by Adele Huxley
We watched as the plow pulled to the side and the few cars behind it found spots to park in the lot. The closest half of the parking lot was paved and usually lit, while the overflow lots in the back were packed gravel. Most of the cars in the paved portion were already buried. I thought they looked like little white burial mounds but pushed the image away.
I wrapped my arm around his waist and gave him a squeeze as the straggling townspeople fought through the wind and snow to get to the building. We greeted them as if we were welcoming guests into our home and pointed them in the right direction. Bringing up the rear was Jerry, the plow driver we’d come to recognize over the past day.
“Hey man, how you holdin’ up?” Bryan asked as they shook hands.
Jerry’s face was ruddy and full, his body the result of many hours sitting and eating in a truck. He always had a toothpick in his mouth. “Ah, you know, hanging in there. Word is they’re pulling us from the back roads in a couple hours so we can focus on the highways.”
“But what about…” I started to say.
“I made the case for Powder Road and we’ll do our best to keep up with it, for emergency crews and stuff. They know most of the town is up here now, which…” he said as he looked around suspiciously, “is probably a good thing.”
Bryan frowned. “Why’s that?”
Jerry licked his chapped lips and leaned closer, shifting the toothpick to the opposite corner. “You know that nut that’s been setting fires all over the place?” Bryan and I shared a look and nodded. “He’s been having a fucking field day down there since the storm really kicked off. Fire department can’t keep up. You know the Texaco station at the foot of the mountain?”
I grinned and nudged Bryan with my elbow. “We had a date there on this same day a few years back.” And by date, I mean he rescued me from my crazy ex-boyfriend who was trying to kill me.
Jerry gave me an odd look but continued. “Gone. Completely burned to the ground. The call didn’t even come in until the damn thing was fully engulfed.”
“When was this?” I asked.
“Dunno exactly,” Jerry shrugged. “Fires have been burning off and on all day yesterday and last night.”
Bryan shook his head and glanced over his shoulder. “Hardly anyone is down there to call the fires in.”
“Yup,” Jerry said as he shifted the toothpick to the other corner of his mouth with his tongue. “Welp, I better get back to it,” he said with a clap of his hands. “Don’t you folks resort to cannibalism before I make it back.”
Bryan and I waved goodbye as he pushed out into the storm. “I really hate how people keep making that joke,” I muttered. “Interesting what he said, though.”
He nodded absentmindedly, his forehead tight in thought. “I guess it’s unlikely the guy we found downstairs is the arsonist then. There’s no way he’d be getting into town so easily.”
“This whole thing is fucking fucked.” I gave him a sideways glance.
“Totally fucked,” he agreed. He hid his smile behind the coffee cup, but the arch of his eyebrow gave him away.
Our radios crackled as Chris spoke. “Hey, boss? You there?”
“I’m here,” Bryan said as he gave me a quick kiss. “What’s up?”
“Where are you? I’ll come to you.”
We frowned at each other. “Front entrance, near the hall.”
“Great, be there in a sec.”
We strolled back towards the Great Hall where most people were stirring. The noise from the newcomers and the growing daylight woke everyone to another fun-filled day of boring captivity.
“So your cousin and I got into it a little last night. I caught her…” I trailed off as Bryan wrapped his arm around me. He was carrying enough of a burden. I didn’t need to lay this on him, too. “You know what? Never mind. Not a big deal.”
“Are you sure? If you want, I can talk to her again,” he offered. Bryan’s eyes narrowed as Chris approached, radio in hand, fully jacketed. I instantly felt guilty. He was trying to take care of so much at once, he could barely finish a sentence before someone else was demanding a piece of him.
“Hey boss, just got word. The chopper is coming. They want us to clear a spot for them to land.”
“All right, great. We’ve got the plow already hooked up to one snowcat and the others fueled up,” Bryan said as he stretched with a grunt.
I knocked back the rest of my coffee. “I’ll get a path cleared and everyone ready to go.”
