Love on the Horizon (A Northern Woods Novel)

by Roberts, Charliann

  “Be careful Nick. Visibility has become quite a challenge out there.”

  “Yes, I know. I can't even see the stable. I think it’s mainly the wind. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

  He grabbed hold of the doorknob and pulled the door open. The wind blew snow into the entryway and fiercely whipped the screen door from his hands. It slammed against the outside of the house, and caused its pane of glass to shatter. He wouldn’t be able to take care of it until the turbulent weather lets up. The solid wood entry door will keep the cold out.

  The harsh wind swirled the snow around his face, ice formed on his lashes and brows. He leaned into the wind, tightly held onto the hood of his jacket and tread carefully in the direction of the stable.

  * * *

  “Come Nicky, let’s give you a warm bath, and then I’ll read you a story before bed.” Mariah led him down the hallway.

  “Will daddy be able to find our house in the snow?”

  “He’ll be back as soon as he can, sweetheart. He has to make sure the horses are okay.”

  “Will he get lost in the snow like I got lost in the dark?”

  “No, he’ll be fine. We’ll get ready for bed, and I’ll climb in with you. We’ll snuggle up to read Frosty the Snowman.”

  “Okay, Mommy.”

  * * *

  Finally able to make it across the yard, Nick stood in front of the door to the barn. He looked at the snow and sleet beginning to build along the bottom edge. He grabbed the shovel he’d left standing against the wall and began chopping the ice. When he cleared it away he was able to yank the door open, barely wide enough for him to squeeze through.

  He could hear the cold wind howl, however, there was plenty of warmth for the horses. As he neared his office, he heard a mournful sound. He looked toward the south wall and saw a boot on the floor just outside of one of the stalls. “What the…”

  He quickly ran to the opposite end of the stable and found Art lying alongside the open gate. He groaned in pain and turned his head to see that Nick had arrived at last.

  “Hey buddy… glad ya’ made it back.” He let out a low moan and Nick knelt down next to him.

  “What happened?”

  “My leg, I think it’s broken. I can’t move it. The wind spooked Smokey and he kicked me. When he quieted down, he acted as though he was truly sorry; he kept nudging me with his nose.”

  “How long ago?”

  “About an hour; I tried to crawl, but it’s a bad break. It feels like I broke my kneecap.”

  “Think you can make it to the office if you lean on me?”

  “Don’t know,” he said with a muffled groan.

  “Come on. Let’s try to get you in there and you’ll be able to lie on the cot.” Nick helped him up. Art leaned on his shoulder and hopped very slowly, hay and straw crunching under each step. The 50 mph winds caused a loud howling under the eaves. They were only about thirty feet away from the office door. When they entered, Art moaned in pain. Nick helped him over to a cot, which was against the wall at the far end of the room. They’ve always kept it in the stable for a necessity such as this. He grabbed two pillows from a cupboard and placed the support beneath his head, then stood and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “Don’t know how long it’ll take the emergency vehicle to get here with the road conditions as dangerous as they are. I’m sure it be would best to leave the treacherous drive for them, rather than try to make it myself. I’ll give them a call and then start a pot of coffee.”

  He phoned for an ambulance, and then he went to the bathroom medicine cabinet for a bottle of Ibuprofen. “Here you go, Art. The ER said you could take four of these. It should at least help. I assume you were unable to reach Lillie. Is she home safe?”

  “She went to her brother’s house in Huntington. No way to reach her; I couldn’t get to the phone.”

  “I’m going to make that pot of coffee. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  He made a quick call to Mariah. She’d moved into the living room and dozed off on the couch, with the phone on the table next to her. Nick told her about Art’s accident.

  “Is he going to be all right?”

  “He’s in a lot of pain. I helped him into the office, but we’d never be able to make it to the house. We have all we need, so I’m going to remain here with him. You get some rest. Don’t worry, he’ll be fine.”

  “Okay, give him my love.”

