a restaurant, a wrapper from a candy, or something else equally ludicrous. Guess I’m sentimental.”
Josh picked the top off a nearby wildflower. He turned onto his side and faced her. “Here, now you have something to remember today by.”
“I’ll never forget today. It’s ingrained into my memory forever. But, thank you.” Marisa held the flower to her nose and took a whiff. She knew she’d press it between the covers of a book just as soon as she arrived back at the ranch. Another secret. “Your turn.”
“I like to read science fiction.”
“Do you really? I would’ve pegged you for a good ole Louis L’Amour western.”
“Nope, I live in a western. Don’t really enjoy readin’ about ‘em. I love a good, old-fashioned ‘alien attacking earth’ novel. The cheesier, the better.” He stood up, surprising her. “Just the other day, I read this one where…”
Marisa could only assume that he was about to demonstrate some action scene from the book. Instead, he froze, the smile on his face dying an instant death. A strange sound emanated from the grass, one she didn’t recognize.
But Josh did. He looked sharply to his side. His face paled, he stood very still and said, “Marisa, get up very slowly and walk away.”
Marisa tucked the wildflower into her jeans pocket, not understanding what was going on. She got to her feet as the eerie sound seemed to get louder. It was then that she could see the rattlesnake about a foot away from Josh. It was coiled and ready to strike, shaking his tail madly, producing the peculiar sound that had warned them of danger. The rattling became louder and faster. Marisa stood frozen in place, unmoving. In a matter of seconds, their afternoon had changed from one of happiness and laughter to one of fear and danger.
“Go! Go now,” Josh said.
“No, I’m not leaving you.”
“Walk away, slowly and carefully,” he said through gritted teeth.
“I won’t leave you here alone.”
The snake suddenly struck, lightning fast. If she had blinked, she would’ve missed it. It slithered away quickly as Josh fell to his knees, a look of horror on his face. The snake had bit hard and fast, making contact on Josh’s calf. Marisa stumbled to his side, feeling fear swell up inside of her like she’d never felt before.
“Josh,” she whispered, fear lacing the simple utterance of his name.
Falling to her knees in front of him, she held him close to her for several seconds as her thoughts whirled. “I’ve got you.” Marisa quickly noted the time on her watch, suddenly knowing what she had to do. “Lie down. Don’t move. I’ll get help.”
“No. Can’t lie down. I need to keep my heart above the bite.”
“Oh yeah. I knew that.” Stay calm and think clearly Marisa. Don’t panic. “Can you walk?”
He nodded, looking pale. “That was a Diamondback. I’m okay. I don’t feel anything yet, except pain where it bit me.” She helped him to his feet, and he did seem fine, although he was clearly in shock.
“Is the pain severe?” Marisa asked.
He grimaced. “Yeah, it’s pretty bad,” he answered through gritted teeth. “It’s not a dry bite. The pain tells me I’ve got venom in me.”
“Okay.” Marisa wasn’t all that familiar with snake bite protocol, but she was pretty sure a ‘dry bite’ meant that a snake bite had occurred but no venom had been shot into the victim. Josh knew he’d been filled with venom because of the severe pain. Was there a way to know for sure? “Let’s just assume the worst and act accordingly, okay, Josh?”
“Yeah. Sounds good,” he said, sounding winded.
“I have to get you to Carson.”
“Yes, quickly,” he mumbled. “We’ll ride to the ranch.”
They’d only taken about twenty steps when he stumbled. “Lean on me, Josh. I can take it.”
He kept walking, albeit slowly, and leaning on her heavily. As the precious minutes ticked by, he slowed considerably. When Marisa glanced up at him, his face held a sheen of sweat, his cheeks were flushed, and his breathing was shallow. “Josh?”
“Keep goin’, I can do it. I’m fine.”
Josh was attempting to put on a brave face when it was obvious he was anything but fine. Only a few minutes later, he fell to his knees again. Marisa knew enough to know that if someone else could go for help, the victim should stay still. “You can’t ride Carson, Josh. We can’t risk it. All of this exertion is going to circulate the venom.”
“Yes, I can. Just give me a minute.” He held a shaky hand to his head. “The world is spinning.”
This wasn’t good. Marisa knew it was up to her to help Josh. He’d said he needed to keep his heart above the bite. Think, Marisa, think. Her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to clear her mind of impending panic. After a few deep breaths, she pulled him to his feet and scanned the surrounding area, finding exactly what she was looking for. “Come over here, Josh. Please. Keep walking, we have to hurry.” Thinking quickly and feeling slightly calmer, Marisa took him to the shade of the nearest tree. It sat on a slight slope and it would serve the purpose she needed it to.
