The Girl in the River

Chapter 13

Winter set in. Sage's family covered their garden with great care and retreated indoors. Privacy became limited with the colder weather, Brook's visits were now always with at least one parent in attendance. They hadn't managed to be alone again before the first frost either, so Sage remained unkissed. She tried not to be too disappointed about it, even though she knew they likely wouldn't have another opportunity until spring. She was upset with herself for shying away the way she had, but what could she do about it now? At least the winter ahead held much more promise than other years, Brooks' regular gifts of game had saved them money already and she felt with budding happiness that perhaps they wouldn't have any hungry days this year.

    One morning Sage woke to her father's exclamation and crawled to the edge of her loft to see a whole snowdrift had been let in when he opened the door.

    "I thought it was extra cold last night!" he announced to no one in particular, standing back in disgust. "Now I have to shovel, and find my shoes."

    "They're here, Pel." her mother called from their bedroom. "I got them out for you the other day."

    He groaned for no other reason than to increase the drama, put them on, and spent the next ten minutes or so shovelling out their stairs. Sage watched from her stomach and when he'd left she climbed down and opened the door again to peer out. Several inches of snow covered the whole neighbourhood, as far as she could see from her tiptoes as she leaned out the door. Morning light was just starting to illuminate at the horizon. In the current darkness the house across the road looked like the stone face of a giant, staring out at her from under a fluffy white hat.

    "It's cold, my girl." her mother said sleepily from the hearth.

    "Sorry."

    Later that morning Brooks thumped down the steps and knocked at the door. Her mother answered it because Sage had trapped herself in a corner laying out pieces of fabric for a quilt.

    "I'd ask if you're busy, but by now I know that's a ridiculous question." he said cheerily, shrugging off the thanks he'd earned for a few freshly snared squirrels.

    "Do you have something else for me to do?" She asked from her place on the floor.

    "I want to go for a walk with you outside. You know, because it's the first snow. It's still early enough that the kids haven't trampled everything and it's gorgeous out there."

    Sage felt immediately uncomfortable.

    "I can't."

    "I can help you with this when we get back, I promise. You won't lose any time." he pressed.

    "Sage can't go out when there's snow, Brooks. She doesn't have boots." her mother said quietly.

    Brooks seemed genuinely flummoxed by this.

    "Don't you need to go to the outhouse, at least?" he asked.

    "I just... run." she whispered.

    "Oh."

    The pause lasted a long time, and then he slapped his hands against the sides of his coat just for something to do.

    "I guess I'll get going then, and come back later. I should be with the cows in the morning if I can, the milkers always leave mine too long if I'm not around to help." he said awkwardly.

    "Come back for dinner, we'll make a stew out of the squirrels." her mother put in.

    "Sure thing. See you, Sage."