Chris stepped closer, the rings under his eyes darker than I first noticed. I felt a twinge of guilt that I’d suspected him at all. Over the past two days, he’d done nothing but work tirelessly and without complaint.
“Where’s your little one? He doing okay?”
I nodded kindly, touching him on the arm. “He’s doing well, thanks for asking.”
My mind wouldn’t keep still. One second I’d think about how long we could keep the power on, and then I’d worry about the storm totals. Then the arsonist would pop up which, of course, made me think about the random guy who was living in our basement up to the point he attacked me. And then I’d remember how we were pretty much imprisoning someone, perhaps wrongfully. What made it all sting was that we were all meant to be home with our families celebrating Christmas Eve.
“You okay?” Bryan asked, his expression filled with concern.
I hugged myself, sighed, and leaned on his shoulder. “I’m fine. Merry Christmas, by the way.”
The air rushed from his nose, a sad but comforting sound. He kissed the top of my head and replied, “Merry Christmas, baby.”
I watched from the glass vestibule in the front as they cleared a huge chunk of the parking lot. I didn’t realize this, but apparently helicopters don’t just land and lift off vertically. They need space for an approach. There was a bit of panic when the rescuers radioed in their landing requirements. Thankfully, we had the equipment to handle the bulk of the snow.
I couldn’t believe my eyes every time I looked outside. It was like looking at the surface of an alien planet. We had done our best to keep the paths clear during the storm, but it became almost too much to handle. On the edges of the front entrance patio, the snow piles towered nearly two stories tall. Reports were saying we had already received a little over eight feet. That meant if I were dropped in the middle of the uncleared ground, the surface of the snow would be over two feet above my head. I tried everything I could to wrap my head around that amount of snow. I imagined a swimming pool, blowing out all the air, sinking to the bottom, and looking up.
The trunks of the pine trees were totally obscured, the bottom branches disappearing into the whiteness like vegetation disappearing into a lake of water. I wondered if the center near the trunk was empty and clear, the branches serving as a barrier. A part of me wished there was a way I could find out.
My daydreams crumbled as the distant whomp whomp whomp of the helicopter undeniably drew close. I waited until they were landing before heading into the kitchen to get Lacey. A few of the stronger men had volunteered to carry the stretcher out. Charlie stood protectively over her, gripping her hand tightly. The grim expression on his face aged him at least ten years. Everyone in the lodge could hear the chopper now, the news spreading like only a rumor can.
Bryan stepped inside followed by a swirl of snow. “Okay guys, it’s time to get you two out of here,” I said softly.
“Actually, the pilot told me there’s only room for her,” Bryan whispered with a grimace.
Charlie opened his mouth to protest but quickly came to terms. Lacey needed emergency care even if it meant separating. He bent to whisper in her ear, a faint smile and small nod her only acknowledgment. Charlie straightened, tears in his eyes, and nodded to Bryan.
Dusty, Miah, and the other men lifted the sled and secured a wool blanket around her body, even obscuring her face from the cold. I understood the need, but it made it look like we were carting a corpse out. Too similar for comfort. With Dani a
nd me holding the doors open, they carried her outside and into the bitter cold. I could feel the eyes on us from behind as we shut the doors. We stood in silence, watching until they lifted her into the helicopter and jogged away.
While the men made their way back to the lodge as the helicopter lifted into the clear blue sky, a cloud of white in their wake, I nearly put my arm around her shoulders. Thinking better of it, I considered what my dad might’ve said in a situation like this, hoping to channel a part of him. He would’ve stayed silent…
So I did.
Dani slipped easily under Miah’s arm as he walked in first. I stood to the side and allowed Dusty through, my gaze studying Bryan’s tense expression. I could tell this was all wearing on him, features tight, limp pronounced. He was mentally drained and physically exhausted. He stood outside with Charlie and watched the helicopter disappear into the distance.
I gave Charlie a big hug as he came through the door, wishing I could absorb all the pain from his body. “She’s in good hands.” He patted my back and slipped away to be alone.
Bryan kissed me gently on the head before pulling me to the side.
