by Laura Acton
Scott’s comment to Loki a bit ago about his twin cousin knowing better brought forth a long-ago memory, and to fill the silence, Scott said, “Dan, do remember when you got Scarlet Fever when you and Sara stayed with us while your parents were stuck in France?”
Dan nodded, recalling one of his earliest memories. “Yeah, I think I was four or five, which would’ve made you twelve or thirteen.”
“Five because I just turned thirteen. You behaved like a miserable brat for my mom and wouldn’t take your medicine. I climbed up the ladder to get you down from the kitchen cabinets so many times because Mom was pregnant with Amelia, and Vicky was too scared to go up and get you.”
“I remember you threatened to throw me off the cabinet if I tried to hide up there again. You actually dangled me off the edge until Aunt Ann came in and screamed for your dad, believing I was about to fall to my death. And if memory serves me right, Uncle Erik tanned your hide.” Dan smirked.
Scott grinned. “Yeah, but it was worth it. You didn’t climb up again during your stay, did you? Although, I did have to run you down several times. Even at five, you were slippery and fast. Those little legs of yours flew.”
Dan chuckled. “The medicine was gross. I still recall how you dragged me back inside, kicking and hollering and pinned me down so your mom could pour the pink crap in my mouth.”
“Jesus, you were squirrelly. I had to clamp my hand over your mouth and pinch your nose to make you swallow a few times too. Poor Mom, she hated doing that to you, but you gave us no choice in the matter. Stubborn as the day is long, ever since birth.”
Another snicker escaped Dan as he said, “No different than you. Your face screwed up as much as mine, and you spit out the nasty medicine when you got sick too.”
“Yeah, been meaning to tell you thanks for coughing and sneezing on me when I read to you,” Scott retorted with humor, tinging his tone.
The easy banter taking his mind off his aches, Dan’s voice mimicked the same timbre, “You’re most welcome. At least afterward, I had a partner in crime. You understood why I didn’t want to take the crappy tasting stuff. Remember how angry your mom was when she finally found us hiding in the closet? Thought we earned a lecture that day, guess we would’ve deserved it for making her search for us for a couple of hours.”
Enjoying the insight into Dan’s childhood, Loki asked, “What happened when she found you?”
Scott laughed. “Made us take the godawful medicine, and gave me a stern lecture about my behavior setting a poor example for my cousin. She demanded I step-up and be a proper role model by taking my medication without making a fuss. Mom said if I didn’t, I would be spending every weekend for two months doing nothing but chores.”
Dan’s brows furrowed. “I don’t remember you being dressed-down.”
“Mom tucked you in bed, and you fell asleep before she laid into me.”
“That’s why you did it? You didn’t want to do extra chores?” Dan asked.
Scott looked in the review mirror, and his expression became serious. “No. Your fever spiked that afternoon, and things got so bad Mom called Dr. Pastore to come over. You sweated so much, and in your delirium, you kept crying out for your mom and dad. No one could soothe you.
“I believed I was the reason you got sicker since you didn’t get your meds on time when we hid from Mom. I prayed all night and the next day for you to live because I thought you would die. I promised God if you survived, I would protect you better and never allow you to refuse medicine again.”
Losing track of what Dan’s cryptic ‘did it’ comment meant, especially with Scott’s answer, Loki asked, “Did what?”
Scott smiled. “Made Danny swear an oath he would never lie to me about his health and would take his meds without fail no matter how awful they tasted, and I swore the same to him.”
“Oh, I get it now.” Loki grinned, thinking he needed to update the Proper Care and Feeding of Dantastic manual with this new tidbit.
“Moose!” Dan yelled as he pointed forward.
Scott’s full attention returned to the road. He managed to steer clear of the massive bull moose with a full rack of antlers, but the tires hit a slick patch of ice, and they skidded towards the edge of the narrow road as Scott desperately tried to regain control. “Hold on! We’re going over!”
The front driver’s side tire struck a boulder causing the SUV’s center of gravity to shift, and the vehicle flipped side-top-side-base twice down the steep ravine, tossing unsecured contents around before landing upright on its wheels at the bottom. Silence reigned … all three men stunned by the somersaults.
