A Time in Heaven by Kathy Warcup Page B

could something as beautiful as you and I finding each other , and falling in love , suddenly turn into this horrid nightmare we are in?”
    “We still have each other and that is still so beautiful.  I fully expected to spend the re st of my life alone. Now I see my future with you,” Jesse lovingly told her.
    “But what kind of future ?  We don’t have a great deal of food and with winter coming, we will either starve or freeze to death . I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Jesse, but how long is that life going to be? Can you tell me that? ”
    She wrapped her arms around Jesse’s neck and started to cry harder.  Jesse held on to her tightly. Tears were streaming down his face, too.
    Jesse picked her up from the chair and gently laid her down on the bed.  He lay down beside her. He kissed her ever so lightly, first on the cheek, then on the lips.  Katie looked at him lovingly in the eyes as she kissed him on his mouth. She took him by the hand and kissed his hand before placing it on her breast.  Jesse tenderly caressed her.  They kissed more passionately this time.  Making love seemed to be the only thing making sense to them.  The only certainty right now was their ever growing love for each other .
    It was late in the afternoon when Jesse kissed Katie between her breasts before getting out of bed. “Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could just do this forever?” he asked Katie as he put on his pants.  “ But, let’s face facts; w e can’t live on love alone, my dear.”
    Katie stretched out her arms inviting Jesse to come back into bed with her, “We coul d try.  Please come back to me,” she pleaded.  Jesse took off the pants and got back into bed with her.  They made love again .  Every movement was a discovery of each other’s body, and of each other’s spirit. Katie and Jesse fell asleep confident of the other’s love and commitment.
    When Katie woke up, the full moon was filling the cabin with muted light.  She looked over at Jesse.  She could hear his soft breathing.  She took a deep breath and thought of how much she loves this man sleeping beside her.  “How lucky we were to find each other, Jesse,” she said quietly.  “You’re right; we have to do all we can to survive until someone comes.” Katie paused, “Even if it means going back into the lodge.”
    In the morning, the sun was just peaking over the mountains to the east when Katie got out of bed .  She showered and dressed before making breakfast .  While the coffee brewed, she took Sadie out. When they came back, Jesse was still asleep. She poured a cup of coffee for herself and one for Jesse, and took it over to the bed.  As she sat down beside him, he st irred a little.  “Good morning!” she said loudly to intentionally wake him.
    He opened his eyes, sat up and yawned.  He went to kiss her. She pulled back a little telling him, “Not now.” 
    “ Not now ? “ Jesse thought to himself as he gave Katie a rather hurt look.  Had he done something wrong last night?
    Katie handed him his coffee.  “I was awake a lot last night thinking about us and how fortunate we were to discover each other here.  Jess, I want to live a long, long time at your side.  I’m not about to let it end too soon, so let’s go and find as much food and supplies as we can. ” She took a deep breath. “ That includes going to the lodge.” She smiled and kissed him.
    Jesse had a look of relief on his face when he said , ” Katie, this thrills me more than you can imagine.  I was afraid I was going to have to go into the lodge myself.”  He kissed her on the cheek. 
    “You would have gone back to the lodge alone ? You would have done that for me?” She looked at her man willing to face the horrors of the lodge for them.   The compassion she saw in him was one of the qualities that made her love him more every day.
    They spent the better part of the morning searching the other cabins for anything that they might