Indoor plumbing? Water to drink?
Theodor begins to inspect the cabin. He opens a door next to what looks like a broom closet. It’s a toilet.Yep, we have indoor plumbing!
Could one hope for electricity, too?
I feel the wall around the entrance until I find a switch. A ceiling fixture turns on. I clap, delighted.
Theodor turns to me. “I suspect there’s a solar panel on the roof.”
More details come into view. The cabin is clean and tidy. There’s even a small pile of wood by the stove. The logs need splitting to burn well, but that won’t be a problem because there’s an ax hanging on the wall. The person who owns this cabin is smart enough to maintain it well. If we end up spending hours here until the storm dies down, we can start a fire to keep warm and even make some tea over it, if I can find a mug or two.
I unzip my coat and wrap my arms around me to ward off a chill. My toes and fingers are still numb from the cold.
“Will you help me s-start a f-fire?” I ask Theodor, teeth chattering.
He looks at the stove, then at the wood, and then at me. “No.”
“If you’ve never done it before, I’ll tell you exactly—”
“That’s not the issue. I…” He draws a ragged breath. “I can’t go near a fire. It’s a phobia.”
Oh!I should’ve guessed. “No worries!”
I pick up an armful of wood and carry it to the kitchen area.
The flooring here is hard stone, perfect for my purpose. Seizing the ax, I hit the first log… and miss, my stiff fingers making me ham-handed.
Theodor takes the ax from me. “That, I can do.”
“Thank you!”
He takes his coat off and rolls up his sleeves, revealing badly scarred forearms.
While he’s splitting the firewood, I quickly check the stove’s chimney for any blockages or deposits. I light a match inside, and the flame goes up. Perfect. It’s safe to use. Next, I push the single hung window all the way up to air the cabin. Wind and snow rush in, making everything rattle. I draw up the zipper on my coat. Theodor doesn’t seem to notice the change, his physical effort keeping him warm.
A few minutes later, I decide it’s good enough and close the window.
When Theodor is done, I start a fire. Almost immediately, the air in the cabin gets warmer. I pull a chair up, plonk myself into it, and stretch my legs and arms toward the stove.
Theodor sits down farther away, his back to the fire. “Thank God for outdoorsy girls!”
I smile, unzipping my coat and yanking the hood down. And then I burst out laughing.
“It wasn’t meant as a joke.” Theodor’s voice is laced with mirth.
“I know.”
“But you’re laughing.”
“With relief. This outdoorsy girl is happy she won’t be meeting her maker just yet.”
“I’m sorry I put you in harm’s way,” he says. “It was an unforgivable fuckup. A series of fuckups, actually, involving an entire chain of command, including myself.”
The gravitas in his voice makes me turn around. “Are you a mafia boss? Is Kurt Ozzi your main competition?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
I tilt my head to the side. “Don’t deflect.”
