Page 29 of Married to Her Yeti
Nima stopped his truck on Mari’s dark, snowy driveway, just out of sight from her house. He needed to make a plan. And take a few deep breaths.
The other shoe had dropped. His time with Mari had been too good to be true. While she’d told him he didn’t have to leave, how could he stay? Her cabin couldn’t accommodate another guest, not unless he shared Mari’s bed again. And he’d had misgivings about that last night, even before Kat arrived and made it clear he wasn’t welcome.
He didn’t regret spending two days with Mari, but calling her afriendand agreeing to sign the divorce papers was hard. It would be even more difficult if he’d woken tomorrow morning with herin his arms again. No, it was better to rip off the bandage and leave now.
He pulled out his phone as he deliberated his next move. He could surprise his mother in Denali for the holiday. She’d love that. But putting so much distance—a five to six-hour drive in winter conditions—between himself and Mari didn’t sit right. What if she needed him? Kat wouldn’t be able to carry or lift Mari like Nima could. Plus, he didn’t want it to look like he was running away. Again.
The likelihood of Mari and Kat needing him hovered near zero percent, but still...
He texted Tseten.
Nima: Can I crash at your place for a day or two?
Three dots appeared almost immediately.
Tseten: Absolutely. I’m at Pema’s cleaning up earthquake damage and staying for Christmas Eve dinner. You know the code to my door. Make yourself comfortable!
A second message quickly followed the first.
Tseten:How’s Mari?
Nima pictured her moving around her house on crutches and tapped out a quick, honest reply, without going into details.
Nima: Stronger. She’s on the mend.
Tseten: Glad to hear it! See you later tonight.
Nima replied with a thumbs-up emoji and a thank you before putting the truck in gear. It was better that Tseten wasn’t home. Nima needed time to himself to process the events of the last few days. No doubt Tseten would have questions when he returned.
As the raven flies, Tseten didn’t live far from Wildwood, but limited roads in the Chugach Mountains meant Nima had to take the Seward Highway into Anchorage, then wind up toward the peaks.
No matter. The drive helped clear his head.
Diffuse streams of green and purple aurora flickered on the northern horizon as Nima arrived at Tseten’s remote but modern house. He parked and grabbed his bag before taking in the surrounding beauty. His breath fogged in the frosty night air while he snapped pictures of the night sky with hisphone. He wanted to share the moment with Mari but resisted the urge to text her.
How many colorful auroral displays had come and gone over the past ten years? Just because they’d spent a couple of passionate days together didn’t mean they were texting buddies now. Nima would respect Mari’s wish for a fresh start and not pester her.
Later, as he sat on Tseten’s couch with a beer in hand, the house shook and shuddered from another earthquake. He paused the movie he’d been watching to focus on the noises and movements of the house. His beer can crinkled in his tight grip as he forced himself to draw even breaths. Alaska was seismically active. He’d been through too many earthquakes to count. This was simply one more. He needed to overcome his fear.
As he hesitantly sat back again and forced his feet onto the coffee table, his phone pinged with a text. He glanced at the screen, assuming it was his mother or Tseten, but froze when he saw a new message from Mari.
Mari: Where are you? Are you okay?
Dropping his feet to the floor again,he rested his elbows on his knees as he stared at her text. What was she asking? If he was okay after the earthquake? Or if he was okay withthem?
Nima’s answer was the same, regardless of which question she asked.
Nima: Tseten’s. I will be.
Someday. He hoped.
Nima: You okay?
Mari didn’t respond for several minutes, long enough for another minor tremor.
Mari: I’ll be okay too.
The earthquake might have prompted her to text him, but clearly, they were no longer talking about aftershocks.
