Love Never Goes Out of Style/CH 25
As Matt stoked the fire, Betty looked through the kitchen and saw that the place was well-stocked. She wondered how often the previous owners had stayed here and just how difficult it was to reach the outside world (or more importantly perhaps how difficult it was for the outside world to reach the cabin). The SUV they had come in was heavy and it still seemed to have some difficulty navigating up the mountain road.
She opened the closet and saw coats, boots and blankets, and various cold-weather gear. Matt looked up from the fire, and walked behind her, putting his arms around her waist. He whispered in her ear, "I don't suppose you are still feeling frisky, babe. Were you just teasing me earlier?"
She forced her shoulders to stop from inching up in revulsion, and nodded. "Mm…hmm…maybe. I don't know, Matt. This is…hard, you know? I mean, you can't expect me to just snap my fingers and forget about…everything. I do appreciate all the trouble you went to to find this place and all. It's really amazing, but…"
He turned her around, and pulled her face to his to kiss her, "Uh uh, no buts…just leave it at that. I'll take what I can get. I know this seems sudden maybe, but it's really not. We already have a history.
Just pretend I never left. I wish I never had now. Then we would still be together. I was only trying to do what I thought would please you, Betty. I love you. You've got to see that."
She nodded, biting her lower lip, "I understand that, Dan…I mean, Matt. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. Matt. I know you're Matt. And I know you love me. I just…need some time. Please be patient, okay? I know you care about me and that you would never hurt me.
But I'm worried about you, Matt. This isn't safe for us to be here. I don't want you to get hurt. Plus, there are some really dark clouds out there and it looks like we might get snowed in.
What happens if one of us got injured or ill? How would we get medical help? Even your fancy phone probably doesn't get a signal all the way out here."
He shrugged, running his hands down her arms. "I have a satellite phone that I used in Africa, Betty. It works here, too if anything happened to either of us. Are you still feeling sick from the plane or something? Or is that just your way of telling me you 'have a headache'?" he smirked.
"No, I was just worried about how cut off we are. I'm fine, just still a little queasy. Is there music up here?"
"Sure. You feel like…dancing?" He smiled and went to turn on the radio. Betty slipped the keys she had taken under the mattress quickly while he was turned away, so he wouldn't end up finding them in her pocket somehow.
He raised his eyebrow, as he noticed her moving away from the mattress, "Are you actually considering…the bed?"
She stood up fast as he approached, and took her hand to twirl her around and dance slowly with her. She nodded, and murmured, "Mm hmm…"burying her head against his chest. He couldn't tell that she was fighting back tears and trying not to cry out in fear.
She knew she had to try and stay calm, no matter how scared she was that he might freak out if he found she had the keys. She wondered what other keys were on the ring besides the car. Perhaps there was some other transportation in the shed? A snowmobile or something?
She would have to wait till he was sleeping to sneak out of the cabin to find out and it would be dangerous to do so. But she had to check. She had no idea if Daniel would be able to find out where she was or had a way to get there. So she determined she needed to try and escape on her own.
She also had resigned herself to the possibility that she might have to sleep with Matt. She wasn't happy about it, but she hoped if she went along with him enough to make him think she was willing, perhaps she could get him in a compromising position to somehow put him out of commission altogether or at least slow him down while she got away at some point. But for now…she felt sure she could delay things from moving too fast in that direction.
Besides, she honestly did feel sick to her stomach, so she didn't have to fake that. She put her hand to her mouth, and ran to the bathroom, "Excuse me!"
He sighed, running his hand through his hair. He waited only a minute before following her to the bathroom, and calling out, "Are you okay? Geez, you're not pregnant or something are you?"
Betty's eyes went wide as she thought about that possibility. She had only been with Daniel a few weeks, but…could she be? She knew from Hilda with both pregnancies that the first symptoms could actually occur right away.
She wondered if she told Matt it was a possibility if it would make things better or not. Maybe it would at least keep him at a distance. And perhaps he would even consider letting her go if he thought she might be pregnant with Daniel's baby.
She splashed her face and found some mouthwash to rinse out her mouth with before coming out. "I…suppose I could be, actually. We've been together almost three weeks. So…it's kind of soon to tell, but…I might be."
He looked away for a moment. "I see. No protection?"
She shrugged, "Well, yes, usually. But a few times, no. I…uh stopped taking the pill a while ago."
"After I left?" he looked thoughtful.
"Yes. I wasn't seeing anyone, so…I didn't really see the need."
"And he never heard of condoms?"
"Yes. But not every time. Matt…look, I don't really think you want to discuss this. It could be nothing. Obviously, even if it was possible, I couldn't take a test to see way up here. Besides, it hasn't been that long, so…"
"So, I'm supposed to lay off just in case? Is that what you're implying? Why? You know…if you were pregnant with his kid, it's not like I could get you more pregnant, so what difference would it make?"
"Matt…" she didn't like the sound of his voice. Maybe saying something had been a mistake after all. "It's highly unlikely, anyway."
He seemed angry, "Oh, I don't know, Betty. If you two have been humping non-stop for the past three weeks it seems pretty likely to me, actually.
