coals to make sure it is put out. I run over there, grab it, and run towards the snake, turning the shovel sideways so that the sharp edge is up and down. With two quick hacks, I have mostly severed the snake’s head from its body, and I take a deep breath. I look up at Becca, and she is still in the same spot she was when she first saw the snake.
“I…I…I can’t believe you just did that!”
That’s what she’s choosing to focus on right now? “Becca, are you all right? It didn’t bite you or anything before I got back over here, did it?”
She shakes her head. “No. No. I’m fine. But even though it’s already dead, do you think you could get rid of it? I won’t be able to stop thinking about it until it’s out of my sight.”
Oookay. Where on earth am I going to put this thing? “Do you think you’ll be alright if I toss it into the lake? I promise to take it all the way out to the end of the dock, and throw it as far as I can away from shore.”
I notice a silent shudder, but she quietly says, “Alright. I think that would be ok.”
I carefully pick up the snake, using the shovel. I hold it out and away from me as I walk down to the dock. When I get to the end of it, I turn back, facing the cabin, and Becca. I count to three in my head, and send that thing flying, over my right shoulder…and by that thing, I guess I mean the snake and the shovel. I’ll add that to the list of things I need to buy if Becca and I go into town tomorrow.
As I walk back toward the cabin, I keep my eyes on Becca, trying to figure out if she’s really okay, or if she needs to go inside and sit down or something. When I’m about forty feet away from her, she suddenly bursts out laughing. I stop dead. Is she losing her mind?
“Becca?”
She can hardly talk between her bursts of laughter, but she does: “I—you threw—the shovel is in the lake!”
I roll my eyes and start walking towards her again. I can hear her laughing, but I see her shaking. She's not fooling me. That shaking is not laughter shaking. It's full on fear. Something about that snake really got to her and she's using the laughter to convince herself she is okay. When I reach her, I carefully grab her by both shoulders, and point her body towards mine. She stops laughing, but I can tell she’s trying very hard to hold it in, because she’s pinching her lips in between her teeth. “Seriously. Are you going to be alright?” Her body starts shaking with the laughter still stuck inside her, but she still hasn’t answered me, so I move my hands from her shoulders to both sides of her face. She immediately stops shaking and gasps. “Becca, I need you to tell me, out loud, that you’re okay.”
She slowly moves her right hand to cover my left. When she finally speaks, it’s hardly above a whisper. “I’ll be alright. But do you think you could hold me for a minute? I know the snake is gone, but I’m having trouble convincing the rest of my body.”
My arms move around her so quickly, I’m afraid I might have scared her even more. But she just rests the side of her face against my chest, eyes closed, taking a deep breath. After a few moments, Becca cautiously moves her arms around my waist and hugs me.
I can’t help myself, even if she is awake and will know I did it this time. I lean my face toward the crown of her head, and press my lips to her hair. She doesn’t flinch. She doesn’t say or do anything. She just continues to hug me, and let me hold her.
I don’t know how long we stand here like this, but out of nowhere we hear a wolf whistle. Becca gasps, and lets go of me, but she doesn’t pull away. I look back toward the water, and there are our families, climbing out of the boat onto the dock. I hadn’t even heard the motor when they pulled up to the dock. Neither did Becca, if her reaction was any indication. I turn, shifting so I have one arm behind Becca’s back, and my other arm free.
Trying to make this situation seem a
“I…I…I can’t believe you just did that!”
That’s what she’s choosing to focus on right now? “Becca, are you all right? It didn’t bite you or anything before I got back over here, did it?”
She shakes her head. “No. No. I’m fine. But even though it’s already dead, do you think you could get rid of it? I won’t be able to stop thinking about it until it’s out of my sight.”
Oookay. Where on earth am I going to put this thing? “Do you think you’ll be alright if I toss it into the lake? I promise to take it all the way out to the end of the dock, and throw it as far as I can away from shore.”
I notice a silent shudder, but she quietly says, “Alright. I think that would be ok.”
I carefully pick up the snake, using the shovel. I hold it out and away from me as I walk down to the dock. When I get to the end of it, I turn back, facing the cabin, and Becca. I count to three in my head, and send that thing flying, over my right shoulder…and by that thing, I guess I mean the snake and the shovel. I’ll add that to the list of things I need to buy if Becca and I go into town tomorrow.
As I walk back toward the cabin, I keep my eyes on Becca, trying to figure out if she’s really okay, or if she needs to go inside and sit down or something. When I’m about forty feet away from her, she suddenly bursts out laughing. I stop dead. Is she losing her mind?
“Becca?”
She can hardly talk between her bursts of laughter, but she does: “I—you threw—the shovel is in the lake!”
I roll my eyes and start walking towards her again. I can hear her laughing, but I see her shaking. She's not fooling me. That shaking is not laughter shaking. It's full on fear. Something about that snake really got to her and she's using the laughter to convince herself she is okay. When I reach her, I carefully grab her by both shoulders, and point her body towards mine. She stops laughing, but I can tell she’s trying very hard to hold it in, because she’s pinching her lips in between her teeth. “Seriously. Are you going to be alright?” Her body starts shaking with the laughter still stuck inside her, but she still hasn’t answered me, so I move my hands from her shoulders to both sides of her face. She immediately stops shaking and gasps. “Becca, I need you to tell me, out loud, that you’re okay.”
She slowly moves her right hand to cover my left. When she finally speaks, it’s hardly above a whisper. “I’ll be alright. But do you think you could hold me for a minute? I know the snake is gone, but I’m having trouble convincing the rest of my body.”
My arms move around her so quickly, I’m afraid I might have scared her even more. But she just rests the side of her face against my chest, eyes closed, taking a deep breath. After a few moments, Becca cautiously moves her arms around my waist and hugs me.
I can’t help myself, even if she is awake and will know I did it this time. I lean my face toward the crown of her head, and press my lips to her hair. She doesn’t flinch. She doesn’t say or do anything. She just continues to hug me, and let me hold her.
I don’t know how long we stand here like this, but out of nowhere we hear a wolf whistle. Becca gasps, and lets go of me, but she doesn’t pull away. I look back toward the water, and there are our families, climbing out of the boat onto the dock. I hadn’t even heard the motor when they pulled up to the dock. Neither did Becca, if her reaction was any indication. I turn, shifting so I have one arm behind Becca’s back, and my other arm free.
Trying to make this situation seem a
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