Recovering first, Scott peered in the back at Dan, hoping like hell he had not killed his cousin. He caught sight of Dan’s open eyes and his hand holding the ‘oh shit’ handle on the ceiling before glancing over at Loki, luckily finding him likewise conscious and braced on the door handle. “You two, okay?”
Loki replied, “No harm,” his movements similar to Scott’s, checking on Scott before twisting in the seat to view his teammate.
“No worse than before.” Blowing out a long breath, Dan lowered his aching left arm to his lap, as his head thudded with his racing heart. Surprised none of the windows shattered as they rolled. “How about you, Scott?”
“I’m alright. Damned glad we all buckled in.” Scott slowly released his death grip on the steering wheel as he exhaled with relief.
Adrenaline still pumping, Dan and Scott gaped at a banana cream pie covered Loki and busted out in gut-deep laughter.
Loki took a finger, wiped a glop of the filling from his cheek, and put it into his mouth. “Mmmmm, tasty. Too bad you guys aren’t getting any of this. It’s all mine.” Loki chuckled along with them, grateful the only thing harmed in the crash was tonight’s dessert.
Once they got a handle on their mirth, Scott turned off the engine, and they all zipped up their jackets and exited to take stock of their situation. Loki went to the back and grabbed the roll of paper towels he bought at the store and started to wipe off the pie using the snow to help him wash up.
Meanwhile, Scott and Dan stood on the driver’s side with scowls on their faces as they realized they would not be getting back on the road even with four-wheel drive … impossible to do with a broken axle.
Dan peered at the three-foot-deep snowbank where the front tire lay buried. “Well, I guess we’re hiking.”
Joining them, still wiping off a bit of cream from his jacket, Loki eyed the damage. “Holy smokes. How far are we from our cabin?”
Scott did a mental calculation. “I estimate five to six miles to the cabin and nine or ten back to the general store. I propose we continue to our destination.”
Resigned to trekking in lousy weather and the dark, Dan suggested, “We should pack what we can in our backpacks and leave the rest.”
Shaking his head, Scott countered, “With the storm coming—”
“You mean with the blizzard already here,” Loki interrupted.
Since in the short time they stood outside snow covered his knit cap, Scott agreed. “Yeah. Okay, in that case, we make a travois so we can take everything with us. We’ll need to wait until the weather clears before getting a tow truck and replacement transportation out here.”
Loki pulled out his phone and frowned. He didn’t like being in remote places, so proactively obtained a signal booster for his cell phone last week, but unfortunately, he still had no bars. “No service, even with my booster.”
“I think there is an old CB radio at Haley’s place,” Dan shared as he went to the back seat to grab his backpack. He zipped it up, slung it on his back, and grabbed the coil of nylon rope and flashlight from the floorboard.
Scott grinned as he found his skis and poles intact, they would be useful for fashioning a simple travois. While he built the sled, Dan and Loki repacked their supplies in the boxes, then fastened them to the travois before covering them with a plastic tarp.
All three took a moment to hydrate then beg
an to trudge up the ravine. Being the only one familiar with the area, Dan took his bearings. “There is a shorter route if we go through the trees instead of staying on the road.”
Scott shook his head. “Easier going if we stick to the flat path, less snow to plow through. And with darkness descending soon … safer.”
“I vote for staying out of the woods.” Loki glanced back at the suburban. “Bad things happen to me, and I don’t want to press my luck any further.”
“Long way, it is.” Noting the ever-increasing rate of snowfall and recalling his Arctic training, Dan explained the precaution he wanted them to take as he began tying one end of the rope around his waist. “Too easy to become separated under these conditions. We’ll use this rope to keep us together. I’ll take the lead, Loki in the middle, and Scott, you pull our stuff.”
Scott offered his ski goggles. “Dan, wear these. I should’ve brought my spares, but we only have one pair. You’ll need them to ensure we stay on the right track.”
Dan took the goggles, passed the line to Loki, who linked himself to Dan before handing the remainder to Scott. After Scott tied off, they set off for a long, cold hike. Ignoring and pushing his pain to the background, as he had done too many times to count while in Afghanistan, Dan forged ahead, determined for them to reach shelter before they froze.
