The heavy patchwork quilt under his arm had started out on his mother’s bed long before he was born. When she’d upgraded to a comforter, this handmade treasure had been passed down through the siblings. He and Lucky had traded off weekly until Angie had come along.
After Angie moved out, it had become known as the Rescue Quilt, deployed whenever someone needed extra protection during a major snowstorm. Like if someone got stranded inthe barn. More often it was a courtesy provided when a visitor would have trouble making it from their vehicle to the front door without turning into an icicle.
He had no illusions. This gesture was meant for Lani. If he’d been alone, the Rescue Quilt would still be in the hall closet. His mom believed in consequences for actions taken contrary to her wishes.
He opened Lani’s door and flipped one side of the quilt up over the door frame. It was padded wool and heavy enough to stay put. “Andy brought this so we could get under it while we make our way to the porch.”
“What a nice thing to do. Your mom must not be upset with you.”
“Oh, I think she is. Trust me, this is for your benefit, not mine.” Holding the edge of the quilt with one hand, he helped her down with the other. She’d put on her gloves. Smart move. He hadn’t bothered and his hands ached from the cold.
“I’m down. Now what?”
“I’ll unhook that side from the doorframe and give it to you. Hold it over your head and stick close to me. We’ll be better off going around the tailgate.”
“G-got it.”
“Sorry, Lani. We should have stayed?—”
“Nope. You did the right thing.”
“Thanks.” Maintaining his hold on one end, he slipped the other end free of the door and transferred it to her. Then he slammed the door and lifted his side of the quilt over his head. “Let’s go.”
Huddled under it, they made a herky-jerky dash for the porch and managed to climb the steps without losing the quilt or their balance.
Lani stood there gasping for breath. “Oh, my God. That was crazy, but it worked better than I expected.”
The heavy wooden door opened. “Get in here, you two.” His mom beckoned to them. “Rance McLintock, I swear. You?—”
“I know, Mom. It would have been smarter to stay at Vanessa and Harry’s.” He glanced down at Sam, who stood wagging his tail like crazy. “You would know better than that, wouldn’t you, pup?”
“He would have. Give me the quilt. I’ll drape it over the kitchen chairs so it can dry.”
He lifted it off Lani’s shoulders, then his. “I can take it?—”
“You’ll track water on the kitchen floor. Both of you get out of your coats and boots and skedaddle into the living room. Andy’s got a nice fire going.”
Yeah, she was ticked. He helped Lani with her coat and hooked it on the rack in the entry. It wasn’t until he hung up his own along with his hat that he realized a key element was missing.
He lowered his voice as he toed off his boots. “We left the box in the truck.”
“Oh, no. We did, didn’t we?”
“Just as well. We might have dropped it in the snow.”
“You guys want coffee or hot chocolate?” his mother called from the kitchen.
“Hot chocolate,” he called back. “And I’ll help make it.” He glanced at Lani. “Granny’s is good, but Mom’s is even more amazing.”
“Sounds great. I can help, too, unless…”
“Yeah, better let me. I need to, if you get my drift.”
“I do. Sam and I will go check out Andy’s fire. Holler if you need backup.”
He chuckled. “Okay.” He walked through the arched doorway into the kitchen.
His mom had begun heating the homemade combo of cocoa, sugar and water that formed the base for her famous hot chocolate. “You can get me the milk and take out some mugs.”
