She huffed a cloud of carbon dioxide and set off toward the car, only to grab the side of the house to keep from slipping. See? This is what happens to people who are off-kilter. She hadn’t had her Bible study in three days, and her thoughts were like a heathen jungle. Ake, Ake, Ake. Lie, lie, lie. For a moment she rested her gloved hand against the siding and closed her eyes.
“Oh, God. I haven’t put you first. Ake is special—Lord, I can’t believe I just said that. I mean he’s…he’s—blather. He’s special, no two ways around it. And not the negative connotation. Purely positive.” Her breath’s cloud intermixed with the flakes about her.
Her heart ached. She pivoted on the slippery sidewalk, glancing to the plunging gorge not five feet from the edge of her sidewalk. The snow hung on the snaggled trees down the slope. Time to start this day out right.
She unlocked the door, took off her coat and gathered her Bible. Perhaps she’d call Alan when she finished. She needed all the grounding she could get.
***
Stormi slid the plastic card through the credit card machine and cringed at the amount. It couldn’t be helped. Without a new computer, she had no way of earning a living. She pulled a tight smile as an older man rang up her purchase. She thanked him, headed through the door with her package, and plunked her fanny in the driver’s seat.
She yanked the hat from her head and blew up her bangs with a blast of air. It had taken longer than she’d expected picking out a computer. Now, it was almost dark. She twisted the key in the ignition, and the little car sprang to life. A bit of stress oozed from her body. At least she wouldn’t make it home because the car wouldn’t start.
An older black truck drove behind her, and her head whipped around. Was it Ake? No, wrong headlights. She took a deep breath and pulled the gearshift into reverse, trying not to spin the front wheels.
With much careful driving, Stormi puttered home and pulled into the driveway.
“Thank you, God,” she breathed.
The snow greeted her again as she stepped from the car. She gathered her bulky package and waddled to the back door. All was well. She’d wrap up the podcast easily by midnight. What an empowered woman she was. She snickered. That was the trend. Hashtag independent woman.
Her foot caught an icy patch, and she nearly went down. Yes, Lord, thanks for the reminder. I know I depend on you. She righted herself and inserted the key into the lock. Once she wangled the burden through the door, she quickly flipped her boots off before she skied across the slippery concrete.
In stocking feet she padded over to the TV tray that had become her office and deposited her burden. She glanced around the room and threw her hands up.
“I got a new computer.”
The echoes of the nearly empty room bounded back to her. Empowered and independent, yes. And lonely. Double yes. Ake’s face entered her mind for the millionth time. This would be a lot more fun with him here.
“I’m pathetic.” With her companion, loneliness, she stooped and began the long process of unpacking the machine.
The next afternoon Stormi stared at her new computer screen. She’d been through all her files and still couldn’t pull up the one she needed. This switching computers thing really sucked. If only her computer guy could isolate her files from the old laptop.
Her head thundered as she sat back in the chair. A shiver chased down her spine. It seemed chilly in here with the insulation only half done. She laid her hands on her cheeks. Did she have a fever? With labored movements she forced herself from the chair and stumbled across the room to the bathroom. After locating the thermometer, she stuck it beneath her tongue.
Ake’s couch beckoned to her, and she melded into the cushions. The beeps of the thermometer indicated the bad news. A hundred and one. No wonder. She rose and shuffled to the kitchen to pull down a bottle of pain reliever. At least her week of podcasts was finished.
She returned to the couch, snatching a soft furry blanket on her way. Crazy to want to nap so early in the afternoon. No sooner had she snuggled up with her head on a soft throw pillow when knocks came at the door. She groaned and stood up, clutching the blanket about her. Through the glass she could see Ake’s bearded face. She slid the door open.
“Busy?” He grinned, but his eyes flicked about.
Did he expect her to have Ray inside? She had no energy to pursue the thought any further. “No. Sick, maybe, but not busy.”
Concern instantly fell over his face before he pushed his way inside and yanked the door closed. His huge hand pressed against her forehead. “You’ve got a fever.”
