I awoke to find myself wrapped in thick, fleece blankets. I took a breath and watch the steam leave my lips. It was brutally cold despite how warm I had made up my bed. I turned back over and closed my eyes again, wrapping the blankets tighter around my shivering body. I glanced to the clock and noticed the time. It was almost noon.

I shot myself up in bed, bringing a blanket with me, wrapped around my body like a cocoon. Leon was not in the chalet when I entered the main room and kitchen. Then, I noticed that his shoes and jacket were still by the door.

“Leon?” I called, raising my voice slightly.

“Yeah, in here!” I heard him call from below me. I had no idea how he could’ve been there. I searched the main room until I came across a door that had stairs leading to what looked to be a basement. I followed the stairs to the basement in search of him.

“You can shower. It’s not hot water, just warm, but the water tank sort of works,” I heard him say from behind another door. I heard the water running from the shower and I could feel the heat and steam from just in front of the door. “I’ll be out in just a minute”.

I waited  patiently outside the bathroom door on an oddly visually  satisfying plaid couch. The warmth of the bathroom was beginning to penetrate through the door and I was starting to warm up, finally. Leon opened the bathroom door and waved me in. He was dressed now, not wrapped in just a bath towel like a few nights ago. As I entered, he exited. I jumped into the shower, the hot water running down my back and tickling my spine. The water wasn’t as cold as I thought. It was about as hot as I usually liked. As I lathered my hair, I heard the bathroom open. Leon stood in front of the mirror, fixing his hair. Although the shower door was not transparent, I still felt anxious with him there.

Ich bekomme Schauer

“Do you want to drive to the town today and pick up some groceries?” he asked me, the small talk making me all the more uncomfortable.

“Yeah, that sounds nice,” I replied, rinsing the shampoo from my hair. He turned to face me, his eyes a little more sensual than I had ever seen, and then suddenly, he went for the door. When he left, I turned the dial and shut the water off, just as it was becoming cold, the tank running out for the day. I quickly threw on jeans and a flannel shirt to keep me warm and headed outside to find Leon waiting for me in the car.  I took the passenger seat and he turned the key.

We drove until we reached Karlstad and found a general store. We tried our best to not split up in the store, but we ended up meeting at the cash register around the same time, stocked up on pastas, soups, frozen foods, meat, and produce. We didn’t know how long we would be staying in the chalet, so we didn’t take any chances skimping out on food and other supplies, such as shampoos, soaps, over the counter medicine, and warmer clothing.

Next Chapter: Chapter Nine