Chapter 4

The two riders got off the machines. When they removed their helmets, Kelly and I ran outside to greet our parents. Mom hugged me while Mr. Hillman hugged Kelly. After a moment, Mom hugged Kelly and I shook Mr. Hillman’s hand.

Kelly and I invited our parents into what had become ‘our’ cabin. They looked around and smiled. After the normal questions about how we were, Mom and Mr. Hillman listened to Kelly and I tell them about our adventure.

While we talked, Kelly and I cleaned the cabin, putting everything we used back where we found it. I closed the vents on the stove, choking the fire so I could clean out the ashes.

“We found the car this morning,” Kelly’s dad said. “It’s buried in snow and we missed it when we were looking for you guys during the storm.”

“We kind of got lost,” Kelly told her dad. “While we were looking for the chalet, a deer ran across the road.”

“I reacted too fast, slammed on the brakes, and slid into the gully. We decided to try to find help so Kelly and I left the car and began hiking. We found this cabin and got out of the storm,” I said. “How far from the chalet are we?”

Mr. Hillman chuckled. “About five miles. You kids were on the right road when you got stuck. If you had stayed on the road, you would have found us. I was scared spit-less, but Fran convinced me you were skilled and wouldn’t let anything happen to Kelly. I can see she was right.”

We finished cleaning the cabin and decided to go. Kelly went to the outhouse while I wrote a note to the unknown owner, explaining what happened. I put some money with the note to pay for the food we used. I also put my name and telephone number on the paper, telling the owner to call me if they had any questions.

Mom and Mr. Hillman took us to the chalet on the back of the snowmobiles. When we got there, they led us into the luxurious cabin. Mom went to the kitchen and began cooking while Kelly and I sat on the couch continuing our story.

“This is much better than the corn beef hash and Spam we’ve been eating,” I said as I ate the bacon and eggs Mom fixed. “It kept us from starving, but it was getting old.”

“It wasn’t bad, honey. It wasn’t much worse than the food at my dorm,” Kelly said.

When Kelly called me honey, our parents’ eyebrows raised. I watched them glance at each other and then smile. While we sat at the rectangular table eating our hot food, Kelly and I pressed our legs against each other’s.

Kelly and I learned our parents had been looking for us since we didn’t show up. They called the police, telling them we were missing. Because of the raging nor’easter, the search effort was limited.

After eating, Mom suggested we take showers. Kelly went first while I stayed in the living room with her dad and my mom. I gave them a detailed description of what Kelly and I did for the time we were in the cabin, leaving out the parts about our sexual adventures.

After a half hour, Kelly came out of the bathroom wearing a bathrobe. She had a towel wrapped around her head, looking as beautiful as could be.

“Your turn, Justin. The shower felt great!” Kelly said, walking over to me and giving me a quick peck on the lips.

I got up, found my suitcase, and took out clean clothes. On my way to the bathroom, I glanced back at Kelly, smiling when she smiled at me. The hot shower felt wonderful and I stayed under the spray until the water started to cool. After I got out, I dried off. While getting dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt, I thought about the time Kelly and I spent at the small remote cabin. The experience had been daunting, but it was also very intriguing to say the least. Kelly and I admitted our love for each other, but I couldn’t help wondering if it was the circumstances leading us to the confessions. When I began to think about making love with her, I decided Kelly wouldn’t have done it if she didn’t have feelings for me.

Showered, shaved, and feeling like a human being again, I went out to join the rest of the group. Kelly changed into a pair of stretch pants and a tight tank top while I showered. When she saw me enter the room, she pushed her shoulders back slightly, causing her breasts to stand out on her chest. Mom and Kelly’s dad were in the kitchen area, preparing our Christmas dinner. I went over to the couch Kelly was sitting on, plopping down next to her.

Kelly leaned close, breathed in through her nose, and giggled. “Mmmm, you smell good.”

“Are you saying I stunk when we were at the cabin?”

“No, but you smell much better now.” Kelly kissed my cheek. “Still love me?”

“You bet I do! I love you so much I can’t even find the words to tell you.”

“I’ll bet you can show me. I know I can show you.”

“Don’t tease me, sweetie,” I said.

“I’m not teasing. As soon as I get you alone, I’m going to attack you.”

I chuckled and said, “As if I’m going to resist.”

Kelly grinned, glanced at our parents, and when she saw they were looking away, she covered my genitals with her hand. She gave me a firm squeeze, kissing my ear while she flexed her fingers. My cock quickly responded, growing hard in Kelly’s hand. She gripped me through my sweatpants, rubbing up and down.

“I think you’re becoming a sex maniac,” I whispered.

“No, but I am becoming addicted to it,” Kelly replied, emphasizing ‘dick’ when she said it.

We laughed, causing Mom and Mr. Hillman to look our way. Kelly let go of me before either of them saw what she was doing. She sat on my lap, putting her arms around my neck. I hugged her as we shared a kiss.

