As the Snow Falls

Chapter 10

"I am so sorry." Cassie breathes into my matted hair. "I shouldn't have let you do that."

"Don't you dare apologize. It was my idea, after all. And Cassie," I shift so I'm looking into her eyes. "You saved me." My throat tightens and I swallow hard. "I didn't think there was a way out of there. I thought I would freeze there. But you got me out. You did."

Cassie smiles softly as a tear slips down her cheek. "I had to. But I shouldn't have risked losing you."

"Shh." I whisper, pressing a soft kiss to her warm lips. "I'm okay. We're both okay." A violent shiver rushes through me then, and Cassie's eyes widen.

"We need to warm you up. Come on," She carefully helps me to me feet before leading me into the small windowless room. Cassie helps me shed my layers of cold, wet, snow covered clothing until I'm in my underwear. She then leads me over to the pile of blankets before climbing under them and tucking me against her warm body. She pulls the blankets tight around us and I close my eyes, already feeling the heat thaw my frozen body.

"Thank you, Cass."

"You're welcome. Let's never do that again."

I laugh, but then quickly stop. "We might have to. That might be our only way out of here. But I was thinking, we might be able to do something to make sure we won't fall through the snow. I was thinking snowshoes."

"Do you know how to make snowshoes?"

"Nope. But I've seen some movies and have a general idea... the main problem is finding supplies that will work for them."

"Okay. But let's not talk about that right now."

"What do you want to talk about?" I ask Cassie, pressing my face closer to her warm sweater.

"Hmm... I don't know. The weather?"

A laugh pushes its way out between my shivers, and I grin up at Cassie. "Ha! Good one. I'd rather not think about the weather right now."

"I was walking by your desk the other day and heard you telling your friend that you're going home for the holidays. Tell me about your family." Cassie says softly.

I hear some sadness in her voice and it makes me wonder about her family. Was she close to them? Did she get to see them often? I push the questions from my mind as I begin telling her about my family.

"They're great. I don't get to see them often since I moved out here, but I'm excited to see them soon. If I'm able to, that is." I say, thinking of our situation again. "I have an older sister and two older brothers, and my sister has two daughters, and my oldest brother has a daughter, and the other has a son. Oh," I say with a giggle. "Did you know that the plural for nieces and nephews is Niblings?" I ask Cassie. She laughs loudly in response and I grin. I loved the sound of her laugh.

"I didn't know that." She replies after she's calmed down. "Only you, Ava. Only you." I smile and scoot closer before telling her more about my family.

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"Okay. I think this is good."

"Honestly?"

"Honestly." Cassie sets down her huge stack of papers and I do the same, letting out a breath of relief.

"I think we are the first ones done with the manuscript!" I say.

"Most definitely. Especially since no one had a way to get in here to work on theirs..." Cassie says and we laugh.

"Fair point. I think we did really good! I finally have a shot at the promotion! This should finally get Mr. Benson's eyes on just me for once." Cassie's face falls at my words and I replay them in my head, wondering if I said something hurtful. "What's wrong?"