Loki focused on Dan’s back, stepping in his tracks as he fought the sense of doom being in a forest always brought forth. To thwart his growing panic, he put his trust in Dan to lead them to the cabin safely.
Scott’s & Lily’s Home – 5:30 p.m.
Lily held a sated Jerrell as she rocked him after his last feeding while Anna lay fast asleep with a full tummy in the bassinet next to her. She muted the TV as the evening news started, only wanting to catch the weather report. She smiled, gazing at her son’s sapphire eyes, which matched his daddy’s Broderick Blue orbs.
When her boy’s eyes fluttered closed, a contented yawn escaped Lily. Becoming a wife and mother were the best things to happen to her. Marrying into the huge Broderick clan was such a contrast to living with just her dad. She missed her mother and believed Mom would’ve been Ann’s equal as a doting grandma. Though she did thank God, multiple times in the past four months, for the blessing of Scott’s mother and all the Broderick women who came to lend a hand as she adjusted to caring for two newborns.
As the birth approached, scared if she would be able to care for one baby, let alone twins, Lily’s confidence grew as Scott’s mom, aunts, sisters, and female cousins all chipped in to help. They rallied around her as everyone in the family did when any family member needed them. Vicky, Scott’s eldest sister, who had five-year-old fraternal twins Courtney and Caleb, brought not only wisdom and experience but also many hand-me-downs like the double stroller and twin-sized bassinet. Jerrell and Anna slept longer when they snuggled close to one another as they had in her womb.
The quiet surrounding her was pleasant, and she was ready for her first night on her own with her children. Vicky and Ann offered to stay over, but with the babies settled into a manageable routine, Lily wanted to prove she was capable of handling motherhood on her own. Ann was only a phone call away if she found herself overwhelmed and in need of assistance.
Her gaze shifted to the photo of one proud daddy on the bookshelf next to the television. Scott beamed as he held their children. Poor Scott. He appeared so forlorn at the prospect of leaving Anna and Jerrell, but he needed a break. My dear husband burned both ends of the candle since our babes were born … days spent at work and nights caring for our infants. Scott needs this vacation to relax and enjoy time with Dan.
Ever since Dan returned to Toronto after the JSTF Recovery mission, where Scott, his brother, and their cousins assisted in Dan’s lung rehab, Lily noticed her husband missed Dan. Perhaps their twinness created a unique and deep bond between the two men. Maybe they were supposed to be twins, but God decided to give one to each of their identical twin mothers, Ann and Yvonne.
Lily chuckled at her ridiculous thought as the weather forecast displayed a map of the area Scott and Dan were skiing. She increased the volume catching the report in progress. “… blizzard is more severe than initially predicted.
“Travel advisories and road closures have been issued in the north, west, central west, and east regions closest to Lake Huron due to whiteout conditions. People are urged to seek shelter and stay inside as this snowstorm is shaping up to be the worst one Ontario has experienced in over a century with an expected record snowfall of three or more feet in twenty-four hours and sub-zero temperatures.”
She switched off the TV as the program turned to sports news. She realized it was unlikely Scott would be able to contact her tomorrow as planned. The remote cabin they chose to stay in had no electricity or phone service, so Scott planned to call from the lodge.
A slight smile came to her lips. The guys will most likely be snowed in, which will force Scott to rest. Lily envisioned Scott’s next few days spent lounging by the fireplace as he played cards, read, napped, and enjoyed his time with Dan. She decided to keep an eye on the weather in the area.
Lily had few worries, though. Scott received cold climate training in the Navy and was an experienced camper so he would know what to do. She also knew the Special Forces trained Dan for extreme weather but was unaware if Loki possessed any training or outdoor skills. Lily understood Broderick men, and without fail, Scott and Dan would take care of each other and Loki too.
Switching her eyes to her baby boy, Lily found him sleeping soundly. She stood and carefully placed Jerrell next to Anna and covered both with a blanket their godfather Dan gifted them. She whispered to her babies. “Mommy and Daddy love you. Sleep well, little ones.”
