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Eila Ojanen rolled onto her side, eyes clenched shut, ears straining to make out the sound that had disturbed her troubled sleep. She had expected her husband to be home last night and his absence had kept her tossing and turning. But now she was sure that she heard the sound of horse hoofs on pavement and that was a relief. She slipped her legs over the side of the bed into thick, sheepskin slippers and pulled the heavy cotton robe that she had laid on top of her blankets up around her shoulders. The air was almost cold enough for her to see her breath.
By the time she got downstairs Matt was standing in the hallway, shaking the snow from his heavy, felt-lined boots. “Why did you stay out last night - I was worried. It’s freezing cold out there.” Matt rubbed his hands together and looked at her with an expression somewhere between a smile and a grimace. “No doubt that it was a cold one. But we saw a moose as we were finishing up loading the ice. A bit of good luck I thought so I shot it. We had to skin it and gut it and cut it up last night. Made kind of a mess because we only had the ice saws but we got it done. By the time we were finished it was too late to come home so we built a little shelter, got a fire going, and slept on some pine boughs.” Eila was at once impressed and horrified. Until three years ago Matt had been an insurance adjustor working in front of a computer screen all day. Now he was a skilled woodsman who could survive a Norwegian winter night with only the most basic supplies. He walked over to the garage door and waved for Eila to follow. “I’ve got to hang the meat so walk with me as you talk.” He walked over to the garage door, leaned down and grabbed the pull cord. Pulling up sharply on the cord he managed to lift the door off the garage floor. With much grumbling and squeaking the door slid up onto its tracks over his head. As the door opened the murky early morning light revealed the profile of Jacob, standing with his arms crossed, bundled up in parka, thick fur-lined mitts and fur cap complete with ear flaps. “Ya Matt. Dis meat I’m tinking is frozen already. It is no point in hanging - vee must just put it on ice already.” Eila enjoyed Jacob’s Pennsylvania Dutch accent. The lyrical sound of his voice was more like singing than speech to her. She was going to miss that sound even though she had only known Jacob for a few months. Matt thought for a few seconds, then nodded his head. “You’re right Jacob, as always. I think I’ll also take down the hind quarter of venison that I have had hanging for a few days. Might as well wrap them both up. Hun, can you grab us some freezer wrap.” Eila went back into the kitchen and returned in a few minutes with a large roll of plastic wrap. “You won’t be able to get any more of this after next month. Have you stocked up on it?” Matt turned to her with a tired smile which did not quite reach his eyes. “Yes dear. And we have stalked up on canned goods, medicines, frozen orange juice, hand tools, toilet paper, and a thousand other things that we will need. The committee has an inventory database and we have acquired everything on it … but I do appreciate the reminder.” Eila stood quite still and stared at the man that she had grown to love so very much. Her shoulders began to shudder and she raised her hand to cover her eyes as the tears began to stream down her cheeks. Matt walked over to her and embraced her, cradling her head against his fur collar.
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