You always took birth control when we were together and the time you thought you might be pregnant you totally freaked out! But of course that's when you thought it was my baby. Now, you don't even seem to care. I guess that's the difference, huh? You're suddenly ready to be a mother as long as its Daniel's kid, is that it, Betty?"
"Matt, stop speculating. I'm sure I'm not the more I think about it. It's probably just motion sickness from all the turbulence, that's all."
He nodded, walking closer to her, and looking down at her breasts, "Tell me it's my imagination that you've gotten bigger, then."
"Bigger! Thanks a lot! I mean, I didn't starve myself to death while you were gone, but I don't think I've gained any weight really. In fact, I…"
He looked down at her pointedly, "Not everywhere, Betty. Just your boobs."
"Oh."
"They were always beautiful."
"Matt…don't."
He pulled her close. "I can't help it. I want you. I don't care if you were with him for the past month or whatever. You and I were together a lot longer than that. You really forgot how good we were together?"
She wiggled out from his grasp, "Matt…stop, please. I can't. I'm sorry. It's too soon. And I don't really feel good. How about I make us something to eat? Aren't you hungry? Maybe I just need to have something in my stomach. I haven't eaten all day."
"You could have eaten on the plane. You were just being stubborn. As usual."
She hurried to the kitchen to try and distract him from the keys and any ideas of the bedroom altogether. She looked through the refrigerator to see there were prepared meals that she would be able to microwave. "My kind of cooking!"
He laughed, "Yeah, you never were much on cooking, huh?"
The storm raged outside. Betty managed to get the meals prepared just before the power went out. Matt brought out candles and set them on the table, "Romantic. Don't panic, sweetie. We'll be fine."
Betty was honestly more concerned about Daniel and the others possibly coming after her in the storm than she was for herself at the moment. Although she couldn't help but wonder how far Matt would take things. If she continued to make excuses would he get frustrated and force himself on her?
What else did he have in mind? She wondered if he envisioned them hiding out here for a very long time, hoping Daniel would eventually give up looking for her. She also couldn't help her mind from wondering if she really might be pregnant.
Daniel looked at the helicopter pilot, "What do you think? Can we make it?"
"I think I may not get to spend the fifty grand you gave me for flying you in this storm. I told you it wasn't smart. If you believe in God, I'd start saying a few dozen Hail Mary's right now mister. I'm glad I told the others in your group I would only take you. Less casualties."
"Are you...alright?" Daniel heard himself ask the helicopter pilot weakly as he started to come to after the initial impact of their abrupt landing in the snow bank. Luckily, the pilot was experienced enough to know a landing in the snow was far less dangerous and he had managed somehow through a combination of his extremely limited visibility, his instrumentation and a lot of luck to do just that.
But Daniel couldn't seem to wake him up now. "Tom! Tom! You did it, man! We're alive! Wake up! You absolutely earned your fifty grand. Come on...AHHH!" Daniel realized his own injuries were perhaps more severe than he first thought. He looked down at his arm, and was sure it must be dislocated.
He felt searing pain in his left shoulder so severe it almost made him forget about the intense cold. Almost. He looked around and saw that the helicopter had fared better than he and its pilot. It appeared to be still operational. Not that that would do them much good at this point.
He could see smoke coming from a chimney further up the obscured dirt road and prayed that was where Matt had Betty. But he knew it was likely a lot further away than it seemed, and uphill in a blinding snow storm wouldn't be an easy climb, with only one good arm.
There was also the matter of his unconscious pilot. He couldn't leave Tom behind. The man had risked his life to fly Daniel here in the storm. He felt sure he would have done it even if Daniel hadn't offered him so much money once he told him why he needed to brave the weather. But Tom desperately needed the money for an ailing wife and Daniel could certainly understand how expensive cancer treatments could be.
He looked around in the helicopter and managed to pull out the carrier with his good arm and slowly inched Tom onto it, then lashed the straps around his waist as carefully as he could, only disturbing his injured arm once in the process. He started the slow ascent towards the cabin, trudging along, putting his head down to cut down the wind resistance and kept the blanket he found on board firmly over his head and around him to try and block some of the biting cold as he walked.
His progress was painstakingly slow and he wanted to be up that hill now, taking Betty out of there as quickly as possible. He had never been much of a religious man, even less so after Molly's death, but for one of the few times in his life other than at his father's side when he had tried to give him CPR, Daniel Meade actually prayed.
He prayed that Tom would recover and be able to use the money to get his wife the chemo treatments she needed in time. But mostly, he prayed that Betty would be there, safe and that he would be able to get her away from Matt, once and for all and this nightmare would be over. He felt his face, wet from tears streaming, and quickly wiped them away with his good hand.
He checked his pocket, and found Alejandro's phone was going off. He was surprised and thrilled to see he got a signal up here. It was Hilda. "Hey, Hilda!" he yelled into the phone, trying to outshout the howling winds whipping all around him.
"Daniel? You made it? Oh my God! We were afraid you crashed. The guy at the tower said you guys went off the radar screen."
