I must have fallen asleep because when I woke we were on the ground and I was alone with the dogs.  I started to sit up and felt a sharp pain in my side.  I relaxed and let the chair sit me up.  The dogs both came to me, each one licking a hand.  They must be under orders not to let me up.  I looked out the window.  A limousine was waiting and Aris and Ripley were standing off to the side talking.  I'm awake now.  I know.  I will be there in a minute.  He appeared out of thin air.  I looked at him funny, “are you going to teach me that too?”  “Maybe.  Are you ready for a smoke?”  “Yes.”  He picked me up, “Jax, Reese, with me.”  They followed us out of the plane.

Aris sat me down on the bottom steps and lit me a cigarette, then one for himself.  Ripley lit himself a cigarette and took the dogs out to a grassy area.  How did you sleep?  Pretty good.  I feel well rested.  How much driving do we have?  About three hours.  A little more if the roads are not maintained well.  Will I see snow?  Yes.  It's colder here.  Yes it is.  Are you cold?  I'm okay.  Do not lie to me.  I can always tell.  Because you read my mind.  I could tell even if I did not read your mind.  How?  He just smiled.  We finished our cigarettes, got in the limousine and waited for Ripley and the dogs.  It was definitely colder outside.  The limousine was nice and toasty.  We didn't have to wait long.  The passenger side door opened, the dogs climbed in and the door shut.  A few seconds later the driver's side door opened and Ripley got in, shivering.  I could feel the cold coming off of him.  Your skin will adjust, then the cold will not bother you so much.  What about him?  He will just have to dress warmer.  He will have everything he needs at the cabin.

The ride to a car rental agency took about twenty minutes.  There were three to four inches of snow on the ground and more headed our way, according to Ripley.  I waited in the car, with the dogs, while both Aris and Ripley went in.  They both came out with a set of keys.  Aris opened my door, blasting me with frigid air, “Wait here while we get everything situated.  Then I will come and get you.”  “Okay.”  He got the dogs out and took them to, not one, but two vehicles this time.  He put Reese in the front passenger seat of a maroon late model Jeep Wrangler.  He then put Jax in the backseat of a gray late model Lexus GX 460 Luxury.  He and Ripley quickly moved supplies from the trunk of the limousine to the back of the Jeep.  Not long after, my door opened, without warning.  I tensed up, which was pretty excruciating.  The blast of frigid air didn't help.  “I am so sorry,” Aris apologized, “do you think that you can get out and stand with my help?”  “I will try,” I answered, still in pain.  Let me help with that.  He took hold of my hand and squeezed it a couple of times.  The relief was almost instantaneous.  I smiled at him, with gratitude.  I turned and put my legs out of the door.  I then held onto the door with my right hand and the car with my left hand and pulled myself up.  He scooped me up and carried me to the front passenger side of the Lexus where Ripley was waiting with the door open.  He put me in the seat and buckled my safety belt.  “Is this seat heated?” I asked, feeling warmth beneath me.  “What!” Ripley shouted, “How about I drive Jade with the heated seats and indoor smoking and you drive the jeep?”  Aris shook his head no, “when we make stops, you can get in to have your cigarettes.”  “Deal,” Ripley agreed.  Aris shut my door and Ripley shut the limo door and trunk.

Again, the limo went the opposite direction from where we were going.  We followed Ripley to a gas station down the street to gas up the vehicles.  They both pumped gas.  Would you like anything?  A sweet tea would be great.  Aris went in to pay and Ripley got back in the Jeep.  While we waited, I noticed a man staring at me funny.  I looked away, remembering what had recently happened in that alley, a little fearful.  He tapped on my window.  I looked at him.  “Can I have your number?” he asked, loudly, through the window.  “I don't have one,” I yelled back.  “Oh, c'mon.  I just want to….,” he protested, but was cut off by Aris returning.  “She is not interested,” I heard Aris say.  A few seconds later the driver's side door opened and he got in.  They pulled the vehicles away from the gas pumps and parked off to the side.  Ripley opened the back driver's side door and got in.  Aris turned up the heat full blast then put the windows down half way.  “The heat is better in here too,” Ripley commented.  Aris lit a cigarette and handed it to me.  I took a long draw off of it, held it for a second, then blew it out the window.  “Was that man giving you trouble, Jade?” Ripley asked.  “No, he just wanted my number,” I answered, “Aris took care of it.”

“Pretty ladies shouldn't smoke cigarettes.  It's bad for your health.” Came a voice from outside my window.  I turned and looked.  It was that same man.  He was tall and thin, wearing a navy blue parka and blue Jean’s.  “So is talking to strange men,” I retorted.  “I just asked for your number….”  “And I told you I don't have one.  My dog doesn't like you.”  Jax had started a low growl, clearly not liking the stranger.  “Okay, okay.” He turned and walked away.  I took another long draw off of my cigarette.  There is something not right about him, I can't pinpoint it though.  I know.  Do not worry about it.  He is going to follow us.  I know.  Again, do not worry about it.