“Yep. A hundred and one.” She ambled toward the couch. “I hate to be unhospitable, but unless you like being sick, you better go.”
She settled on the couch, swathed in the thick blanket. Still, chills ran down her body.
“I can’t leave you. You don’t feel well.”
It took a huge amount of effort to power up a slight smile quirk at the corner of her mouth. “You’re sweet, but misled. I’m a grown-up. I’ll take care of myself.”
“You have lunch?”
Stormi closed her eyes and drew in a long breath. “Uhhh, no. But I’m fine.”
A short laugh came from the handsome man seated on the fireplace hearth. “It’s nearly two o’clock. When did you eat last?”
Breathing took a few moments. Oh, how she longed to lie in her bed. Then she spoke. “Like, yesterday? It doesn’t matter. You need to leave.”
“Okay. But only to get some chicken noodle soup. You can’t get better if you don’t eat.”
She swiped a hundred pound hand at him. Ugh. Her whole body felt made of heavy sandbags. “I’ll be fine.”
But he was already at the door. “Lie down. I’ll fetch some soup. Mind if I take your keys here on the counter? That way you won’t have to get up to let me in.”
Her weighted head nodded. On the final downward motion she let her chin rest against her chest. “Sure. They’re my extras anyway.”
Her eyes burst open as the door banged shut. A throbbing sent everything in the room pulsating to the beat of her heart. Oh, migraine. She fell to a lying position as cold air sent her shivering. Brrr. Had Ake left the door open? No, she’d heard it shut. Her mind grew fuzzy as her body settled in rest. Maybe she’d feel better after a little nap.
Chapter Fourteen
At Calvert’s grill, Madge went right to work packaging up the chicken noodle soup. Ake glanced around, waved at a few regulars, and nodded a greeting to a few others. But his mind centered on telling Hoge he wouldn’t be at tonight’s family dinner. It wouldn’t go over well, but he wasn’t going to leave Stormi until she felt better.
He’d better pop in at his brother’s house to let him know, and then buzz back over to Stormi’s place. She had probably fallen asleep anyhow. He smiled as the woman handed him the Styrofoam package.
Outside, he lowered his head against the wind. Spring was not far behind the blast of cold air, and he couldn’t wait. Once in the truck, he thundered the engine to life and pulled from the lot. Maybe Hoge had some work to do this afternoon, and he could just leave a message with Joni. A groan rushed from his lungs. Sure would be easier.
A few moments later he swung up into the slanted driveway and exited the vehicle. Hoge had the garage door open and one of the wheels off of Joni’s car. He came around the corner wiping oil from his hands.
Hoge nodded his burly head. “Bro.”
“What’s up? Joni need a new tire?”
“Nope. Brakes.”
Ake nodded and drew closer as Hoge rolled the wheel around to the front of the car. A salamander heater in the corner kept the open space tolerably warm.
No use beating the bush. “I won’t be here tonight.”
Hoge paused and looked him over. “You’re going to be with that woman, aren’t you?”
“I thought I’d hang some drywall.”
“Pshaw.” Hoge scoffed. “Why’re you letting her pull free labor out of you, Ake? M
ake her pay someone to do that.”
“She didn’t ask me. I volunteered.”
A roll of disapproving emotions solidified Hoge’s face into granite. “You need to stay away from her.”
“She’s sick.”
That froze his brother into a statue.
“She ain’t got nobody, Hoge.”
The big man inhaled. “Yeah, yeah. Seems like she ought to have some other friends who could nursemaid her back to health.”
Ake shrugged.
“Fine. I’ll tell Joni. Maybe you can stop by Mom’s and get a plate of food, if you want.”
His brother’s words were almost congenial, and Ake gave a grin. “Sure, big brother.”
“Don’t call me that. Sounds like an idio—” Hoge stiffened.
With a shrug, Ake shifted his gaze. “I know. Still glad you’re my brother Hoge. See ya.”
