The Search

Chapter 36

Jade, day 20

Afternoon

We all made it to Sylvan in one piece and today, the day after our arrival, Nikolai has planned many things for the Mafia men.

"Alright." Nikolai rubs hands together after we successfully drove onto the ice. "Kids you get the tent set up, your uncles and I will drill the holes."

Luca crosses his arms over his chest stuffing his chin into his jacket to heat up. "I don't like this." He states.

I laugh not saying a word and follow Nikolai. My Father holds the drill while James holds the bucket of fishing line connected to wood pieces.

Nikolai tried to help my Father start the drill, of course he's rather threatened when Nikolai reaches forward to help so I step in. "Papa." I warn.

I grab the drill that's bigger then me and start it up. Nikolai shovels the snow off so we just see ice. I begin to drill downward, pressing my feet far apart so the hole is right underneath me. Nikolai helps pull it up because it gets heavy with all the ice and water.

I grin leaving the rest to the boys and head back to the truck to grab a sleeping Lexi.

I get her one piece snow suit on and bundle her up all nice and warm and pull out the sled. She soon wakes and rubs her eyes tiredly at the bright sun.

I kiss her cute chubby cheeks, "you ready to have some fun baby? Wanna go build a fire with mommy?"

She nods laying her head down onto my shoulder. I grab a little sled with strings connected and get her seated on top. I find a nice patch in the middle of all of our trucks and the tent.

I shovel a big circle and then grab firewood out of the back of the truck. Nikolai's cousin always has a great stock of wood.

Sophie runs towards me away from kit with a grin on her face. "Need any help?"

"Want to grab your brothers, kit and start unloading all of the chairs?" I ask nodding to the truck again.

They all get started on that placing all of the chairs in a big circle around the fire while I stack the wood into a big triangle.

As soon as I'm done I look towards the sled to get Lexis help with stuffing the news paper in the wood, but Lexi isn't there. My heart drops to my feet as I look around.

"Lexi!" I call out going around each truck in search of a small girl.  Except I don't see her, I check by the kids in case she joined them.  But again, she's gone. 

"Nikolai!!" I yell circling.

He turns, his smile dropping at my distressed state and runs over followed by my brothers and father.

"Lexi wandered, I don't know- she was sitting on the sled and I was just trying to-"

"Mama!" I hear my babies voice and she waddles towards me in her bright snowsuit.

I sigh and rush forward grabbing onto her tightly. I hear Nikolai take a deep breath, the snow crunches under his feet as he comes towards us.

"Lexi." Nikolai says seriously, he never gets serious and when he does the kids know they need to listen.  "Look at daddy."

She looks up shyly twisting her gloved hands together.  Her chin trembles at her daddy's composure, I know it's scaring her but god her safety matters entirely more all together.

"Can you tell me why you walked away from Mommy when she told you to stay?" He asks taking off his gloves.

"Lexi..." she pauses finding the words,  "snow pwaint."

Nikolai looks at the trucks side door that has her mitten marks all over it since she tried to reach the handle.  She must have tried the other side when that didn't work, that's when I noticed she was gone and didn't see her.

"Next time can you ask mommy for help? You made mommy and daddy very scared when she couldn't see where you were. Okay?"

Lexi nods immediately, "mhm dada."

"Okay, good girl, thank you baby." He leans forward taking her and hugs her to his chest.  She leans into his chest and he takes the chance to kiss her forehead. 

I look at the fire that's already been started and blow a kiss at Alex who's holding the matches.  He knows what he's doing, taught by his Father of course. 

"Come with mommy Lexi, let's go get your snow paint." Nikolai places her down and I grab her hand to help her take steps in the deep snow.  She tries to run but almost falls a couple times, I hold her up every time. 

We begin to spray the chalk paint onto the snow making pictures and names.  I look at my little girl who's smiling brightly.  Now only to catch a fish.