Looking For You All My Life Part 166

to face, even if it meant humiliation.

Then, just as she slowly navigated a sharp, uphill curve,

Maggie spotted reflector lights off to the left. She turned on

her bright lights and slowed down to spot Jed's pick up

hanging diagonally off the road and facing toward her. It

*must've spun out of control and become stuck in the deep

*rut next to the road, but at least there appeared to be no real

damage. Just the same, her heart began to pound as she Looking for You All My Life259

parked her Volvo. Leaving the engine running for Lizzie '5

sake, she leaped out of the car and ran over to see if Leah

might possibly still be inside.

The pickup's front window and hood were completely

coated in snow, and it was at such an angle that Maggie

could barely reach to open the cab door on the driver's side.

Then she ran around to the other side to find the pa.s.senger's

door more accessible. Finally she was able to jerk open the

snow-encrusted door. Leah was slumped across the bench

seat, wearing only blue jeans and a lightweight jacket. Not

even any hat or gloves. And she was not moving! Maggie

quickly climbed into the pickup and cradled Leah's head on

her lap. Her heart raced furiously as she spoke to her with

urgency, "Leah! Are you okay?" The old pickup's interior

was as cold as ice. "Leab!" cried Maggie, tears forming in

her eyes. "Leab, speak to me!"

aggie pulled off her mittens and set her hand in

front of Leah's nose to feel for breath. It seemed

to be there but it was ever so faint. Maggie had

quickly grown cold, and suspected by Leah's cool skin tem-

perature that her problem must be hypothermia. She took

off her own wool cap and thrust it onto Leah's head, and

then did the same with her mittens and her thick, down-filled

coat.

"Come on, Leah," she spoke loudly as she pulled her to

a sitting position. "Wake up!" She gently shook her and

wondered if she might possibly be able to carry the lifeless

girl over to her car. "Come on, Leah!" she yelled now

"You've got to wake upi" And slowly Leah began to

respond. She opened her eyes and looked at Maggie as if in

a daze, then finally she spoke.

"Maggie?"

"Good girl," said Maggie. "Now, come on. We've got to

get you out of here. We've got to get you to where it 5

warm." She quickly pulled Leah out of the pickup and tried

to help her stand with her arm wrapped tightly around her

waist. "Come on now, honey. Try to walk. Let's get you into

my car." Somehow they managed to stumble across the road,

261.

262Melody Carlson

Maggie tugging and pulling. Finally they reached the car, its

motor still faithfully running. Lizzie watched with interest

from the backseat as Maggie opened the pa.s.senger door and