Chapter 38: The Glade Path

“Fernanda! Come in, what’s going on?” Leah had a bad feeling.

“Abel didn’t come home, did he? He was out in the cold weather all night?”

“Yes, although he did take a sleeping bag when he left.”

Val, standing in the doorway, heard all of this. She cried out, fearing for his safety. Nan explained briefly what had happened. Leah asserted herself then.

“Val! Get a hold of yourself! Go get dressed to stay warm and dry out there. Put on your boots. While you’re getting ready, I’m making a thermos of hot cocoa for you to take to him.”

While making the cocoa, Leah said, “I know about that place in the forest you guys go to. I don’t know precisely where it is, but I have found pine needles in Ted’s panties, er, underwear, Nan. At least you and Val are on birth control now. OK, here you go, put this cocoa in your backpack, Val.”

Grim-faced, the two young women set off down the familiar path through the brush and into the grove of pines. At the glade, they stopped to look around carefully.

“He’s not here! Oh, no!”

Val started crying again.

“He could be anywhere, out in the cold, no food or water. All because his mother, damn her, was taking him for granted! I just want to slap her. What did your brothers do to my boyfriend?”

“It wasn’t any one thing, it built up over time. I think he felt taken advantage of by Carolina. I mean, think about when your parents were still alive. Did you always treat them fairly?”

“Oh, that’s hard to admit, but I get your point. I know sometimes I was a little shit to them, and to my siblings. I feel differently now that they’re gone. It chafes me sometimes, but Leah and Andrew do treat me pretty well, and I don’t feel like I can disrespect them since they are the only adults left in my life.”

“Unfortunately, all this reflection isn’t helping us find Abel. We need to get across to him that he doesn’t need to hide in the wilderness just to get away from his mother and my brothers. She can damn well hire somebody to watch those two little shitheads while she’s out on dates.

“You got that right,” said Abel as he emerged from the trees into the glade.

“A—” was all that Val could get out before she collided with him, her arms wrapped tightly around his torso.

Nan put her hand on his shoulder while Val squeezed him. After about thirty seconds, she moved her hand to Val’s shoulder.

“Val, Val, let him breathe. C’mon, loosen up, it’s OK, we’ve got him now.”

She finally released him, then fixed her eyes on his.

“Don’t you EVER scare me like that again, Abel. What were you thinking? Never mind; I’m happy to be with you. I have some warm cocoa, and then you’re coming back to my place.

“We’re going to resolve this situation so you can get back to enjoying life and being my happy and horny boyfriend. OK? Mnph!”

She plastered him with the first of many kisses, interrupted only by his sips of cocoa.