Yawning, Lily determined a short nap would be more beneficial at the moment instead of reheating the dinner Ann prepared for her before she left this afternoon. After slipping beneath the warm, soft covers, Lily drifted to sleep, thinking of how lucky she was to have Scott in her life. He is the love of my life, a wonderful husband, and a fantastic father. Scott always goes above and beyond for those he loves.
Hiking to Cabin – 6:15 p.m.
Darkness descended long ago, but they continued hiking as the temperature dropped drastically, and the snow came down heavy and fast, Dan could scarcely see a foot in front of him even with the goggles Scott provided and his high-beam flashlight. As the tempest grew, Dan worried Loki might be freaking out, so tying them together had been the right call given the conditions.
Dan refused to lose Loki in the woods and amp up the man’s phobia. He hoped this trip would give his teammate fun memories to draw upon and replace the unpleasant ones. Things still might work out, being snowed in wouldn’t be the vacation they planned, but it could be relaxing.
It took a lot of energy plowing through the knee-deep snow to create an easier path for Loki and Scott, so Dan reckoned he could use the time to rest and heal before returning to work. Then Jon wouldn’t ride his ass, and he wouldn’t be stuck in the command truck or doing paperwork.
Despite the fiery pain in his shin, Dan pushed onward one step at a time as he had on several occasions when his life or the lives of others demanded him to be physically harder and mentally stronger to persevere in harsh conditions. To combat the burning pain, Dan focused on memories of times he endured hardship, yet achieved his goals.
Crawling into the remote camp after Parsons and Nicholls left him for dead in enemy territory. Getting the guys to safety and dragging Blaze on the travois after the plane crash. Surviving torture for three months and rejoining the unit after an agonizing rehab. Keeping Mason from yanking out the shrapnel in the Hummer. Carrying Mutt ten clicks after the truck ran out of fuel to save their lives. Accepting Jon’s challenge after Merrill’s bullet damaged his lungs, and making it back to Alpha Team, proving the doctor wrong.
And now would be added to his list. If I’m knocked down, I will rise, drawing on every ounce of strength I possess to protect my teammat
es and accomplish my objectives. I refuse to fail. Every step he took, sent tentacles of acid up and down his leg, but Dan continued the arduous task as he believed them to be less than a mile from their destination now. I can do this. I won’t fail the people I care about again. Almost there … almost.
“Arrrgh!” ripped from Dan as a sharp pain lanced through him as his right foot bore his full weight when he lifted the left. Stumbling and landing on his knees, snow buried him up to the waist.
Within two seconds, Loki and Scott were beside Dan, crouching in front of him, shielding him as best they could from the blowing snow, and wiping at their eyes with gloved hands so they could assess the problem.
“Dan, you okay?” Scott shouted over the gale-force wind.
“Shin is killing me. Bearing my weight is a bitch.”
“I’ll lead. Loki, can you pull the gear?” Scott began untying Dan’s rope. His cousin needed their help and to be in the middle.
Happy Dan’s oath forced him to tell Scott the truth, Loki nodded. “Yeah! Give me your backpack, Dan. You’ve been doing all the strenuous work. Time for us to return the favor.”
Wanting to disagree, but realizing he was near his physical limit and the smart thing to do would be to let them help, Dan shrugged off the backpack and handed the goggles and flashlight to Scott. Once they rearranged their positions and tied Dan between them, two sets of hands assisted Dan in rising. As they slogged on through the tempest and snowdrifts, Scott kept the pace slower in deference to Dan’s depleted condition.
Fire, Scotch, Duct Tape, and Stew
19
November 22
Cabin – Main Room – 6:45 p.m.
After two hours of trudging through a blizzard of epic portions, the cabin appeared not more than two feet in front of Scott. He breathed a sigh of relief he found the building because they veered off course twice, but Dan’s sense of direction alerted him to the error and corrected their trajectory.
Fortunately, the cabin’s door opened inward because snow piled one third the way up the exterior. Reaching the entry, the three men crowded together in exhaustion as Scott turned the knob and stepped down into the equally frigid interior. Unfortunately, being tied together, when Scott stumbled and fell, he brought both Dan and Loki down with him.