‘Broken?’
‘I don’t think so. Maybe sprained. But it’s not bad. I just need to rest it a minute and then it’ll be fine, I’m sure. I’m just mad at myself for not being more careful. The flashlight stopped working and I didn’t see the icy patch.’
‘You should have stayed put and waited for me to come find you.’
‘I was almost back at the truck.’
‘Actually,’ I told her, tight-lipped, ‘the truck is over there. You were walking in completely the wrong direction, and if youhadn’tslipped, you’d probably have walked right over the edge of the cliff just behind you.’
Her face, already pale, whitened further. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said in a small voice.
‘You don’t need to be sorry.’
Her eyes blinked at me in the bright light of the headlamp. She wiped the wet hair off her forehead. ‘You seem mad.’
All the fear and tension I’d been holding on to since I’d realized she was missing flooded out of me in a rush. ‘I’m not mad. I’m sorry if I sounded it. Come on, let’s get you out of this rain.’
‘Help me up,’ she said. ‘I think I can hobble with your support. I just need a shoulder or arm to hang on to.’
‘Screw that,’ I said simply, and scooped her up into my arms.
She squealed. ‘Put me down.’
‘No.’
‘Jonah I can walk; you don’t need to carry me.’
‘You’re injured. We need to get you into the tent, check you over.’
‘I’m—’
‘A strong, independent woman. Yes, I know. But I can’t risk you falling again. Jesus, Mae, I thought I’d lost you there for a minute. I’ve never been so scared in my life. Can you just let me help you,please.’ I implored her with my eyes.
‘OK.’ She gulped, wrapping her hands around my neck. ‘Thank you.’
I held her to my chest and carefully made my way back to the truck. ‘Can you climb the ladder?’ I asked her.
‘Only one way to find out.’
‘I’ll help you.’
Between us, we soon got her up there, and I laid her down on the cushions and blankets while I zipped up the tent and shut out the rain.
‘You’re wet through,’ I growled.
‘So are you.’
‘We’re not talking about me.’
I unzipped her coat and gently helped her out of it, clipping it to a pole near the front panel of the tent. Next, I removed her boots one at a time, taking it slowly when it came to her injured foot. She winced a few times when I peeled off her sock, thinking I didn’t notice. In the light of the headlamp, I studied her foot.
‘What’s the verdict?’ she asked.
‘You’re right, I don’t think it’s broken. No obvious deformity, only mild swelling. Wait here, I’ll be back in a minute.’
She grabbed my arm. ‘No, wait, where are you going?’
I placed my hand on top of hers. ‘Just to the truck. I have a first-aid kit in there. Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.’
