He nourished her tirelessly, physically and mentally, to make up for all the lost time.
Just before the first snow, he took her to his mountain cabin .
He let her drive all the way to the mountain. He sat beside her,conducted her, occasionally glanced at her, unsure whether she would take the risk to kill them both by driving down the steep cliff.
The cabin located near the top of the mountain, hiding in a little hollow.
It was almost dusk when they arrived. Amid the growing shade of twilight stand a thick forest of pines. Leaden clouds swirling in the dark sky, wind screaming in the woods, he could smell the fresh scent of snow in the air.
She got out the car, stretched and yawned lazily, a whirling wind grabbed her hair and threw it into every directions. At that moment, he heard "Desterò dall'empia dite" echoing in his head.
She muffled herself up in the jacket, put a careless hand to her flying hair, turned around and asked him: "What's the next? Girl Scout training?"
He smiled and nodded: "Just a vacation."
"Vacation? Yours or mine?"
"Ours." he picked up his small backpack walked to the cabin, she walked behind him. His back was completely defenseless.
She didn't want to miss this opportunity, the next second, the belt of her canvas bag wrapped his neck like a snake.
He spent a full minute to free himself .
He was an excellent teacher, and she was a very good student.
She chopped wood to make a fire, he made some tea then began to prepare a simple dinner. It must look like a real family vacation if there are somebody watching them. What feels like to live with a family?He has completely forgotten, and she seems not remember either.
Just a floating moment of distraction, one of his arm almost disappeared beneath her axe.
"Mischa, I told you not to bother me when I am cooking." He pretended to be angry.
Her made a face and smiled to him, an adorable smile borrowed from Trillian, which could melt all the hearts in the world.
He casually talked about the three Furies during supper, " …There were three sisters: Alecto, Megaera and Tisiphone. Their name means Furies. they were placed in the Underworld by Virgil and it is there that they reside, tormenting evildoers and sinners. However, Greek poets saw them as pursuing sinners on Earth when there is a crime need to be punished..."
She smiled scornfully: "So they must be very very busy."
She insisted on sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag. He was awakened by a soft sobbing at midnight.
He hesitated for a second, then struck a match. A face covered with tears quickly hid into darkness.
"Bad dreams?"
No response.
He blew out the match: "If you want, you can come to sleep by my side."
Brief moment of silence, he heard footsteps approaching his bed.
"Truce for tonight?"
"Truce for tonight."
She curled up in his arms. She seemed smaller in the dark. As she was still six, wearing her new dress, holding her parents hands, laughing.
He didn't bother to ask what kind of nightmare was chasing her in a snowy night, didn't bother to ask her whether it's a red-eyed monster or a two-feet-moster in human skin. As he has never told anyone - even his psychiatrist - the nightmares chasing and hunting him at uneasy nights.
She finally quiet down went back to sleep. He hopes that she could have a good sleep at the rest of tonight, by his side, in his arms. This is all he could give her - a dreamless night - We must be strong, my dear Mischa.
The next morning he woke up with empty arms. He lay there, chewing the emptiness for a few minutes.
He heard the sound of chopping, dressed up and went to the window.
It was a silver world outside. She was chopping firewood in front of the cabin, he stood there, enjoying her liquid and graceful movements. He knows he has to let her go someday, all he wants is that day won't come soon.
After breakfast, he was ready to leave.
"I prepared some food for you, enough for a week, I'll come back to see in two weeks."
"It is your vacation after all!"
"The nearest town is thirty miles away, I sincerely suggest you not to try in such weather."
"Ok. Just ask, you didn't prepare bows and arrows for me. Right?" She leaned against the fireplace, with the axe close at hand.
Without waiting for his reply, she answered her own question: "I always want to know how to hunt with an axe anyway."