Chapter 3
Joan and Adam sat strapped to their boards waiting for these very slow kids to get out of their way. In all honesty, Joan's toes were cold and she was tired, but she couldn't give up on Adam.
"You know, Jane, I didn't even know you were into this."
"Heck yes," she got that sarcastic look in her eyes, "the purpose of my scarf collection."
Adam smiled. It wasn't a drop dead gorgeous smile, but it was just as good in all its quirkiness. She loved his smile.
"Ok, you ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
They got up, surprisingly. Adam was going good. He stayed right with her. It was almost beautiful the way they rode side by side with the snow just barely at a flurry. Then it happened. She caught an edge, a bad one. She felt the impact, pain in her leg, but not long before she passed out.
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She woke up in the lodge next to a hot fire. She could feel the heat, not to mention her stiff leg. Her eyes still to tired to open she reached down to touch her leg. Oh God, I have a cast. Not another leg injury… She knew this was worse than the washing machine, she could feel the exact spot where a bump was forming, swollen against the wall of her cast. She opened one eye. She look down slowly at the bright green hunk of plaster while opening the other eye. Her gaze was interrupted by Adam's head.
"Hey, you're awake." he said like she was an awakening baby. Soft and quiet.
She tried to nod but soon became aware of a throb in her head. Yet again she reached, feeling the band of gauze around her head.
"How long have I been out?"
"A few hours, you had a pretty nasty fall."
She smiled like that was a stupid thing to say, considering. Her brushed back her hair. She loved it when he did that.
"I made it all the way down the hill following the first aid people. You would have been proud."
She looked back down at her leg. She wished she could have seen him.
"Um, I had to pick a color for your cast. I hope its ok."
"At least you picked a good color. Thanks."
She fell back asleep a few minutes later. Adam stayed by her side and watched the fire. She woke back up to Adam grazing his hand over her cast.
"Can you do something for me?"
"Cha, anything, Jane."
She dug through her bag pulling out a Sharpie. "Will you decorate my cast. I want you to draw all over it, make it your masterpiece." She smiled a tired smile.
Adam took the pen unsure, and began his work while Joan slept again.
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After a couple of hours his work was finished. He didn't want to be there when she woke up. He didn't want her to read what he wrote on the bottom while he nervously watched her expression. He quietly got up to go to bed, but covering her with his jacket before he left.
Joan woke up during the wee hours of the morning, the fire almost dead. She looked down in the dim light she could see Adam had done what she asked. She was too tired to look at it now so she waited for the morning.
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Joan woke up late in the afternoon the next day. She started inspecting Adams work. It was detailed like nothing she had ever seen before. It was like the highest complexity of a doodle. There were pictures and words mixed together to make something of its own. One sketch in particular caught her eye. It was of her and Adam, sitting on a ski lift. She could see the word "love" hidden between their bodies. As Joan looked closer she began to see that the whole picture was formed with words. She read from the top of the ski lift to the bottom of their boards:
Joan,
I love you more than anything. I thought nothing could ever be as important to me as my mom. She was a beautiful person. She was just like you. She had a smile that told me the angels were above me and the sky was below me. I see that smile in your face every time I look at you. I can feel her embrace every time I hear your voice. A part of me came back when I meet you and that has made all the difference.
Joan picture that little boy in the yellow boat. It made her cry like it had before. Only this time it was Joan with the boy and the ripples were perfect. And there it was on her cast, a little boat with her and Adam, while the ripples spread to ever inch of that green cast. Joan finally looked up. God stood before her, little old lady God. She offered Joan a hot chocolate with out a word.
"This is what you wanted?"
"Adam is a very special person, Joan. I wanted you to know what it is like to pull someone up from the deepest place of existence. I wanted you to feel the love you get in return. Adam loves you, and that's exactly how I planned it. There is someone for everyone. Adam needs someone who understands what it's like to be imperfect. Adam has given you a very special place in his life, if not the most special."
Joan smiled. Across the room she could see Adam. He sat unaware of how much she loved him back. She looked back at God "Thanks." she whispered.