As Ake reversed down the driveway, Hoge stood just outside the garage watching him. He paused when the truck did and raised his hand. Hoge’s chin lifted in response. Such a ponderous look on his face. But Ake didn’t meditate anymore on it. He had to get to Stormi.
***
A noise roused Stormi from an uncomfortable sleep. Her eyelids felt like hot cumbersome garage doors that couldn’t be manually lifted. And when she did open them, the undersides scraped across her tender eyes like concrete. She stared at the high industrial ceiling for a moment. Shivers shook her body. Her cheeks had surely turned to ice. She tugged the blanket closer.
“You need more blankets?”
Ake’s deep voice murmured softly from the chair by the hearth.
“When did you get here?” she mumbled over swollen tonsils.
“A while back. I’ve got soup. You want some?”
Her face grimaced and tears moistened her eyes. “No.”
She squirmed on the couch but couldn’t seem to get anywhere comfortable. “I’m just freezing.”
“Let’s get you to bed.”
She closed her eyes and shook her head. It was too cold to stand up. But he didn’t seem to take no for an answer. His arms gathered her against his chest and eased her from the couch. Her teeth chattered as he carried her to the bed in the far corner. She moaned. How would she stay warm so far from the fireplace?
The mattress was glacial when he laid her down, and she shuddered. Ake moved about the bed, but Stormi only closed her eyes in misery. Then he clutched her waist and set her against a stack of pillows. Blanket after blanket piled on top of her.
“Here, I found a heating pad. Pull it under your blankets and I’ll plug it in.”
She clenched her jaw to still the juddering, tugged the cold pad inside, and hugged it. After a few agonizing moments, the heating pad began to warm. She sighed with relief. The mattress lowered on her left side. She opened her eyes. Ake sat there with a tray of soup.
She shook her head.
“You need your strength, Stormi. Try a little.”
Whether it was his comforting voice, his kindness, or the way her name rolled soothingly off his tongue, she didn’t know. She only found herself sipping soup from a spoon he held out.
When she could stand no more, she shook her head and snuggled her head under the covers. The mattress lifted to its normal height, and she allowed unconsciousness to wrap her ailing mind into clouds of oblivion.
She awakened later to Ake standing beside her bed with a palmful of pain reliever and a glass of water. With a sniff she took them without complaint, and he tucked a box of tissues at her side. No other words were spoken, and she slipped into sleep once again.
She awoke groggy the following morning to the sound of the door opening. Ake came through with a wave, and she pulled herself upright on the pillows. She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose.
“Good morning.”
“Hi,” she croaked.
He approached the bed with a smile. My, he looked fab, and despite feeling like dung, a grin arced the side of her mouth. She shrugged.
“You’re looking a little better. No chills?”
“I—” A lock of hair fell into her eye. My, she must look like some kind of repellant fungus, snot dripping, hair in disarray, mouth breathing out noxious fumes. She shot a one-eyed look at Ake. “I guess.”
She fell back against the pillows and draped her arm over her eyes. Ick, she even smelled gross. His hand eased away her arm and felt her head.
“Well, your fever seems to have gone down. You’re still pale, though.”
Great. Fungus the shade of clown make-up. Her head still pounded, but with less intensity. And she’d turned off the heating pad somewhere in the middle of the night and shoved it to the floor.
“I think we’re making progress.”
She sneezed as he eased to the bed, and she snatched a tissue to catch the mucus explosion. “Don’t look at me. I’m horrendous.”
His low laughter met her ears as she went through several more tissues.
She turned blurry eyes to him. “Thanks for taking care of me, Doc.”
He reached over and massaged her neck and shoulders, and she melted into the linens. She moaned as his warm hands rubbed the ache from her body. Then he massaged her head and she grew drowsy. His ministrations were better than ibuprofen. All too soon, he pulled up the blankets and stood. She didn’t bother to open her eyes but pressed herself into the softness of the bed.
Noises from the kitchen indicated Ake had made himself busy cooking some kind of breakfast. She wanted to jump from the bed and take over, but the weakness pervading her body wouldn’t allow her to even lift her eyelids.
