Page 32 of Always and Forever
“I agree,” Rhia replies. “What if they’re hurt? They’ll freeze to death if we don’t find them.”
“And you’ll freeze to death the moment you set foot outside!” Claudette objects, trying to be the voice of reason.
“How are you going to find them?” she continues. “We can’t even see the forest anymore. Those two men are tough and can deal with this situation.Wecannot. Going out there is suicide. They probably found shelter somewhere and are waiting out the storm. Both these men love you girls beyond rhyme or reason, they want to get back to you. Trust that!”
Rhia ignores her. “Yeah, but what if they were on their way back and something happened? I have a bad feeling about this. I’m sorry, but I can’t just sit around here and wait. Something is wrong.”
She marches to her room and comes back with a handful of thermal underwear and begins to strip to pull them on, determination etched on her face.
“Fuck!” I mutter as I go to fetch my own. I can’t let Rhia go all by herself.
This is a bat shit crazy idea, but it’s more likely that the two of us will succeed than her on her own.
“Lower the shutters, Claude,” I call over my shoulders as I follow Rhia out of the room. “We’d better protect the house. It’s not like we can see anything anymore.”
Colorful curses fill the room as I hear the motors creak and the shutters descend.
“I can’t let you do this, girls. What if the guys come back and you’re out there in the storm? Wait here for them.”
“No!” Rhia stubbornly replies.
“She’s got a point, Rhi,” I say, not sure what I feel right now. The thought of stepping outside into an icy blizzard makes me panic all over again.
“We have no choice, Claude. We can’t let them die out there,” Rhia insists.
“Use your brain, Rhia!” Claudette half shouts, her tone stern. “Are you just going to march into the forest or what?”
“We’ll take the dog sled,” she declares.
“Think about Ella and the baby you’ve claimed as your niece. Do you really want to risk their lives?” Claudette asks, barricading herself in front of the door, arms crossed.
I’ve never seen her so fierce.
“You’re panicking, Rhia, and your idea is insane. I’m not letting you through this door,” she declares with finality.
Chapter Fourteen
Ella
Rhia’seyesfindmine,a lone tear traveling down her cheek as she sinks to her knees, defeated.
She knows I won’t let her go on her own. And she won’t risk my life or the baby’s.
I feel horrible. Am I really going to make her choose between me and Lex?
I want to be searching for our men as much as she does, but Claudette is right, I have to think of peanut. Plus, our chances of surviving a blizzard unprotected in the wilderness are all but zero.
I rush to her and kneel beside her, throwing my arms around her.
We’re both full on ugly crying now, clinging to each other.
“Girls, girls, girls,” Claudette calls out. “Listen.”
Her eyes are wide with a mixture of hope and fear.
“Do you hear that?” she asks.
Rhia and I pull apart. I wipe at my face, angling it toward the door and straining my ears.