"We didn't exactly crash, we just made a pretty quick and hard landing. Luckily, Tom's a great pilot and he managed to land us into a snow bank. The helicopter looks like it probably will be able to fly us back out of here. The only problem is...he's out cold. He's breathing and I didn't seen any blood. But he might have a head injury.
I really can't tell. It's pretty hard to see here. I've got him strapped to that basket and I'm trying to get up the hill. Hilda, listen. I see a cabin up ahead. It's got to be where Matt has Betty. It fits the description Victoria gave Tom of the property she said the realtor sold Matt.
There's smoke coming out of the chimney. There are no lights on, but even if he has electricity, this storm probably knocked it out. Listen, I want to save my batteries. I'm alive. And so is Tom. Just keep a good thought that I get to Betty."
"Daniel, you need help. You can't fight Matt by yourself. Maybe if Tom were able to help you, too."
"Please, Betty said she had to kill a spider for him. He's a marshmallow without his armed guards to hide behind. I can take Matt with one hand tied behind my back. I did knock him out at the UN, you know."
She rolled her eyes, "Yes, yes. I know, Daniel, you've told us that five times already! But all the men want to come help rescue Betty. Alejandro said he's got a friend with a helicoptor he can borrow and he can fly them, so as soon as Tyler and Stuart get here, all the guys are coming to back you up. Just stay safe and keep an eye on Betty but don't do anything stupid and get yourself killed, okay?"
"That wouldn't be my first choice. Uh, listen, maybe have one of them bring a sling or something would you? And some damn aspirin. I think I dislocated my left shoulder possibly. It hurts like hell."
"Daniel! You mean you're pulling Tom up the hill with only one good arm? Oh, God! I'll tell the guys to hurry!"
"Well, I'm sure they would be doing that, anyway, Hilda. I'll be glad to have the help. But I'm still glad they didn't come with us. Tom said if we had any more weight on board, he wouldn't have been able to land it at all."
"Hang in there. Good luck! Tell Betty I love her, but she should have listened to me and glued herself to you!"
"Thanks, Hilda. I'll tell her you love her. And don't worry. I'm going to make sure she's never out of my sight again once I get her back!"
An hour later, Daniel was taking a much needed break when he saw her. The winds had died down a bit and the cabin was now less than a quarter mile ahead, just up over one more incline. Betty was with Matt. He was grabbing wood with one arm and he had hold of her wrist firmly with his free hand. He motioned for her to grab a pile of wood from the shed they went to. She squinted looking down the hill, seeming to notice him.
He ducked behind a few trees, just in case Matt happened to look down to see him, too. He tried to tug at the basket he was using as a makeshift sled for Tom and make sure it was out of sight, but it was no easy task. He could tell Betty was trying to see better without letting on to Matt. He thought of a way to let her know he was not the one in the stretcher and suddenly he held up his thumb and he could have sworn he could see her smile even from this distance through the storm.
Seeing her smile filled him with hope and renewed energy. He waited until they went back inside, then dug in to finish the distance when he heard a low moaning behind him. He stopped and looked down at Tom to see his eyes blinking, "Tom? Are you okay?"
Tom looked up and all around to see where they were. "What the hell's going on here? I'm alright, yeah. I guess I just got my head knocked around a little. Good thing I've got bigger balls than brains, huh?"
Daniel laughed, and tried to offer him his good arm to help him up. "Yeah. I guess so. You have no idea how happy I am to see you up and around! I messed up my left shoulder pretty bad, so even with it just being Matt up here, I don't know if he's got any weapons or anything and I don't want to take a chance on him hurting Betty before I can kick his ass. Hilda just called. She said the rest of the cavalry are on their way here. The storm must be finally blowing over."
Tom looked around, "Maybe. You wouldn't know it up here, though. How the hell did you get me all this way? You must be exhausted!"
Daniel nodded and grinned, wincing as Tom helped him take the strap off. "Ah! Shit! That hurts! It's not...broken, is it? It feels out of place. I dislocated it once goofing off at Harvard playing football with some guys and it feels just like that."
Tom looked at Daniel's shoulder and pulled it suddenly, and without warning, popping it back into place. Daniel fell to the ground, screaming in pain, "SHIT! Jesus Christ, Tom! You might have warned me to bite down on something! You got any whiskey?"
Tom smiled, "Hey, if I had warned you it just would have hurt worse. It's better now, right? You can move it?"
Daniel rubbed his shoulder, and nodded, still grimacing, "Well, I'm not ready to do any pull-ups or anything, but yeah, I can move it now. Uh, thanks, I guess. Jeez! About that whiskey?"
Tom grinned and pulled out a flask and handed it to Daniel, "Here you go. I want you to know I don't share that with just anybody. But any guy who pays me fifty grand and then pulls my ass on a stretcher uphill in a snowstorm with only one good arm is close enough to a St. Bernard for me. You've earned it, Daniel. Cheers!"
Daniel took a grateful swig and wiped his mouth, handing it back to Tom, then looked back up the hill, "Thanks. Now let's go get Betty!"