“Go fuck yourself, Nick! I was trying to help you!”
Nick mumbled something under his breath. Henry quietly watched the exchange until he became fed up. “Alright! Alright!” Henry roared. “Stop fighting like two women at a shoe sale, grabbing for the same pair! Christ!” He was pissed. Both he and Nick were getting moodier by the second.
I stormed upstairs to the bathroom so I could get the supplies we needed to perform a draw. When I came back down, Henry was sitting in a chair, bent over and rubbing his neck and temples.
“Here.” I shoved the needle and vials in his face. He looked up at me, and before he could say anything, I said, “I insist. Both of you are bitchy. Before long, you’ll have major PMS, and I’m out of Midol! I can’t deal with it anymore.”
Reluctantly, Henry took the supplies, and he drew two vials from me. He handed one to Nick, and dumped one back himself. He sat back in the chair and enjoyed his short-lived mini high.
He sat with his eyes closed. I watched his face go from harsh angles to a softer look. His breathing went from rough to smooth. I saw the stiffness leave his body. Henry was back.
The wind started picking up, howling around the house. I was worried there was a storm rolling in. Henry looked at Nick. “Let’s get back out there and get some of that wood done. We need to bring it inside.” Nick agreed. I ran my fingers through Henry’s hair, and he put his hand on my waist.
“I’m worried,” I said.
“I know. I am, as well. If a storm blows in…”
“Please. Don’t say it.”
He kissed my forehead. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“Anytime. You just have to let me know.” He kissed me on the forehead again, pulled me into one of his strong hugs, and then they walked out of the house to get the firewood.
I watched through the window this time, instead of running outside. They moved the true dead corpses off behind the fence, out of sight. When they finished that, they began to cut up wood. I was waiting by the window like a lost puppy dog.
Over the next couple hours, I paced back and forth, watching the sun lower in the sky, and the temperature dropping. I tried sitting and reading again. The distant sounds of an axe being pounded through wood was rhythmic, but then it stopped. I jumped up out of the chair and ran to the front window, only to see Nick approaching the front porch. He smiled at me as he came inside and headed to the family room. Then he opened the window and removed the screen so Henry could start passing the wood into the house.
“We’re going to stack the driest wood in here, and put the rest in the garage. Hopefully, it’ll dry out faster. Can you grab a basket or a box? We need something to put kindling in.”
“I’m on it,” I said, happily, because I had something to do to keep my mind off of Sophie, Claire, and Thomas.
I knew exactly what I was going to get. My mother had a large collection of baskets, all different shapes and sizes. I never understood why she kept buying them because she never used them. When I picked up the large empty basket from the living room, I whispered, “Thanks, Mom.” I ran back, and passed it out to Henry through the window.
“That’s perfect, love.” His smile was warm, and I blushed. Sometimes I felt like a teenager with a crush, not a woman in love with the most beautifully brilliant man who ever existed. Okay, that sounded pretty lame, but what could I say? I was in love with him, ass over tits. He laughed at me so I stuck my tongue out at him.
The familiar crunching sound of tires on the driveway caught our attention. I stuck my head out the window and saw Sophie’s truck pulling up. Henry dropped the basket. I grabbed Nick, and we ran out the front door. Claire immediately leapt toward Nick, and Henry hugged Sophie.
“Nick!” Claire squealed. She planted a quick kiss on his cheek. “Come. I have something for you.” She was so full of enthusiasm that she just about pulled his shoulder out of the socket. Thomas stood by the door of the truck.
“Glad you made it back,” I said to him.
“Me, too. There were a few moments when it was questionable, but we got loads of stuff.”
“Great! Thank you, Thomas!” I hugged him, which startled him. His poor body felt so thin and frail. I was afraid I would crush him.
“Let’s get this stuff unloaded before it gets really dark.” Henry walked to the back of the truck and opened the liftgate. He, Sophie, Thomas, and I began carrying in all the supplies into the house.
***
“Close your eyes…,” Claire said softly to Nick. She lifted his hands to cover his eyes.
“What are you doing?” He laughed.