Page 55 of Snowed in With My Small Town Billionaire

“I’m going to die on this mountain, you know,” Zaid said. “Maybe I’ll be one of the ghost stories people tell when they come up here.”

“Hush your mouth,” Emilia said. “You aren’t going to die.”

It was obvious that she was trying hard to hold back tears. Gwen reached out and put her hand on Emilia’s.

“At the very least, I’m probably going to lose my leg. Sawyer is already worried about a blood infection. I know he’s trying to put it off as much as he can. He’s a good man,” Zaid said.

“He definitely cares about you,” Gwen said.

“Back in the day, they would have the Civil War soldiers bite a belt to keep from screaming. I don’t think that would work for me. I’ll be screaming.”

Gwen shook her head. “As Sawyer said, we have what is needed to make chloroform.”

“That makes me feel better,” Zaid said sarcastically. “Now, we’re done talking about this. It’s depressing. How do you like being a teacher?

“It has its days,” Gwen said. “One day, I’m looking over my classes and think about what amazing, smart human beings they are each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The next day, I’m reminding them not to pick and eat their boogies in class.”

“Ewww,” Zaid and Emilia said at once.

“I tell all my students that they are my heroes. They all go through stuff and life isn’t easy. Yet they bring the very best self they have to school every day,” she said. “The long hours, the low pay, being blamed for everything that goes wrong in the world, and unrealistic expectations are all worth it when that one kid comes to me and tells me that I made a difference.”

“Sounds like you’re an awesome teacher,” Zaid said. “I might have paid more attention in class if I had a teacher who actually cared.”

“Most teachers do, in their own way. It’s hard for them, though. I’ve lost a couple of students, and I haven’t been teaching that long. I’ve had two die in car accidents and three who took their own lives. I’ve had a couple shot and several end up in prison,” Gwen said. “But I had one who ended up on the streets at sixteen, was drinking all the time, and had some bad stuff happen to her. She kept up with her homework though, and now she’s in college, clean, and working hard. She graduated pregnant, but she’s managing to do her classes, work, and takecare of her son. She lets me know every now and again how well she’s doing.”

“Amazing. All I do is make old cars go again and make them perty,” Zaid said.

“That brings happiness to others and makes your soul happy, then that’s a good thing,” Gwen said. “What about you, Emilia?”

“Civil engineering. I’ve always loved intricately designing things and I love nature, so it was a good fit.” She looked around the parlor and laughed. “Okay, so I might not go out in nature for a while after we get back. I will sit on my couch, with the heater going, and my television.”

They all laughed. The three of them talked for a while longer, and then Zaid started to get sleepy.

Gwen found Sawyer in the library. He was staring into the flames of the fireplace as though they could give him the answers he so desperately sought.

He somehow sensed that it was her before she said anything.

“I’m scared, Gwen.”

She stood beside him and grabbed his hand. “I know you are.”

“I don’t know what else to do. We’re out of antibiotics. We’re trying the inner bark of the aspen trees, garlic, and every other home remedy we can think of, but it’s not enough.”

Gwen winced at the anguish in his voice. He turned around and wrapped his arms around her. They stood there, in front of the fire, holding tightly onto each other.

23

C H A P T E R

Sawyer

Sawyer,” someone whispered.

He thought he was dreaming.

“Sawyer, wake up. It’s Zaid. Please come now.”

He was instantly awake. Sawyer jumped out of his warm sleeping bag and rushed into the parlor.

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