Lost and Found [Harvest Moon: A New Beginning]

Warmth

Rio paused in her narrative and opened another bottle of beer. She took a few swallows, staring meditatively into the fire. Iroha watched her, a thoughtful look in her eyes. After a moment, she said, "So you took him in, gave him your bed, and fed him, in the hopes of nursing him back to health. Did he cooperate after that first night?"

"More or less, though he always was a stubborn man. Weren't you, Vaughn?" she said, a half smile curving into the corners of her mouth.

"Reckon so. No more stubborn than you, though," he said with a grin as he leaned farther back and closed his eyes. "As I recall...."

**************

When he woke up in the morning and sat up to look around, Rio was gone. She'd built the fire up again, and he could see a pot simmering on the stove and smelled the comforting fragrance of simmering rice. He tried to stand, but as he immediately felt lightheaded and unsteady, he quickly sat back down. He started coughing again, wincing at the pain stabbing into his chest and grating his throat. Just then, the front door opened and Rio stepped in.

"You're awake," she observed as she went straight to the kitchen, shedding her snow-covered boots and coat on the way. Her cabin was small, just one open room, so he could see her as she stood on tip-toe to pull a bottle off a shelf. She poured some of the amber liquid into a small glass, added a spoonful of honey, then pulled a container from the fridge. She took out a wedge of lemon and squeezed the juice into the glass, mixing it all together before bringing it to him. "Here, drink this," she said, handing the glass to him. He tossed it back, choking from the shock of pain on his raw throat. It only lasted a moment, though, and soon he began to feel more comfortable as the whiskey dulled the pain.

"Thanks," he rasped as he handed her the glass.

She took the glass and returned to the kitchen, where she washed and dried it, setting it aside in case of another coughing fit. After that, she took the rice from the stove and stirred in milk, spices, and sugar to make a creamy porridge. She ladled up a bowlful and poured a glass of juice, then brought them to him and took a seat in the chair by the bed, watching as she waited for him to eat.

He took a bite of porridge, then looked over at her watching him in silence. He took a second bite, then set the bowl down on the bedside table and scowled at her. "What?" he growled. She looked startled, but didn't reply. "Don't stare at me. You're makin' me lose my appetite," he grumbled, picking his bowl back up.

Shock and hurt flickered across her face, and she abruptly stood up. Snatching her coat from the peg by the door, she glanced back at him, tears in her angry eyes. "Sorry I make you physically ill. I'll go away so you can eat in the pleasure of your own company." Then she flung herself out the door, leaving him sitting in bed, startled, with the spoon frozen halfway to his mouth.

Setting the bowl back on the table, he hastily pulled his boots on and chased after her, shouting, "Rio! Wait!" He could see her up ahead of him, crossing the bridge to Verdure Island, her heavy boots pounding a staccato beat as she half-walked, half-ran across the planks. Either she didn't hear him or else she was ignoring him, because her pace didn't slow as he reached the bridge. Shivering with the cold, he started to step onto the bridge when another fit of coughing doubled him over.

She heard that, at least, and turned around. Running back across the bridge, she grabbed him and hauled him back to his feet, pulling him back into her house. "You promised!" she berated him, slamming the door closed and rounding on him, her eyes flashing.

He dropped down on the edge of the bed, feeling dizzy and breathless. "I was trying to catch you," he muttered as soon as he'd recovered some of his breath.