##Chapter 20: The Cabin

The final snack bag was packed into the tip of the suitcase. It slotted neatly between the sunscreen and sweater after being folded. Running her fingers over the bag's contents, Abigail counted off every item on the checklist, doing it twice just to make sure she'd not left anything behind.

"Five pairs of pants. Accompanying shirts. Underwear. Sports Bras. Socks. Flashlight. Batteries. Sunscreen. Lotion. Bug spray. Candles. Matches. Snacks. Toothpaste. Toothbrushes. Hairbrush. Cleaning wipes. Soap. Shampoo. Dish soap. Silverware. Pain medication. Cold and flu medication. Bandages. Antibiotic cream. I think all that's missing is blankets, towels, and paper products."

Getting into Elaine's room without waking Grace up had been an interesting adventure. She had needed to remove her shoes and pad about on her hands and knees, feeling more a thief than ever.

At the very least, all of Elaine's supplies would ensure they didn't need to stop by too many stores.

They could do that on the way. The cabin was a three hour drive from town. There would be plenty of stores outside the city to stock up on food and water. Not to mention outfits for Grace.

Zipping the suitcase closed, Abigail turned to ask Elaine how she was holding up.

She was slumped in her chair, head tilted all the way back, arms somehow buried under her torso and head. Her mouth was hanging open, and the smallest river of drool was working its way down her face. Her shirt had ridden up her side, and the light from her laptop lit the planes of her abdomen.

Abigail pulled her eyes away, feeling heat creeping up her skin. She splashed herself with water and pulled her jacket off. She tip-toed to the sleeping woman and draped it over her. The laptop screen flashed with notifications, the legal document asking for final authorization and processing.

She pressed the button, making sure it sent before downloading and saving copies of everything, labeling them into folders on the desktop.

2:42

Including times for supply runs, traffic, and getting everything into the car, they should reach the cabin by 8:30 or so.

That would give them plenty of time for activities and fun throughout the duration of their stay. She, herself, would only stay for two days. She would put the request for personal time in while Elaine did as she needed to prepare--

Arms wrapped around her waist and legs curled into her side. Elaine's face nuzzled into her back. Abigail smiled and moved her arms so the woman could hold onto her as much as she needed. There was no doubt she needed the comfort.

Gentle murmurs told the woman was just moving about in her sleep and she reached back to adjust the coat onto her legs.

This would not deter her from her task. She was capable of removing herself from the admittedly tight grip on her body. All she needed to do was grip the wrists to--

Elaine was whimpering. This was not in the plan. Plans have no contingencies for whimpers.

There was no choice but to take her along in the completion of the task.

Abigail prayed both her and Grace were heavy sleepers.

***

It took forty minutes to remove all the items from in front of the door and carry Elaine, Grace, and the bags to the car.

Both had awoken briefly to assist her in moving their bodies but settled right back to sleep once she assured them she could deal with the traveling and shopping on her own.

The ride had proceeded smoothly so far. The early morning hours made traffic nearly nonexistent, and she had even found a small general store from which she purchased copious amounts of boxed food. She was unsure what tastes Elaine and Grace might have, so she'd gone with simple meals.

Boxed noodles and sauce would easily sustain them. Potatoes would give nutrients. As would the bread and powdered gravy mixes. There were rivers near the cabin where fish could be secured for protein if it was so desired.

On the off chance either were allergic to fish or had aversion to meats she had purchased a cooler filled with tofu and ice, filling the top layer with frozen yogurt and ice creams.

As for clothing for herself and Grace, she had taken the chance, while carrying the girl to the car, to check her shirt tag for its size and bought pants based on the girl's age and height. She got some more button ups and slacks for herself. It was not much, but it would suffice.

To keep herself awake, a coffee with three espresso shots had been ordered alongside a cinnamon bun slathered in bacon and sugar topping. She ate quietly as the farmlands began overtaking the landscape.

She couldn't remember the last time she had been to the cabin.

Her grandfather had bought it as a present for getting into college. Its purpose was to be a retreat away from the bustle of the city when university living became too overwhelming.

Her schedule had not often allowed for visitations, but she had always enjoyed herself.

There were plenty of trails to be walked. A cave system to explore. Grace would love the spot because it had rumors of being haunted. The amount of smog and city light pollution was lessened quite a bit to see the stars for miles.

Pulling into the drive, she cast her eyes over the backseat. Elaine and Grace were still curled about each other. They hadn't made a peep other than to shift around. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she began packing their items from the car to the house.

Hopefully, they both enjoyed the area.

The hillside was dotted by smaller pines and tall black barked maples. The staircase wound its way towards a river, branching off to make a gravel path to the house. Leaves smothered the grass, making Abigail sniffle as the winds picked them up.

The cabin was a low roofed log building. There was only one door, but the numerous wide double paned windows and a deck extending off the side supported by tall stilts more than made up for it. A fire pit and outdoor shower area stood off to the side from the main house.

"Everything looks to be intact."

Thick branches brushed Abigail's hair as she passed under a trellis, kicking the gate open so she could lay the bags on the landing while she unlocked the door.

The inner portions of the cabin were separated into three sections. The sleeping quarters faced towards the riverside. It was done to allow the early morning sun to wake the sleepers for a more productive experience. The living space and kitchen were centrally located and open to one another.

The largest area was the deck and literature nook. Four bookshelves and a window chaise provided excellent comfort materials for the weary soul and mind. Putting everything away and settling the clothing into the sleeping quarters, Abigail took the time to set up the walkie talkies hidden inside a kitchen drawer.

Reception for cellphones in this region was spotty. The walkie talkies had a radius of one thousand feet which was more than enough coverage considering Elaine nor herself would allow Grace to explore that far by herself.

Tucking them into her belt, Abigail worked her way back up the steps to the car, opening the back seat. All that was left to do was wake the two.

Tapping Grace's calf until the girl jolted upright, making Elaine tumble face first into the floorboards with a groan, she smiled at her and extended her hands to the scenery around them.

"Good morning, sleepy head. I hope you're feeling alright."

Her eyes lit up, and she bounded out of the car gaping at everything.

"We get to stay here!? Oh, Mom would have loved this place! It's so pretty."

Elaine and herself shared a look. There was no time like the present moment. She would be able to have all the space and time she needed to cope out here.

"Grace… we were hoping to talk to you about something."

The girl's smile faltered, and she shook her head. "If… if it's about Mom, it's okay. I woke up and heard you talking… I… I just… Mom wouldn't want me to have been super sad. We talked a lot about death and stuff and how to handle those emotions, and I know that ghosts and stuff can exist, so it's okay. I wanna keep going cause I know she's watching over me."

That… sounded an awful lot like someone who was deflecting their emotions. If that was the coping mechanism, be it far from her to take it away. She would allow Grace to deal with herself how she saw fit. It was the only thing to do in the situation.

Elaine pulled herself free and walked to Grace, pulling her into a hug. Whispered words passed between them before she pulled away and gave the area a passing glance.

"It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be. That river looks absolutely wonderful. I kind of want to go swimming in it later on. I bet it gets hot in that cabin during the afternoon."

It was quite a spectacular view. It begged the question.

"So Grace, what would you like to do first? There's a haunted cave system, the river we can explore. There are even many trails and areas in this plot of land which would be beautiful to peruse if you would so desire."

She looked around for a moment before pointing at the tree tops.

"I wanna go bird watching! But ah…"

Grace's face blossomed with color.

"Do you think we could get something to eat first?"