Page 45 of Rescue
“Well, we don’t know for sure,” he says as if he’s carefully choosing his words. I think for a moment that that’s all he’s going to say, but then he starts back up. “I threw my phone in the backseat when I left the city. I didn’t want the distraction and I was so angry I didn’t want to talk to you.” He looks down in shame and embarrassment. “When I got home, I tried to call you, but you didn’t pick up. When I listened to your first voicemail I felt like such a damn fool, but then when I heard your second one I panicked. I could hear you go off the road in the message, but I didn’t know where you were. I knew you had left after me, but I had no way of knowing how far behind me you were. I called the twins and had them get Search and Rescue looking for you. Then I called Mason. We met up and started our own search for you. We were just about to give up and turn around when my spotlight caught a glimpse of something red in the snow. When I turned the light back to look, I realized I was looking at your car, hanging off the side of the mountain with my red scarf in the back glass. If I hadn’t seen that scarf, I don’t even want to think about what might have happened. Mason called the Search and Rescue team from his CB and they showed up with some powerful equipment to secure your car enough for us to get you out. When they got to you, you were unresponsive, but thankfully breathing.”
I let out a huge breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. Hearing I was so close to death is both shocking and terrifying.
“Can you ever forgive me?” His eyes are tormented, the remorse and grief obvious in his face as he hangs his head low.
“Miles, there’s nothing to forgive. How could you think that? This wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have prevented this any more than you could have prevented the avalanche that day on the mountain.” His eyes snap up to mine. “You rescued me, Miles. If you hadn’t found me, who knows where I’d be right now. You can’t keep carrying around this misplaced guilt over things that happened 10 years ago. You couldn’t save her, but I’m so thankful that you were able to save me.”
I can see a million thoughts racing through his mind. Wordless feelings playing like a movie across his face.
“I-” he starts, but he can’t finish because the door to my room opens and a nurse comes in to check my vitals. Miles stands up to give her a little more room to check me out.
Just as she’s walking out, satisfied that I’m comfortable and on the mend, Mama and Nana walk in, with Amy trailing behind. Miles returns to my side with resolve on his face. “There are some things I need to do. Will you be ok here without me?”
“Yeah, I’ll be alright. Are you ok?”
“Yeah, well, I will be,” he says, and then slips out of the room.
With Miles gone, I have a chance to calm Mama and Nana and let them know that I’m ok. They do the usually fussing and I let them, knowing that it makes them feel better to have something to worry about. Amy is standing by the door, quietly giggling to herself, but I can also see the relief on her face. Mama must fluff my pillow three times before I finally tell her that she’s making me less comfortable, not more. That seems to snap her out of it and she settles into the chair that Miles vacated when he left.
Nana can’t seem to sit still, so she takes to standing at the window to keep a lookout on the town and stay up on the gossip. Her words, not mine.
“I was so impressed with how Miles and Mason were able to find you. Without them, who knows what would have happened?” Mama looks at me with tears in her eyes and I can tell that she was really worried while I was missing. I can’t say that I blame her.
“They must have driven these roads for hours looking for you,” Nana adds with the same hero worship voice for the boys as Mama had.
“And then the way he stayed with you afterwards.” Amy interjects. “He wouldn’t hear of going home for a shower and some rest. He must really love you.”
“I think he does,” I say to them, testing the waters a little bit before taking the plunge. “He told me this morning.” I must be a little flustered to be confessing this to them because I can feel my cheeks heat a bit at my confession.
“I hope you said it back!” Nana says. “Good men like Miles won’t just wait around for you to figure out how you feel.”
I laugh a little at her panic, “Of course I said it back. How could I not love him?”
This seems to make Nana feel better because she sags a little in relief from her perch on the windowsill.
“I don’t think he’s leaving her anytime soon,” Amy says. “The way he was looking at her, it seemed like he didn’t care if she liked him or not. She’s stuck with him.”
“That’s fine by me, as long as he knows I’m stuck with him too,” I say with a little smile on my face at the thought of Miles just hanging around waiting for me to love him.
“Well, I have to say, I’m proud of you, Penelope,” Mama says as she stands and takes my hand. “We couldn’t be happier that you’re taking over the cafe for Nana, and that you’ve made so many more improvements.”
“Thanks, Mama, I’m happy to be home too.”
I’m starting to get sleepy again and I think Mama can tell because she smooths the covers around me and tucks me in, shushing me when I try to stop her. “You just get some sleep now. You’ve had a busy night,” she says as she kisses my forehead. “I love you, baby.”
