Free On Ice by J. D. Faver Page A

Nichols?”
    “ I’m glad you’re here, Ben. Please call me Rene.” She smiled as he blushed in pleasure. “How about a cup of coffee from my new coffee maker?” She served him coffee with pound cake. “Mrs. Jolly said you remodeled the cabin.”
    “ Yes Ma'am. I done a lotta work here.” He acknowledged the fact modestly. “It was a bad place after my mama died. I tried to change it but there was just too much sadness, so I sold it to Mr. Brett ‘n built my own place. I like havin’ my own place. It’s better with no bad memories.”
    “ I know how you feel,” Rene said. “This is my first place on my own.” She stopped, fearing she’d said too much.
    “ I’m glad you like it here.” Ben looked around as though seeing it for the first time.
    “ Mrs. Jolly said you made the furniture.” Rene saw his slight nod. “I especially like the bed of tree branches.”
    “ Yes Ma'am. I bound some aspen branches together. It did turn out kinda pretty.”
    “ I love it. The cabin is delightful except for one thing.”
    “ Oh, Ma'am, whatever might that be?” Ben put his fork down, gazing at her as steadily as he could.
    “ It's the loft,” Rene said. “It's not safe. Sara's just four. I'm afraid she’ll fall. Can you make it more secure?”
    “ I'll have to think on it, Ma'am.” Ben furrowed his brow. “I left it open so the heat could get up there. It's nice and cozy-like in the winter. I'll have to think on it.”
    After Ben’s visit, Rene put Sara down for a nap. Seth surprised her when he curled up on the sofa with his pillow. They still hadn't gotten used to the time change. Tucking a quilt around him, she dropped a kiss on his head.
    She poured another cup of coffee and opened the used book she purchased from Pinky. She was deeply engrossed when she heard a timid knock at the front door. Steadying her nerves, she wondered if she would always jump when someone knocked. She crept behind the blanket-curtain to peer out the window above her bed. Sara slept peacefully as Rene knelt over her. She held her breath. A strange truck parked beside her borrowed vehicle, much shinier, much newer and much redder. A tall, thin man with long hair held back in a pony tail got out of the truck. The small knock sounded again. Craning her neck, she saw children hovering close to the door. This time, Seth awakened and sat up, rubbing his eyes.
    “ It looks like we have company.” She said as she opened the door.
    “ Are you the new teacher?” the tallest of the three girls asked.
    “ Yes,” Rene said as Seth poked his head around the door.
    The pony-tailed man had reached the porch and took off a baseball cap of indeterminate color. “Hi,” he said with a friendly smile. “I'm Tink Culver. My wife, Angel and I own the hotel. We want to welcome you to Sad Horse.”
    “ I’m Rene Nichols. Please come in.” Rene held the door wide. Grabbing the quilt from the sofa, she invited them to be seated. The two smaller girls sat close together, smiling shyly, while the oldest handed her a packet wrapped in a bright square of calico fabric.
    “ Mama made this for you,” she said.
    “ Please thank her for me.” Rene accepted the packet and peeked inside, finding plump flaky biscuits. “These look great! We'll enjoy them, I'm sure. This is my son Seth.”
    “ And our oldest is Lark. She's ten. Skye is seven and Star, our baby, is almost five. Angel’s real sorry she couldn't come but somebody has to stay at the hotel.”
    “ I didn't see a hotel when I went into town.”
    “ We're on the street running behind the Post Office and the drug store. You can't miss it.”
    “ We're short of chairs, Mr. Culver. Would you sit with me at the table and have a cup of coffee?”
    “ We don't drink caffeine, thanks just the same.” He took a seat at the table.
    Rene poured juice, serving the girls and Seth on the sofa.
    “ Angel and I want you and your family to come for lunch at the hotel on Sunday, you know, after