A Home For Emily

Chapter Twelve

There are hands on her, shaking her, pulling on her, trying to force her away from her soft, warm dream.

Emily tries to pull away from the hands, but she has so little strength. She just wants to sleep. She's so tired, she's never felt this tired before.

She tries to ignore the person who keeps repeating her name over and over again, tries to drift back to the sleep that calls to her.

"Emily!" It's Austin's voice, and he sounds scared. Why would he be scared?

She tries to fight her way back to consciousness. Austin needs her.

It's so difficult to force herself to open her eyes that it takes a long time. Once or twice Emily drifts off again, but Austin shakes her back awake.

She becomes more aware of her surroundings, aware she's not at home or in her bed, aware of how cold she is, how everything aches. The tingling in her toes and fingers.

Familiar arms are holding her close. Something scratchy is wrapped around her. Austin is saying her name over and over again.

It takes almost more strength than Emily has to open her eyes. When she does, she's looking into a pair of familiar grass-green eyes that are filled with tears.

"Why are you crying?" Emily asks.

Her voice sounds whispery, weak, not like her normal voice at all.

"Thank God," Austin says. And then he kisses Emily.

Emily's body flares back to life. The tingling in her toes and fingers spreads to other parts of her body. Her arms go around Austin, clutching him.

Austin breaks the kiss. "I was so worried. When I couldn't wake you up—I can't lose you, Emily. I can't."

"You won't," Emily promises.

She's becoming more aware; her mind is slowly waking up. She's in the vacant house she found last night. Austin has pulled her on his lap. He's wrapped a blanket around her. Emily is still so cold.

"How are you feeling? We need to get you moving if you think you can stand."

"You just want me off your lap because I'm so heavy," Emily teases.

"When we get home, I'll hold you the rest of the day. I never intend to let you go," Austin replies.

His words warm her more than the blanket does.

"I think I can stand," Emily says.

"We'll take it slowly." He doesn't let go of Emily though, he kisses Emily again instead. A long kiss, that sends the blood in Emily's body singing.

"I'm never going to move if you keep kissing me." Emily snuggles deeper in Austin's lap. She doesn't want to move. She's safe and warm and happy in Austin's arms. "How did you find me?" Emily asks.

She looks beyond Austin through the open door. It's still dark outside with just the hint of the dawn approaching. Emily has no idea what time it was when she got here. "Wait, where are the girls?" Emily sits up. She can't believe she didn't think about the girls before this. Are they outside in the cold? Did Austin leave them all alone in the house?

"Shh, it's okay," Austin says, pulling Emily back to him. "We waited all day yesterday for you and when you didn't come—they were worried. We all were. Kathryn came by just as I was getting frantic. She said she had a feeling she was needed at our house; she has a sense about these things. When Josephine was in labor both times, she showed up before I had a chance to fetch her. Anyway, she's with the girls. She gave me her horse and wagon. I drove to town but there was no sign of you. It had stopped snowing by then. Eventually, I was able to stumble upon your footprints in the snow and followed them here. You were so pale, Emily, when I found you. So cold to the touch. And I couldn't wake you up."