He objected. “No…Carson. Take me.”
“No. You need to sit still. I’ll go and get help. I’ll be back as fast as I can.”
“Marisa…no…I can ride…just let me rest here a second.”
“I can do this, Josh. Please let me.”
“I need to sit,” he capitulated as he collapsed at the base of the tree, unable to walk further, in spite of his insistence that he could ride out of there. He rested his head against the bark and closed his eyes. His breathing was pronounced, the rise and fall of his chest, distinct. “Breathe slowly, Josh. Keep your heart rate slow and even.”
Easier said than done in the panic of the moment. The slope of the land was perfect. It would keep his leg lower than his heart and hopefully slow down the progression of the venom in his bloodstream. There was more to do, but for the life of her she couldn’t form a conscious thought.
“What do I do, Josh? Tell me what to do,” Marisa pleaded.
“Take off my shoe,” he said, his voice breathy. He wasn’t gasping for air by any means, but the sound invoked terror within Marisa. Her hands trembled as she quickly removed his work boot and sock. If he’d been wearing his cowboy boots, the bite might not have penetrated his skin. She shook her head, berating herself for thinking about what ifs.
She looked up to find Josh’s head slumped to one side, his eyes closed. “Josh! Josh!” she yelled, patting his cheeks.
“I’m here, I’m here,” Josh soothed, hardly moving. “Grab my knife and c-cut myyyy jeans,” he said, his words beginning to slur.
Of course. Allow room for the inevitable swelling. I knew that. She could hardly think straight, operating on adrenalin. Marisa grabbed the pocketknife that sat in a sheath on Josh’s belt and slit his jeans to reveal the bite. To her surprise, the skin was already swollen to a small peak, blood dripping from the wound. She had to act fast.
“Use yourrrr blouse. R-rip it. Tie above biiite…nnnot tight,” Josh garbled. Even though he was speaking slightly incoherently, he was still able to get his point across. Marisa latched onto that thought, positive this was a good sign.
She removed her blouse—glad that she wore a tank top underneath—and ripped off a strip of material. Quickly, she tied it on Josh’s leg, just above the snakebite, making sure she could fit a finger underneath the band so it wouldn’t cut off his blood. If he stayed still, these measures should slow down and localize the venom while she went for help. It had to work. She couldn’t lose him.
Marisa looked up to find him watching her through slightly glazed eyes. His eyebrows were deeply furrowed.
“Thank you,” he whispered through dry lips. “I’m reactin’
to venom quicker than should. That’ssss not good.”
She nodded and held his face in her hands, knowing shock was affecting him also. “I have to go, Josh. I have to go now. Stay calm and don’t move. I’ll be back for you as quickly as I possibly can. I swear it.”
His only response was a slight nod of his head.
“Don’t try to walk back or I won’t be able to find you. Do you hear me?”
“Yes,” he said, almost inaudibly.
When she started to pull away, he grabbed her by the back of the head roughly and kissed her hard on the mouth. “I know you can do it, Marisa. I know you can do it,” he told her fiercely.
He must’ve seen the fear, the sheer panic in her eyes. “I’ll be back for you, Josh. Don’t leave me. Promise me.” Her meaning couldn’t possibly be lost on him. This time it had nothing to do with him leaving this particular geographic spot.
His eyes were suddenly intense, “Marisa…” he said and then his head fell back onto the tree as he closed his eyes. “Go,” he whispered. “Go.”
It took three minutes at a fast-paced run to get to the spot where Carson was tied. Three precious minutes wherein Josh’s life hung in the balance. As she approached Carson, it was as if he rebelled to Josh’s absence. He reared up, fighting his connection to the tree, making Marisa’s stomach drop to her toes with dread. Summoning courage she didn’t know she possessed, she faced Carson with trepidation and slowly untied him with numb fingers. With anxiety in her touch, she nuzzled his snout. Surprisingly he bore the contact.
“You have to let me ride you, Carson. Josh is in trouble. We have to help him. Please let me ride you,” she told him persuasively. Carson danced in place as he always did when he was ready to go. He was as temperamental as a spoiled child, and unless Josh was there to tame him, he scared the heck out of Marisa. He was at least two feet taller than Jasper and was a magnificent looking creature.