My mom woke Kelly and me, telling us it was time for dinner. We had fallen asleep with Kelly still on my lap. Before we got up, Kelly and I shared a hug and kiss.

Mom and Mr. Hillman prepared a feast. On the table there was a small turkey and all the trimmings. Kelly and I made comments about the meal, telling our parents how much better it was than the canned food we’d been eating.

Kelly and I answered questions about our unplanned adventure. When her dad asked if Kelly was scared, she told him she felt safe because of how clam I remained during the ordeal. I told them about Kelly’s sense of humor and how brave she was.

While we ate, I pressed my leg against Kelly’s. She pressed back, moving her leg up and down against mine. We couldn’t seem to stop looking at each other, causing our parents to chuckle under their breath.

After we gorged ourselves, we all pitched in to clean up. Kelly and I did the dishes while our parents took care of the leftovers. When we finished, we sat in the living room. Mr. Hillman added a couple logs to the circular fireplace, poking at the fire to arrange the wood. Mom brought us hot coffee, giving Kelly and me each a cup.

While we sat watching the fire, there was a knock on the door. Mr. Hillman answered it, letting the sheriff in the chalet. He took off his boots and came over to where Kelly and I were sitting, joining us on the couch.

“I’m glad to see you two are okay,” the sheriff said. “You could have gotten into trouble if you hadn’t found Jake Clifford’s cabin. I stopped there this morning and found it looking as if no one was even there. I called Jake to let him know what happened. He said he was glad you two survived.”

“We were lucky Mr. Clifford didn’t lock the cabin,” I said.

“A lot of the people who own hunting camps don’t lock them. It saves damage if someone does break in.” The sheriff opened a notebook, taking a pen from his pocket. “I need you to tell me what happened for my report.”

Kelly and I took turns telling the sheriff what happened. Once he had the information he needed, he gave us the name and number of a towing company so we could recover the rental car.

“Would it be possible to get Mr. Clifford’s address?” Kelly asked. “I’d like to send him a thank you card.”

The sheriff looked in his pad and then wrote Mr. Clifford’s name, address and telephone number on a piece of paper, handing it to Kelly. She glanced at it before putting it aside.

“Would you like a cup of coffee?” Mom asked the sheriff. “I made a pot.”

The sheriff said, “Yes please,” and Mom fixed him a cup. He began telling us stories about other people who had been stuck in the mountains. We learned many of those people weren’t as fortunate as we had been.

“The county should have the roads cleared in a day or two. It takes time to get to the secondary roads after a storm like the one we had. I heard the official snowfall was twenty-two inches. With the drifting, it makes for rough going,” the sheriff said.

“Did anyone get hurt in the storm?” Kelly asked.

“No, not this time. Aside from some down power lines and a few cars stuck in the snow, everything is okay around here. You’re lucky you folks didn’t lose power here. A few miles east of here, they lost a mainline and won’t have power for a few days,” the sheriff said.

“Our lights flickered, but we never lost power. The phone is still out, but that’s it,” Mr. Hillman told the sheriff.

“Well, I best be on my way. I still have a few stops to make before I get home. There are a few other people up here for the holidays. I’ll stop by in a day or two to check on you folks. You can always snowmobile up to the store if you need a telephone. Merry Christmas,” the sheriff said as he made his way to the door.

We all thanked the sheriff, wishing him a Merry Christmas. Once he pulled away in the big four-wheel drive truck he was driving, we returned to the couches.

Mom brought out a box of gifts, placing them on the coffee table. We opened our packages, thanking each other for the presents. Kelly gave me a nice sweater. I gave Kelly a few things, including CDs and a sweater. Mom shopped for me, bringing the gifts with her.

Mr. Hillman and Mom kept looking at each other. They seemed nervous about something, but weren’t saying what it was.

“Is there something wrong?” Kelly asked.

“No, Kelly, there’s nothing wrong,” Mom said. “Your father has asked me to marry him. We want to know how you two feel about it.”

I looked at Kelly, noticing the big grin on her face. Taking her hand, I pulled Kelly to her feet. We went to the couch where our parents were sitting, giving both of them hugs.

“I think it’s great!” Kelly said.

I chuckled and said, “I think it’s about time.”

“What do you mean?” Mom asked.

“It means I think it’s a great idea. It’s time you guys moved on and found happiness,” I told Mom. “When’s the wedding?”

Mom and Mr. Hillman laughed. “We haven’t set a date yet. We wanted to make sure you and Kelly were okay with it first,” Mr. Hillman said. “I guess we can start talking about a date now.”

Kelly and I congratulated them. We returned to the other couch, sitting close while holding hands. Mr. Hillman left the room for a moment. When he returned, he knelt in front of Mom.