“The pilot couldn’t take anyone else because they had to pick up someone critical down in town before coming up here.”
“Shit, really? Did he have any other news?”
Bryan looked past me towards the crowd. “Just repeated what we already know. We’re supposed to get another four feet today into tonight, maybe another three tomorrow.”
I shook my head. “No way. How is that… what are we…” If I couldn’t grasp eight feet, I certainly couldn’t comprehend nearly twice that. “That can’t be right. Bryan, we should really talk about what we’re gonna do with the guy downstairs.”
“He’s warm and eating, right?” he asked absently.
“Well, yeah, as far as I know. We’re checking on him every couple hours but…”
Most everyone was up and milling around, waiting for breakfast to be ready. Bryan was deep in thought as he scanned the crowd. “It’s important we keep everyone’s spirits up.”
I followed his gaze, trying to ignore the tension I saw on every face. “Absolutely.”
“I have an idea,” he said before excitedly running up the stairs.
A half an hour later, the baby monitor beeped in my sweatshirt. With a secret grin, I pulled it from my inner pocket and tried to look inconspicuous.
“Yes?”
“You’ve been a good girl?”
I giggled and bit my lip, a glimmer of what he was planning becoming clear. “Yes…”
“Good.”
The intercom system came to life around us. There was a rustle of fabric against the microphone followed by the tinny sound of music.
“Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, Right down Santa Claus Lane.”
Everyone paused and looked to each other for an explanation. Many glanced at me, and while I wasn’t part of the plan, I had a good idea of what Bryan had hidden up his velvety red sleeve.
“Merry Christmas, everyone!” came his booming voice. “We have a special Powder Mountain announcement. Santa heard about the storm and wanted to do something extra special for all those good boys and girls here at the lodge.”
A few of the kids gasped in wide-eyed excitement. I glanced down to Dani who had pulled one ear bud from her ear to listen.
“So before he sets off for the big night, Santa wants to come down and say hello. Would anyone like to say hello to Santa?” The crowd cheered, high voices much louder than the laughing parents. “All right! Back by popular demand… Santa Claus!”
I danced with Jack to the music as the lodge nearly imploded with excitement, except for one dour-looking kid sitting by the window.
“That’s impossible. It’s already Christmas in Australia,” the nearby kid whined. A few younger ones near him went from excited to confused. “Only an idiot would think Santa is actually here.”
“You’re wrong.” Dani pulled out her other ear bud. The snotty kid looked at her dubiously, but because she was older, seemed taken aback. “Santa uses time travel to get all the presents everywhere, obviously. Only an idiot believes he goes around on an old sled. That’s just a story they tell dumb kids who don’t know any better.”
I caught her eye and gave her a thumbs-up, but she rolled her eyes and disappeared back into her music and shell. As rough as our relationship got, these were the little glimmers of humanity that kept me from giving up on her.
A huge cheer rang out as Santa appeared at the top of the stairs. With Jack on my hip, we all pushed to the bottom to watch him come down. Bryan had gone all out again, right down to the shiny boots. I couldn’t stop the goofy smile from spreading across my face as he grabbed his belly, let out a laugh, and dug into his big bag of goodies. Squealing kids gathered around the side of the staircase as he tossed random Powder Mountain swag from above.
An hour later, we headed back upstairs to his office, leaving the Great Hall in a merrier state than before. I led the way up the stairs as he gave a few final waves goodbye at the top.
“That was a really good idea,” I said as we rounded the corner. “That definitely cheered everyone up.” I unlocked the office door and flicked on the light.
“Yeah? And what about you? What can I do to cheer you up?”
I scrunched up my face and turned to question him when I saw the look on his face. I heard the snick of the lock as he shut and secured the door. He pulled the white beard down to his chin and arched an eyebrow. “Santa still has a present for you.”
I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh. “God, Bry, I was joking! I don’t actually want to screw Santa.”
“Aw, really? I deliberately didn’t wear any underwear this time,” he said, frowning at his velvet pants. “There goes the rental deposit.”
