Page 62 of Bear Creek Christmas
Chapter 18
Friday, Christmas Eve
Feeling lazy and planning to stay put, Knox and Levi spent most of the day cuddled up on the couch, binge-watching Christmas movies. They had worked long and hard for this chance to relax, and nothing, they thought, would pry them away from their warm, cozy cabin.
As it turned out, the massive storm system creeping across the upper Midwest was right on track to slam Bear Creek by late afternoon. It hadn’t weakened at all, as some predicted, and would last the better part of two days before tapering off sometime late Sunday. Levi checked his email after lunch, pleased to see a post from the Mayor’s office officially canceling the public entertainment. In addition, the site provided a list of closed businesses to discourage shoppers from traveling to Bear Creek.
The only places still open were the emergency medical clinic, police station, and fire department. Everyone else had closed up shop and gone home for the duration. It seemed to be a good time for a major storm, with most businesses closed for the holiday anyway. The danger was for those trying to get home to be with family, and Levi hoped no one he knew would take their chances on the road.
Returning from a bathroom break, Levi happened to glance out the living room window.
“Look, it's started.”
He and Knox stood on the warm side of the glass, watching as the first flakes gently made their way to the ground. An hour later, darker clouds moved in from the west, bringing heavier snow and a brisk wind. Between films, Knox broke out the emergency equipment in case they lost power. Battery-operated lanterns and several candles were strategically placed around the cabin, along with an oil lamp for the dining room table.
Knox had already brought in extra firewood for both heat and light, stacked near the back door. A couple of large coolers rested on top of the refrigerator, ready to keep perishable food from spoiling, if necessary. Unperturbed by the storm, Knox’s calm, steady preparations put Levi at ease. The next film,A Christmas Carol,was another one Knox hadn’t seen. As Levi couldn’t seem to get warm, the big bear lifted him into his lap and threw a blanket over their legs.
At dusk, Knox received an emergency maintenance call. Both men groaned at the interruption, but he answered, listened to the request, and asked a few short questions. He stood, pulling an unhappy Levi with him.
“Do you really have to go? In weather like this?”
“Sorry, mate. A Christmas tree fell over and broke a window. It’s going to get cold in there fast, and the snow will cause water damage. I’ll have to board it up for now and fix it next week. I should be back in about an hour.”
Levi understood, though he’d hoped they would make it through Christmas before Knox was forced to go anywhere. Best to get it over with before the weather got any worse.
“I’ll whip up something to eat and keep it warm for you. Let me know when you’re on your way back.”
“I need to go out to the workshop for wood and tools. While I’m doing that, would you grab some stuff for me? I should have had my emergency kit made up already, but a cute blond distracted me.”
Levi started gathering things as soon as Knox walked out the back door. Two older blankets from the linen closet, a flashlight, bottled water, trail mix, jerky, and several hand warmer packets from a drawer in the kitchen. In the laundry room, he found a beat-up backpack to hold everything except the blankets. Those he placed inside a large trash bag and tied the top. Knox returned about then and added a few other things he’d thought of.
Levi received a quick kiss.
“Thank you, mate. I’ll be back soon. Love you.”
Levi opened the front door for him and then watched through the picture window as Knox brushed accumulated snow off the truck. With a toot of the horn, he waved and took off down the long drive with the blade down. Between the gathering darkness and blowing snow, Levi couldn’t see much of anything. Worrying over Knox was pointless, but he sure wished they were snuggling on the couch right now.
Levi got busy in the kitchen, reheating a batch of chili and some leftover cornbread muffins. The warm food tasted good and took his mind off the weather for a few minutes. Afterward, he covered the leftovers and then grabbed the bags of loose candy and small gifts he’d brought with him. On the mantle, he filled each of the Christmas stockings to the brim—continuing a tradition his parents started many years ago. Knox would notice, making it difficult to enforce the ‘no touching’ rule until Christmas Day.
Now was the time to grab Knox’s gifts and put them under the tree. One for tonight, and another for tomorrow. He looked in both suitcases, the dresser, and his coat pockets but came up empty. That’s when it hit him—he’d left them in their hiding place at the apartment!
How could he have been so stupid? Hemusthave them, or it ruined the plan! Sure, it didn’t prevent him from saying the words, but it wouldn’t be the same. What was he going to do? Levi’s phone suddenly chirped with a text from Knox.
>Taking longer than I thought. Another forty-five minutes tops.
>OK, love. I’ll keep the food warm. Be careful!
Levi noticed the low power indicator on his phone and took it into the bedroom to charge. Totally bummed about the gifts, he desperately wished he could fix his mistake. On second thought, the apartment was only three miles away, and even if he drove at a snail’s pace, he’d be there and back long before Knox returned home.