“Fran, will you marry me?” Mr. Hillman asked.

Mom began crying, nodding her head as Mr. Hillman slipped a ring on her left ring finger. Kelly cried too. My eyes filled with tears as I watched my mom and Kelly’s dad hugging and kissing. After a moment, Mom came over to show Kelly and me the ring. She held her hand out, displaying the diamond.

I couldn’t remember seeing Mom so happy, not since my dad was alive. She was bubbly and giggling like a schoolgirl as she sat on Mr. Hillman’s lap. They kissed one another and laughed some more.

“So, now it’s official, how long before you tie the knot?” I asked, putting my arm around Kelly’s shoulders.

Mom and Mr. Hillman looked at one another, shrugging their shoulders. “Like we said, we haven’t talked about a date yet. Probably next summer,” Mr. Hillman said.

“Are you two going to have a big wedding, Mr. Hillman?” I asked.

“First of all, please call me Larry. It seems way too formal for you to call me Mr. Hillman.”

Nodding, I said, “Would it be okay if I called you Dad?”

“Yes, in fact it would make me very happy. To answer your question, I don’t know how large the wedding will be. I think it best if I leave it up to Fran,” Mr. Hillman said. “What do you think?”

Glancing at Kelly, I smiled. I tightened my arm around her shoulders, pulling her against my side. Taking a deep breath, I looked into Kelly’s eyes and said, “I think we should make it a double ceremony.”

Kelly’s eyes opened wide. I kept my eyes locked with hers as what I said sank in. Her eyes filled with tears as she grinned at me. I slipped off the couch, knelt on the floor, and took her hand in mine.

“Kelly, I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time. You are the most wonderful girl a guy could ever hope to find and I want you to be my wife. Kelly, will you marry me?”

I waited for Kelly to answer me. She sat there, looking into my eyes. After what seemed like an hour, she sprang off the couch, knocking me onto my back. She began covering my face with kisses while repeating, “Yes, yes, yes!”

Kelly and I hugged and kissed. I could hear our parents chuckling as we put on what must have been quite a display. After a few moments, we untangled our arms and legs, getting up to sit on the couch.

I glanced at Mom, seeing she was crying again. Mr. Hillman looked stunned, but smiled when our eyes met. I got up, went over to Mr. Hillman, and asked, “Dad, can I marry Kelly?”

“Yes, if you two are sure it’s what you want. You two are young, but it appears you’re in love.” Looking past me at Kelly, he said, “How about you, honey. Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Yes it is, Daddy. I do love Justin. I love him with all my heart.”

“Son, you aren’t doing this because of what happened while you two were at that cabin, are you?”

“If you’re asking if I’m asking Kelly to marry me because I fell in love with her, no. I’ve been in love with her for a long time. We never told one another how we felt. I fell in love with Kelly the night of the prom and haven’t been able to think of much else since.”

“Are you planning to finish school?” Mr. Hillman asked.

“Yes, Kelly and I will finish college. This isn’t going to replace our plans for the future. It’s going to add to them.” I looked back at Kelly. “Although we may change schools so we can be together.”

Kelly came over to me, putting her arm around my waist. “I’ll go to school wherever you want to, baby. We might lose a term, but we can make it up.”

Mom stood up, giving Kelly a hug. I shook hands with Mr. Hillman, assuring him I would take care of Kelly. We all chattered for a few moments before Mom took my hand. She led me to one of the bedrooms, closing the door once we were inside.

“Justin, have you told Kelly about your money yet?”

“No I haven’t. I decided to ask Kelly to marry me a few minutes ago.”

“You have to tell her soon. You should never, and I mean never, keep secrets between one another. Be open and honest with each other and you’ll be able to get through the tough times you two are sure to encounter.”

“I’ll tell her later. Mom, I love you and I’m happy for you.”

“I love you too. I’m happy for you and Kelly, but I want you two to talk about what you’re planning. Right now, you two are on an emotional high. Make sure it’s what you both want and take your time. It’s better to be sure than to make a mistake.”

“I’m sure Kelly and I will talk about this. Don’t worry we’ll do the right thing.”

Mom and I went back out to the living room. Kelly and her dad were talking, sitting next to one another on the couch. Kelly got up when Mom and I came into the room, hugging me tightly.

We stayed up for a little while. Mom and Kelly talked about the idea of having a double wedding and when we would do it. Mr. Hillman and I listened, chuckling at their excitement.

“I think it’s time to get some sleep,” Mr. Hillman said. “I’d like to go cross-country skiing tomorrow.”

The chalet had two bedrooms on the main floor and another two in the loft. The main floor bedrooms were on opposite ends of the chalet, separated by the living room. Mom and Mr. Hillman got up, heading toward one of the bedrooms. They told Kelly and me goodnight, telling us not to stay up too late. Once they were in their room, Kelly and I began to hug and kiss.