  “I’ll keep you posted honey. I’m afraid it’s going to take quite a while for the ambulance to arrive, with the roads as bad as they are. The office is warm enough, so we’ll be fine. Make a note for me to purchase a cell phone for his Christmas present. If he had one in his pocket, he would have been able to call for help. He never accepted it when I’d offered one. He told me he didn’t need one of those contraptions. I’m sure he’ll have a change of heart now.”

  “That’s a good idea. Now get back there, in case he needs you, and please let me know when the ambulance arrives.”

  “Will do, honey.”

  Nick returned with the coffee, and sighed with relief. Art was in a fitful sleep, but the Ibuprofen apparently helped him. He sat down with a steaming cup of hot coffee and put his feet up on the desk. He kept his eyes on him, and his mind brought back memories of Art helping him through the past eighteen years of his life; he loved this man, as though he was his father.

  Chapter Nine

  By the time Nick returned to the house it was one-thirty in the morning. Apparently, Mariah tried to wait up for him; she remained on the couch, sleeping soundly. He pulled off his parka and hung it on the coat rack behind the door. He left his boots on the mat and went over to the fireplace to hold his hands over the hot coals. Lucky lifted his head and glanced at him, gave one thump of his tail, then curled into a ball and fell back to sleep.

  Once his hands warmed up a bit, he softly stroked the side of Mariah’s cheek. Her eyes opened, she smiled her angelic smile, and he helped her sit up.

  “Is he going to be okay?” she asked, with a look of worry.

  “He’ll be fine. I didn’t ride with them. It took the ambulance an hour to get here. They said the roads are extremely poor. The plows have had a hard time keeping them cleared and drivable. They thought it best for him to remain in the hospital overnight. I told Art I’d pick him up in the morning.”

  Nick sat down on the sofa next to her and held her hand in his.

  “He was in excruciating pain and it hurt me to see him suffer. He slept after I’d given him four tablets of Ibuprofen, but the expression of agony was still on his face.

  “When I saw him on the floor of the stall, I was afraid he’d suffered a heart attack.” He explained what had actually happened. “It looks like he broke his kneecap. He means so much to me, Mariah. I’m now thirty-four years old and he’s been a father to me for the past eighteen.”

  “I know; he’s very special to everyone. Ever since the day we were married, he’s always treated me as though I’m his daughter. He’s a wonderful person. I pray for him to heal quickly.”

  “He won’t be working for quite a while. I hope Jake gets back soon. I’m going to need him more than ever now.”

  “Have you heard any more from him?”

  “Nope, not since he spoke to Art two weeks ago. He said they were waiting for her clearance and they’d be on their way.”

  “Perhaps he’ll find this woman to be a decent one, Nick. He deserves a turn for the good. He’s already had more than his share of grief from his ex-wife.”

  “I know. Now let’s go get some sleep. I promised Art I’d be there early in the morning. He doesn’t want to be in the hospital any longer than he has to.”

  “Can I ride along? Bess will be here with Nicky.”

  “I’m sure he’d like that, but let’s wait and see how the roads are. I wouldn’t want to take a chance with you and the twins out there, if they aren’t cleared off safely.”

  “Okay. You’ll be very busy with Art being la
id up. Come on, my dear cowboy, let’s get to bed.”

  They both stood. He placed his arm around her and they headed for the bedroom, turning out the lights along the way.

  * * *

  Nick and Mariah had risen an hour before Art phoned to inform them that the doctor wanted him to stay for one more day. He wanted to make sure he’d be okay if he’s home alone. Art told him that Lillie would be with him, but he’d still like him to remain there until tomorrow. Nick headed out to the barn to let the other ranch hands know what happened.

  Mariah sat down in front of the fireplace and turned the television on to the local news station. She sipped her coffee and watched the rescue of many people who ignored the weather advisory and tried to drive on the treacherous roads. There were cars stranded in the snow banks along the highways. Snowplows hadn't even attempted to clear them until an hour ago. A total of thirty-two inches accumulated overnight. With the wind currently blowing the snow into huge drifts, it was even difficult for the plows to get through. The newscaster advised everyone to remain indoors and off the roads until further notice.

