Page 20 of When You Saved Me

A week had passed since Deacon completed the dock repairs and I was finally starting to settle into my new home.

I’d gone into town nearly every day to sit with Sarah and Stephanie at the bakery. At first, the venture into town had been strictly for the chocolate croissants. Then, I started to enjoy how easy it was to converse with the girls. They were both so sweet and made me feel like I wasn’t alone in my new town.

It was my every intention to make another trip to town this morning, but when I peered through the back door of the cabin while sipping on my morning coffee, I was greeted with a glistening blanket of snow. Snow had become rare in Charlotte, so I didn’t have much practice driving in it. Despite my newly developed cravings for chocolate croissants, I didn’t want to risk driving when the snow was pretty thick.

“Are you ready, buddy?” I asked Casper while fastening the final bootie onto his back left paw.

He chirped at me in agreement, and I was thankful he was starting to get used to his new footwear. This time, he only stood awkwardly for a few seconds before he bounded toward the front door with me.

I pulled down on the blush-colored beanie my mother got me this past Christmas. The fabric was soft over my ears, and I could feel the fluffy pom-pom move to the side when I slipped on my boots.

Casper nudged my leg with his face before I opened the door to the most beautiful winter wonderland I’d ever seen. A dusting of snow covered the top of the railing surrounding the front deck and the entire ground shimmered in the morning light. It looked like dozens of diamonds had been strewn about my front lawn, the view took my breath away.

I looked down at Casper who looked up at me and before he could get an idea of what I was about to do, I darted over the front porch and down the steps. Snow crunched under the heels of my boots while Casper’s white fur blended into the scenery around us.

We ran around in circles, Casper chasing after me. The cold air burned my lungs, but I didn’t care. The sky was moody above me, promising to send more snow that already had the surrounding pine tree branches weighed down.

Laughter fluttered past my lips as I fell to the ground and spread my arms and legs out wide, doing my best to make a snow angel in the little bit that covered the grass. Casper rolled his shoulder into it before plopping over completely,doing little wiggle worm movements so he could feel the coolness of the snow press into his fur.

I laid there for a while, giggling to myself as I watched Casper start to hop around in the snow, chasing after some imaginary bug that only he could see. Wet cold was starting to seep through my pants, but I didn’t want to move. Not yet.

There was nothing that could take the lightness and pure joy away from me. I’d wanted this so badly. I thought my heart yearned for it before I even realized whatittruly was.

Open space.

Freedom.

Silence.

Joy.

The divine experience that only being out in nature could bring.

In the short time of being in my new home, I’d already completed three canvases and listed them on my website for sale. One sold almost immediately, reminding me how fortunate I was to do my life’s passion for a living.

Thankful for this life, I continued to lay in the snow. Watching endless gray clouds roll by, feeling my clothes grow wetter and colder by the minute. But that didn’t matter because I was here, in the exact moment I’d wished and hopedfor, for so long.

Speckles of white, green and brown paint covered my forearms. The mural was starting to come alive. After our morning in the snow, I brought Casper back inside so I could work on bringing some of the beautiful nature into our new home. The wall behind the loveseat had been transformed into a misty forest scene and as I stood back and assessed the work I’d put in for the last six hours, I felt impressed with myself.

My craft had transformed from the years I’d spent in college, and I was just now starting to find my voice as an artist. I wanted to create things that spoke to me through quiet whispers or loud yells.

And the nature surrounding the tiny cabin told me that there was such peace and mystery in the woods. What trials had the giant trees endured from the time they were a sapling until their roots grew deep into the earth? How much time had passed for the rushing water of the river to hone the pebbles lying beneath its surface?

There were so many questions that would go unanswered, and it was beautiful. The humbling experience of never knowing something. It kept me grounded and curious.

Satisfied with today’s work, I gathered my brushes and went to the sink to start cleaning them. Lifting the faucet handle with my wrist, an angry gurgling sound rumbled beneath the sink.

“Oh no,” I said under my breath as the rattling sound grew louder right before water spewed from the cabinets below the sink. Kneeling, I threw open the cabinet doors and saw that one of the pipes had burst and was quickly filling upthe space. Water leaked onto the wood floors and started spilling further into the kitchen.

“Oh my gosh!” I yelled, having no idea what to do to stop the water from jutting out of the pipe. I smacked the faucet knob back into the off position, but that didn’t stop the water from coming out of the broken pipe.

Hands dripping wet, I grabbed my cell off the counter and dialed Deacon’s number. It rang five times before going to his voicemail.

“Shit, shit, shit!”

I called another three times, but he still didn’t answer. “Come on, Casper!” I screeched as I took my car keys from the hook by the door and headed for Deacon’s house.

I should have put on a coat, I thought to myself as I walked up Deacon’s front porch steps. Snow had started falling again and my teeth were chattering as I shivered from the wetness that clung to the fabric of my long-sleeve shirt.

---