Still Falling (21 page)

She climbed out the Land Rover to inspect the damage and the cold seeped
through her wet clothes robbing her body of warmth.
 
The vehicle looked okay but be she knew she
wasn’t skilful enough to drive it out of the knee deep snow and back over the
thick branch that was firmly wedge underneath the vehicle.

Shivering again she scrambled back inside the warm Land Rover to think
the problem through.
 
The simple thing
would be to phone Nico and tell him what happened.
 
Nico would know what to do, but then they
would all know that she had been irresponsible.

Like hell.
 
There must be another way.

She looked at the vehicles clock.
 
Just after one o’clock.
 
In a
couple of hours the mountain shadows would engulf the village in an early
sunset and when it started the darkness would be swift.
 
She tried to picture just how far she would have
to walk if she kept going on foot.
 
She
estimated she was about halfway there.
 

Even if I walk back down, I’ll
freeze before I get anywhere.

The adrenaline that had coursed through her body as the vehicle had slid
off the road, was wearing off now and Serena was starting to feel stiff and
tired.
 
And very, very
sorry for herself.

Why do I always have to be so
needy?

She wailed inwardly as the tears started to flow.
 
Outside the snow had started fall in large
sloppy wet flakes, each the size of a golf ball.
 
Serena hadn’t seen the sky cloud over through
the cover of the trees.
 
Gradually the
flakes shrunk and fell faster.
 
Serena’s
mobile buzzed in her pocket.

“Hello?”
 
She sniffed.

“Hi baby.
 
Are you at the Chalet
still?”
 
It was Jo.

“Hi Jo.
 
Yes I’m nearly there” she sort of lied.

“Okay listen
Babe,
we’ve just been told there is
a blizzard coming in and if we leave now we won’t make it back in time.
 
We’re going to stay at one of the Hotels in
town.
 
Will you be okay up there by
yourself?”

“Um, yes sure.
 
Of
course.
 
I’m a big girl.
 
I’ll be fine.
 
I’m tired anyway.
 
I’ll probably
just go to sleep.”

“Alright.
 
You call if you need to!”

“I will.
 
Ciao.”

“Ciao babe.”

Serena put the phone down.

Now what?

Truth was, she didn’t have a clue and her problems had just doubled to
include a blizzard.
 
The snow had already
covered the windows and she doubted she would have the fuel to leave the engine
running right through till morning to keep the heating on.
 
It was now or never.
 
She had to make a go of it.

Packing her mobile into her pockets, and turning off the engine she
climbed out of the Land Rover and ploughed through the thick snow until she was
back on the road.
 
Checking she was going
the right direction she trudged up the road toward the chalets.
 
Serena walked as fast as she could, trying to
raise her own body temperature to combat the cold seeping back into her wet
clothes.
 
As she walked with her head
down she tried to remember everything she had read or heard about survival in
the cold and snow.
 

The blizzard hadn’t hit yet, as she could still see quite well through
the heavy shower of snowflakes.
 
It was
easy to pick her way along the smooth surface of the snow covered road and the
thick brush and trees marked the roads edges clearly.
 
She also knew that could change in an
instant.
 
The light quality had slipped
to a muted grey gloom and the wind was picking up in the tops of the trees
above her.
 
The predicted storm was getting
closer.
 
In the mountains weather didn’t
give any warnings.
 
It just arrived.
 
But the time you saw it slipping over the
crest of the nearest mountain it was already too late.

She had been walking a full fifteen minutes before she heard the sound of
a car further down the mountain.
 
She
stopped and listened as is crawled up in low gear, taking it slow.
 
She stood there stamping her feet and hugging
her arms around her to keep warm.
 
Soon
she could see the faint glow of its headlights flashing through the trees and
brush.
 
Finally a Land Rover pulled up
next to her.
 
Smaller that her own and
Bright yellow.
 
Serena waved hopefully at
the passenger window, unable to seen inside.
 
After a pause the window slid down.
 
A small athletic looking woman in her early thirties with short cropped
black hair sat behind the wheel, illuminated by the soft glow of the dash board
lights.
 

“Nice place for a walk!” she smiled.

“I guess it could be but my timing requires reconsideration.”

“Hop in.
 
I guess that was your
Landie on the side of the road?”

“Yup.”
Admitted Serena, flushed with embarrassed.

The woman laughed.
 
It was an easy
comfortable sound.

“You’re not the first and won’t be the last to come short on that bend.”

“Well that is good to hear.
 
I have
been feeling like such a fool.
 
Serena.”
She said holding out her hand.

“Aida.” She said gripping Serena’s and shaking it firmly.
 
“This road only services the three Chalets at
the end, so I’m guessing that’s where you’re heading?”

Serena nodded.
 

Warmth and Safety
at last.

The drive only took another five minutes and by the time they reached the
shared parking lot, the visibility was down to just a few metres.
 
Stressing her thanks for the ride and
promising to pop over for a drink sometime, Serena headed for the nearest
chalet while Aida trudged off in the direction of the other chalets, disappearing
into the thick white.

Stomping her feet on the wooden step, Serena felt through her
pockets.
 

Shit I am so stupid.
 
The keys.

She looked up and down the length of the porch, covered in a light
powdering of snow, blown in by the wind.
 
She checked the doors and windows.
 
