Over the River and Through the Woods

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Staring at the table, I surveyed my handiwork, feeling very pleased with myself. I'd managed to scrounge up a fairly decent looking red tablecloth, some bowls, spoons and a serving plate. I'd artfully cut and arranged the cheese and sausages on the serving plate, setting it near the oil lamp I'd placed in the center. More digging in the pantry had unveiled some single powder packets that I'd added to our water for flavor. I'd chosen the red tropical punch, since the color was festive and somewhat Christmassy.

The soup was still on the stove, on the lowest heat to keep it warm, and I glanced worriedly toward the door, wondering what was taking Micah so long. He hadn't reappeared in the whole time I'd been preparing our meal. Granted, it had only taken about thirty minutes; but still, I worried about him being out in the inclement weather. Heading to the door, I wrapped my arms around myself and peered out one of the small windows into the dark, unable to see anything.

Heavy footsteps sounded outside and suddenly there he was, standing on the other side with his arms full of wood. "Can you open the door?" he yelled, and I quickly jumped to do his bidding.

"I was starting to get worried about you," I said, closing it against the blustery wind that blew in with him. "I thought maybe you'd been eaten by a bear or something."

"A bear?" Laughing, he dropped the wood in the box beside the fireplace. "Come on, Lissy. You were raised in the mountains. You know bears are hibernating right now."

"True, but it seems I have a very overactive imagination during freak winter snow storms following car accidents."

Turning toward me, he tweaked my nose. "I guess I can give you that. It's still really coming down out there. It made the door to the shed a little more difficult to open. I need to go back and get some more."

"Do you want me to come help you?" I asked.

"No. Stay here. I stacked a bunch on the end of the porch. I just need to bring it in." He disappeared once again and I heard more clunking noises before he reappeared, dumping another armload into the box.

"One more trip."

"Okay. I'll leave the door cracked for you. I need to go check the cake. It smells done, but I didn't really have a way to time it."

"No problem."

Hurrying to the kitchen, I grabbed one of the hot pads I'd left sitting on the counter. Picking up the fork there also, I opened the oven and stabbed it into the middle of the cake and pulled it out, checking it for batter. It came out clean and I smiled. It looked like it was done. Carefully grabbing the edge of the pan, I removed it, sitting it on the unlit burners to cool so I could frost it after we were done eating.

"Merry Christmas!" Micah's voice made me jump. Turning, I saw him carrying a small pine tree, about three and a half feet tall, into the room.

"What did you do?" I asked, clapping my hands together.

"I cut off the top of a small tree." He grinned widely, closing the door behind him. "This was all that was sticking up above the snow."

"You defaced their property?" I was slightly horrified, and more than a little thrilled.

"It was toward the back of the lot. Hopefully it won't be an issue." Leaning the tree in the corner, he dug through his bag, retrieving the box of candy canes we'd brought with us. "Decorations?"

"They're perfect," I replied. "I can't believe you did this!" Child-like glee swept through me at his kind gesture, flooding my heart with emotion. It was so incredibly thoughtful of him to do something so sweet.