  “Well, I guess you won’t be going to preschool today Nicky,” Mariah told him when he walked slowly from his bedroom. He rubbed his eyes.

  “How come?”

  “Take a look out the window, sweetie.”

  He went over to the curtain and pushed them aside, just enough to peek outdoors.

  “Oh boy! Can we go out and make a snowman? Please?”

  “Not today, but maybe tomorrow. The temperature is very cold, and the wind might blow you away. You certainly wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?”

  “No, I might get lost again. And I’d be colder than when I got lost before.” He shook his head back and forth with a look of worry.

  “We’ll stay in the house and have some oatmeal and hot chocolate. How does that sound?”

  “Okay, and watch Sesame Street too?”

  “Yes you may, and later if you want to help, we can bake Christmas cookies together.”

  “Yes!” He climbed onto the kitchen chair and waited patiently for his breakfast.

  Suddenly, the door whipped open, bringing with it a gust of wind and snow. Mariah rushed over and frantically tried to push it closed. The bottom was coated with ice, and impossible to shut. Nicky jumped from his chair to help.

  “No honey. Go sit on the couch where it’s warm. You don’t want to catch a cold.”

  “Okay,” he muttered. “I just wanted to help you.”

  “I know, sweetie. I'm sorry. If you got sick you wouldn’t be able to go outside and build a snowman tomorrow.”

  She grabbed a hammer from the pantry and tapped the ice that mounted along the bottom edge. She loosened it enough to latch the door into place and glanced over at Nicky, while she mopped the wet floor.

  “I’ll have your breakfast ready in a few of minutes.” She straightened up and blew a wisp of hair away from her face. She held her lower back for a moment and then carried the mop into the laundry room. She really wished that Bess had made it out here, but she called to tell her that her car wouldn’t start. She’d been lucky to make it home from the cities before the storm arrived.

  While she was heating a pot of soup for the men, she turned her head toward the window to see what the noise was outdoors. One of the workers started plowing the driveway from the deck to the barn.

  Nick was walking briskly toward the house. His boots tread heavily through the deep snow. Mariah could see his face, red from the cold. She put the soup on low and hurried to the laundry room. When he opened the door and stepped inside, she was waiting with a warm towel that she removed from the dryer. He pulled off his parka, placed it against his cheeks, and sat down in a chair by the door to remove his heavy boots.

  “Were you able to make a pot of soup for the guys?” Nick asked.

  Although she saw that he looked tired, his voice was crisp and clear. “It’s all ready. Would you like to have yours while you warm up? You look as though you could use a break.”

  “Yes, I’ll have a bowl now. The temperature is pleasant in the barn, so that’s a plus. It’s been a busy morning, and a couple of the men weren’t able to make it in. The only ones who arrived were those who live close by.”

  “Here you go.” She slid a large bowl of homemade vegetable soup across the table along with a plate of crackers. “Would you like some coffee?”

  “I’ve had more than enough of that today. A glass of milk would be good though. Thanks honey.”

  She sat with him while he ate. “Have you heard from Jake?”

  “As a matter of fact, he called at eleven o’clock. He and his new wife arrived yesterday. He said he’d be back to work on Monday. I told him about Art, and that we really need him right away. He’ll come in tomorrow when the streets are plowed.”

  “That’s great. Why don’t you let him know that we’ll have them over sometime soon? I’m sure he’d like to introduce her to us."

  “He wanted to bring her with him. I explained to him that we found out we’re expecting twins, and you haven’t been feeling well.”

  “Why did you tell him that? I feel fine most of the time, just tired.”

  “She has an eight-year-old son with her. They don’t speak English and need a translator with them. I let him know it would be too much for you right now. He mentioned they’d stop by over the weekend.”