We finished our cigarettes and Ripley got out, then got back into the Jeep.  He pulled out of the parking lot first and we followed him.  I watched as the snow got heavier and heavier.  About two hours into the trip we were in blizzard like conditions.  We were progressing at a snail’s pace. “Rip and I agree that we are going to have to find a hotel.  Visibility is too low to keep driving and it will be dark soon,” Aris spoke up.  “Okay.  I look forward to laying in a bed for a while,” I agreed.  “Then it is settled.”

We stopped at rustic style, but fairly new looking cabins.  Ripley went into the main office while we waited in the Lexus.  He came back out a few minutes later with two room keys.  He approached Aris' window, “they only have two cabins left.  They are right next to each other.  I am going to go find food before everything closes up for the night.”  He handed Yaris the keys, got back in the Jeep and left.  We drove until we found our cabins.  They were definitely isolated, set at the back of the property overlooking a beautiful lake that looked to be frozen over.  Yaris turned off the Lexus, “Lock the doors while I go in and check them out.”  He got out and I locked the doors.  He went to the first cabin, unlocked the door and went in.  I saw a light come on, then a second light.  He came back out, leaving the lights on, then went to the next cabin and repeated the process.

He let Jax out first, then opened my door and carried me into the cabin closest to the vehicle.  He laid me down on the bed, where he had already turned down the covers, and covered me up.  I am going to get a few things from the car.  Jax will stay with you, okay?  That's fine.  “Come here Jax,” I patted the bed next to me.  He hopped up on the bed and snuggled with me.  I painstakingly rolled over on my right side, facing him and put my arm around him.  Aris took his key off of the dresser and put it in his pocket.  He opened the door, letting in an icy gusty of wind and went out.  I shivered, burrowing in deeper with Jax.  A few minutes later, the door opened, letting in another crisp breeze and a snow covered Aris.  “It's really coming down now,” he explained.  “Has Ripley made it back yet?” I asked, a little worried.  “He just let me know that he is on his way back.  I am going to bring in some wood for the fireplace, in case we lose power.”  “You could go ahead and start the fire,” I suggested, “I'm a little cold.”  “Okay,” he agreed, “I am going to put some wood in Rip's cabin too.”  “Okay.”  “Jax, do you need to go out?”  He perked his ears up.  I uncovered him, “go on.” He jumped down off of the bed and ran to the door, with a happy little yip.  I tucked the blanket around me to keep his warmth in and curled up into a ball.  “I will bring him back before I put wood in Rip's cabin,” Aris promised, then opened the door.  Jax ran out, excited to play in the snow.  Aris quickly followed and shut the door.

I closed my eyes and shivered for a few minutes, then slowly started to warm up.  I put my right hand on the spot that hurts the worst, like Aris does, and it slowly started to feel better.  Am I a healer too?  I wondered to myself.  Yes.  I just have to teach you how to do it.  Do not put your hand on it for too long.  I want you to eat before you fall asleep.  I took my hand off of it.  The pain came back but not as sharp as before.

The door opened and a very happy Jax strutted in, Reese in tow.  Yaris put down the firewood by the fireplace and hurried into the bathroom.  He came back out with a towel and dried Jax off, then moved to Reese.  Ripley came in carrying two sacks and a 12 pack of Diet Coke.  He went back out and came back in with a 24 pack of regular Coke and another sack.  “Did you buy out a grocery store?” I joked.  “Almost,” he smiled at me, “are you hungry?” “Yes.  What did you bring me?”  Both dogs hopped up onto the bed and snuggled around me.  Aris started working on the fire while Ripley unpacked bags.  “Mostly cold stuff, in case we are stuck here for a couple of days.  Dinner tonight I got at the only open restaurant left.”  “Jade, wait and I will help you to the chair,” Aris told me.  “I can help her,” Ripley offered.  Aris nodded in agreement.

He slowly helped me into a sitting position, then picked me up gently and carried me to a recliner in the corner of the room.  A very comfortable recliner.  “Thank you.”  “Welcome,” he answered.  I think that I could sleep in this chair.  Not a chance.  Aris brought the fire to life.  I could feel the glorious heat from it from where I was sitting, about ten feet away.  He waited for the fire to die down and went to the table, sat down and opened a Coke.

Ripley went back to the table and got me a Diet Coke.  I opened it, took a drink and sat it on the end table.  He went back to the table to get dinner ready.  “Jade, would you like chicken strips or a cheeseburger?  Or both?”  “How about I start with the chicken strips and go from there?”  He brought me a tray.  My mouth started watering as I smelled the chicken.  I opened the tray.  It looked wonderful.  Chicken strips were accompanied by mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and stuffing.  I took a bite of the chicken.  I chewed then swallowed, “This is pretty good.  Not as good as yours though.”  “This is definitely not as good as ours,” Ripley agreed between mouthfuls.  I ate it all.  “I don't think I have room for a cheeseburger.”  “How about apple pie?”  “What?”  My mouth dropped open.  “I will share it with you,” he answered.  “Deal,” I agreed, “but you finish eating first.  That will give my food time to settle.  Don't hurry.”