“Are you serious?” I giggled as I glanced down. It’s embarrassing to admit, but seeing the bulge in his costume was actually a turn on. Not by Santa, no… the man under the Santa suit did it for me.
“Only one way to find out,” he grinned.
I closed the distance between us, licking my lip as we drew close. Maybe a good, hard screw is exactly what we need to reduce all this stress, I thought. Holding back a giggle, I started to undress him. The first to go was his big black belt, the heavy gold buckle hitting the ground with a thwack.
His mouth traced a line down my jaw and neck as I unbuttoned his jacket and pushed it off his shoulders. I crept down his velvet pants as he pressed me against the edge of the desk. I stroked him over the fabric, his hardness in direct contrast to the soft cloth.
“That must feel good,” I whispered with a humorous smirk.
“Not gonna complain,” he panted, diving for my mouth again.
I jumped onto the desk, our bodies fitting together at a perfect height. He ground against my aching core, already slick and wanting him. Rolling my hips to meet him, I watched the desire grow in his expression. With a muffled laugh, I pulled the hat, wig, and beard off. I had to. I couldn’t go on if I hadn’t. I leaned back and admired the view.
Bryan in a white shirt, red suspenders holding up a pair of unbuttoned crushed velvet pants. Coupled with the look he was giving me, it was just about the sexiest thing I’d seen in forever.
“Ho, ho, ho,” I chuckled as I unzipped my pants.
We wasted no time. With his tongue swirling in my mouth, he slipped his hand between my thighs. He groaned against my lips and plunged two fingers inside my wet core. I dove into those pants and guided his hard cock through the open fly, stroking him with an expert touch.
I threaded my fingers through his hair and pulled his mouth hard against mine as I directed him inside. With one hard thrust, he was buried deep. I bit my lip to keep from moaning too loudly. Balancing myself with one hand behind and one hand on his ass, Bryan built a slow rhythm.
We were Liz and Bryan again. Yes, we were driven in our careers, loyal to our families, devoted to our son, but none of it would e
xist if it hadn’t been just the two of us first. And this attraction, this heat and need, was at the core of what made us, us.
The angle being what it was, our mouths couldn’t easily meet. But not being able to kiss somehow made it even hotter. I had a perfect view of his hard body as he drove into me, disappearing inside. Our eyes locked. I watched the pleasure unfold in the flush of his skin, the sweat on his brow. I’d normally bury my face in the crook of his neck, hold him close, but from this position, I could watch the desire take hold.
He gripped my ass with both hands as he pulled me closer. I hooked my legs over his elbows and slipped a hand between us, circling my sensitive clit a few times. I matched the delicious rhythm, feeling my release grow near with each thrust. Sure, the sex was familiar, but that’s what I loved about it. There was absolutely no other man for me. Fate pushed us together, but the life we shared forged our bond stronger than anything I could’ve ever imagined. He knew me better than I knew myself. Because of that, I gave myself freely, in every single way.
Bryan’s hand snaked up my stomach to cup my breast. I arched into his touch, the need for release now undeniable. With his name on my lips, the soft breaths and groans of our pleasure in the air, we lost ourselves… together.
I flung my head back and toppled into a crushing orgasm. A moment later, Bryan tensed, shuddered, and collapsed on top of me. I ran my fingers through his hair, his breath hot and fast against the bare skin of my breast.
As he slipped out and stood on shaky legs, I had to laugh. “You’re definitely not getting the deposit back now,” I said, pointing to the big wet spot on his pants.
“Wow,” he whispered. “Mrs. Claus is a dirty girl!”
I gave him a playful slap and adjusted my clothes. “People will have noticed we were gone for a while,” I said as I rolled my eyes.
“Oh, don’t worry about them. They can survive without us for a few minutes.”
I pulled my sweatshirt down and buttoned my jeans before sitting back on the desk. “You think that’s possible? I don’t know…” Now in his regular clothes, Bryan came over and wrapped his arms around me. I rested my chin on his chest and peered up. “That did take the edge off, don’t you think?”