  She was disappointed for a moment, and then placed her hand on his shoulder. “It’ll all work out, Nick. Don’t worry about it. We really don’t know her until we meet, and we do need to give her a chance. Maybe I’d be able to help her learn our language. Did Jake mention her name?”

  His expression stilled and grew serious. “You’re going to have to be very careful, Mariah. It’ll take quite a while for her to prove that she’s trustworthy.”

  He put his warm outdoor clothing back on, and he grabbed the box that contained food for the ranch hands.

  “He told me her name is Anya Ivanova,” he said over his shoulder, then closed the door behind him.

  Chapter Ten

  “Okay Art, you’re all settled in. I’m glad Lillie can stay with you. Lillie, if you have to leave here just let me know, and I’ll bring Art over to our house. I’m sure there will be times you’ll need to get away from this old coot once in a while,” Nick said with a grin. “If he gives you a hard time, give me a call. I’ll come right over and straighten him out.”

  “You watch your mouth, Son. I still know how to wash it out with soap.”

  “Oh go on, you never did that to me. Now treat Lillie with love and respect if you want her to take care of you.” He looked over his shoulder and winked at Lillie.

  Art found a good woman ten years ago, and Nick often wondered why they never got hitched. Whenever Nick asked him, his answer was always the same: We love each other, and we know we’re staying together because we want to, not because we have to.

  “You make sure you call my cell phone if you need help with anything,” Nick said, then picked up his jacket and walked to the door.

  He moved his eyes about the living room. It was a decent home with two bedrooms, two baths, a living room and a kitchen, just the right size for Art. His hand on the doorknob, he turned around and looked at the couple. Lillie stood next to Art while he sat in his recliner. He could see by the look on each of their faces that they really were still very much in love.

  “I’ll give you a call this afternoon to check on you. Now get lots of rest and let Lillie wait on you.”

  Art nodded with a smile, and Nick closed the door behind him.

  * * *

  It was five o’clock the following morning when Nick was ready to head out to the stable. He shut the door tightly and looked around the deck, to make sure everything remained in place now that the winds had died down. He removed the outer door and made a mental note that he’d need to replace it. When he turned and started down the steps, he looked across the drive and noticed Jake’s truck parke
d near the barn.

  He walked heavily through the snow that once again was beginning to accumulate. He approached the barn door and stepped inside. He heard someone talking, the voices coming from the direction of his office.

  He headed toward the doorway and when he entered, he found Jake pouring freshly brewed coffee into two mugs, which he must have brought from the break room. Jake turned to place a cup in the hands of a petite and slender woman who was sitting behind Nick’s desk, in his chair. He was thankful the drawers and file cabinets had locks on them.

  A young boy sat ignorantly in the corner of the room; he tipped the chair on its rear legs, rested his head against the wall and stared up at the ceiling.

  Jake looked up when Nick entered his office. They exchanged a long hard expression, and then Nick smiled smoothly, being relatively civil in spite of his anger.

  Jake stepped behind the woman and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Nick, I’d like you to meet Anya Ivanova.”

  “How do you do,” he said, and held out his hand to her with a smile. He could see that the wind had gently fluffed her rich, glowing auburn hair. She had beautiful green eyes and fair skin. Anya was an exquisite young woman, as most Russian women appear to be. She looked up at Jake.

  Apparently, she didn’t understand, however she slightly nodded and smiled back at him.

  Jake then moved over to where the young boy sat. “And this is Anya’s son, Zakhar Akim Ivanova.” Zakhar held his hand out for a shake and eagerly nodded his head several times.

  “Jake, would you mind bringing them into the break room to wait while we have a short discussion?” Nick asked.

  “Sure,” he answered, and led them down the hallway. He returned to the office and found Nick seated in his chair and straightening up the mess. Pens, pencils and miscellaneous desktop items were scattered across the surface.

  “Have a seat.” Nick nodded at the chair in front of his desk. He leaned back and frowned, his eyes level under drawn brows. “So when is the wedding?”