The wind was getting stronger now and the parked cars and surrounding
forest had completely disappeared.
 

Looks like I’m coming for that
drink sooner than we thought.

Taking care not to fall over anything that might be buried in several
inches of snow, Serena cautiously made her way around to the back of the chalet
and using that as a reference struck out across the courtyard toward the next
chalet.
 
Just as hers disappeared from
view behind her, the second appeared slightly to her left.
 
With relief she followed the building around
to find the porch.
 
She hoped this was
the one Aida was living in or she would have to repeat the whole process to
find the other chalet in the white out.
 

Stomping the snow off her boots and the bottom of her legs she knocked on
the door.

Her breath froze in her chest and started a coughing fit.
 
The door had opened and just inside stood
Marco and Michelle.
 
One looking
surprised the other looking ready to kill.

“Umm...sorry wrong house...” she stammered turning to go.
 
She could feel her face and ears glowing and
was sure her ears alone would melt the snow for a mile in each direction.
 
She was mortified.
 
A fact she didn’t relish advertising to the
couple in the door way.

“Hey Serena?” called Aida pushing Marco and Michelle aside.
 
“I didn’t expect you so soon.
 
Come on in.
 
Guys this is the woman I told you about.”

In the pit of her stomach, Serena knew there would be no one in the other
Chalet and this was the only safe place for her.
 
If it weren’t for the baby she would probably
go and attempt to build an igloo before accepting Aida’s offer to come
inside.
 

It’s time to stop being selfish.
 
There is a little person to consider.

 
Muttering thanks and mumbling
something about being locked out of her Chalet she scrabbled inside.
 
Quietly Marco helped her with her thick coat
and offered her the chair closest to the log fire.
 
The warmth of the flames did little to
dissolve the ice hanging in the space between the cabins occupants.
 

Aida, oblivious to the tension in the room, offered Serena a drink and
Serena accepted a hot chocolate.
 
Marco
muttered something under his breath and followed Aida to the kitchen leaving
Michelle and Serena alone in the room.

“What are you doing here Serena?”
 
Asked Michelle.
 
She
did nothing to hide the contempt from her voice.

Serena pulled on her brave face and looked the Actress square in the
eyes.
 
“Trust me this is the last place
on the planet I would wish to be.”

“How did you know we would be here?”
Grilled Michelle a
little too harshly.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t play coy with me Serena.
 
We
told no one where we were going.
 
How did
you know we were going to be here?”

“Michelle, I am staying next door with my family and friends. I had no
idea anyone was here until Aida gave me a lift.
 
I probably still wouldn’t if I hadn’t left my keys in my car.
 
So stop with the interrogation.
 
I am grateful that you have let me in, to sit
out the blizzard, but where I spend my holidays is no business of yours as
yours is
no
business of mine!”

Damn that felt good.
 
And I kept my cool.
 
Keep it up girl.

Serena mentally polished her knuckles on her chest with pride.

Michelle,
gazed at her intently for a minute,
not bothered by Serena’s show of strength.

“Fine.
 
I
believe you.” She retorted.
 
“But a word of warning.
 
Stay the hell away from Marco.
 
He
has been hurt enough.”

With that Michelle stalked up the stairs.

Serena, left alone for a few minutes, slumped into the deep armchair
letting the soft cushions engulf her.
 
She was starting to get some feeling in her feet by the time Aida
brought her hot chocolate through.
 
Marco
had disappeared.

“Okay fess up.”
Said Aida crawling into a matching sofa
next to Serena.

“Fess up about what?”

“Well let’s start with why Marco has suddenly started sulking more than
usual and is outside in a blizzard trying to murder the fire wood. And then you
can tell me why my girl friend has been throwing daggers at you.”

Serena studied Aida’s face tentatively over the rim of her hot chocolate,
wondering if she had just heard the woman correctly and if she should take the
information literally or figuratively.
 
She wasn’t sure how you asked for clarification to a statement like that
without being offensive.

Aida just sat there, her friendly face openly quizzical.

“Umm, I er....dunno.” was all she managed.

Aida laughed.
 
When she did her
whole body laughed with her.

“Oh Serena.
 
Don’t look so worried.
 
Yes,
Michelle and I
are
a thing.
 
Yes I am a lesbian.
 
It’s supposed to be a secret but seen as we
are marrying in the states next week and the whole world is going to find out
anyway.....what the hell right?”

Serena’s eyes widened
..
 
“But what about Michelle
and Marco?”
 

“Ah now that is a funny story
!.
 
You see Marco and my brother were in school
together and they bumped into each other a few years ago and the party got a
little wild.
 
Anyway boys will be boys
and Marco lost a bet.
 
I had a quick word
with my brother and as payment, Marco ended up promising to convince the public
that he was dating Michelle so no one would know that Michelle and I were an
item.
 
I must say he has done a fab
job.
 
Don’t you?”

“But I thought I saw them at Tramonto, twice actually......”
 
Serena broke off realising she might be about
to break some terrible news to this lovely woman.

“Mmm Tramonto, let me think.
 
There
was that one time after the party in the flower beds at dawn.
  
Terrible that was.
 
It was cold!
 
And then the weekend when Marco was away and he let us use the
house.
 
The view from the balconies
upstairs is amazing!”