She must have dozed again for when she opened her eyes, Ake was there again, with a gentle smile and a trayful of breakfast. For his benefit, she would try to eat, but she couldn’t feel less like putting food in her mouth.
With his help she struggled to a seated position, and he laid the tray across her lap. She stared at the flavored oatmeal and toast.
“You want something else? I know you’re not a big oatmeal fan.”
Her head still weighed a ton and a half, but she managed to raise her gaze to his. “No, I’m just drained. Flu, I guess.”
He nodded. “Yeah, Lucy’s got it, too. Here, let me help you.”
She opened her mouth to protest but was only greeted with strawberry-flavored oatmeal on her tongue. Ick, the texture made her shudder, but the warmth left a healing trail to her stomach. Spoonful after spoonful, she swallowed until she could barely hold her head up.
Choking down the last bite, she waved wearisome hands at him. “Enough.”
Ake lifted the tray from her. Briefly she wondered what he was doing, but her body didn’t stay curious enough to stay awake. A knock sounded from somewhere, but her body’s responses ignored this little detour and slipped into blissful rest once more.
***
Ake opened the door and let his brother in.
“What are you doing?” Hoge demanded.
Ake laid a forefinger to his lips and then pointed across the room to the bed where Stormi lay asleep.
Hoge’s head swung that direction only momentarily before he confronted his brother with a thunderous expression. But at least he lowered his voice. “We’re fishing today. Let’s go.”
He shook his head. “Not me. I gotta stay here.”
His brother’s face grew even more stern. And Ake didn’t think that was possible. “Ake, you’re not her husband. Now come on.”
Oh, how he wished he were. He glanced over toward the white rumpled comforter and let the implication pass over him for just a moment. Then he schooled his features and turned to Hoge. “You’ll have to go without me.”
Hoge’s jaw worked like it always did right before he blew up. Ake lifted his hand and clutched his brother’s stiff shoulder. “Come on, Hoge. It’s important.”
Twitches lit across Hoge’s face as he decompressed. “Fine. One day. No pay.”
Ake shrugged. “Sure.”
His brother spun away, grasped the doo
r handle, and swung it open. Then he turned. “One day, Ake.”
The door slid shut.
***
Three days later, Stormi, wrapped in a soft blanket, lay against the couch cushion with a tiny smile. Black circles ringed her eyes, but a spark of health pinched her cheeks. Ake handed her a book he’d received from his mother the night before. He’d skip telling her about the tongue lashing he’d received from Hoge as he’d gripped that book in his mother’s kitchen. His brother didn’t appreciate him missing three days’ work. But it didn’t matter. Stormi was better. He’d shoulder more than Hoge’s rage for just one of her smiles.
“You have to stop spoiling me.” Her head lolled against the couch. “I haven’t been sick like that for years.”
He parked himself on the end of the couch and watched her study the back of the book’s cover.
“This looks good. Did your mom like it?”
“Yeah, the church had the author come and do some kind of women’s thing. She picked it out for you.”
“Hmmm.” She flicked the book open. “Faith or Fear. Definitely a book I need to memorize.”
She gave a low, tired chuckle and then flicked her eyes to him. “I owe you big time.”
Ake stretched his legs out long and crossed them. “Yep. You’ll have to change the oil in my truck for the entire summer.”
Her delicate forehead creased. “For real? Dream on.”
He barked a laugh when she crossed her eyes. “Mom says your eyes will stick that way.”
Stormi stuck out her tongue. “I’m so ugly right now it wouldn’t matter.”
“You’re not ugly.”
She leaned toward him. “Are you kidding? I haven’t had a shower in four days. My hair is such a greasy mess, I could supply the oil for your truck.”
“I need six and a half quarts per change,” he winked.
Giggles erupted from her cracked lips. “Don’t make me laugh. I don’t have the energy.”
“So that’s a ‘yes’ on the shower plans for the day?”
She gave him a weak smack on the arm. “I’m thinking tomorrow morning. Behave yourself or you’ll change your own oil.”
The Secret Storm Page 12