She tried to open the passenger door but it was iced shut. “Can you get your door open?” She didn’t like small spaces.
He pulled the handle and shoved the door, but nothing budged. He dug his shoulder into it and shoved harder. “It’s frozen.”
Claustrophobia set in. “Ram your back into it. Use your leg muscles.”
He did as she said and shoved harder. A small seal gave way, but the door wouldn’t fully open. She began to sweat despite the frigid temperature.
“You’ve almost got it. Push harder.”
“I’m pushing as hard as I can.”
Her lungs tightened. What if they suffocated? What if they couldn’t get out? How would she pee? The moment she thought about pee, she really had to go.
Twisting her knees together, she squirmed in the passenger seat. “Oh, my God, I have to get out of this car!”
Realizing she was having some sort of fit, he frowned at her. “Are you okay?”
“Just open the door!”
“I can’t!” he snapped defensively.
She scrubbed her hands over her face, pushing her hair back and trying not to panic. She couldn’t breathe and she was going to pee her pants.
“Jesus, you’ve got a killer shiner.”
Her hand absentmindedly touched the bruise on her cheek and she winced. The heavy rumble of an oncoming truck roared closer and she climbed over him, shoving at the door and accidentally kneeing him in the balls.
“Aurghhh—fuck, Erin!”
“Help! We’re trapped in here! Please!” she screamed and slammed her hands on the window.
Giovanni winced and covered his ears. “You’re crazy!”
She jerked the handle and beeped the horn, pushing and shoving until the door finally snapped open. Icy snow fell down his collar as his upper body toppled out of the car and she climbed over him, frantic to breathe in the fresh air and be out of that car-shaped coffin.
A plow truck barreled out of reach and she slid onto her feet. Standing in a knee-deep pile of snow, she screamed, “Wait! Come back!”
“He can’t hear you.”
“How do you know?” She glared at him.
It was no use. The truck hustled down the interstate, disappearing in the distance.
“Damnit!”
“Relax. Another one will be by eventually. The blizzard’s far from over.”
The wind cut through her clothes and she shivered. Tears of frustration threatened, but she forced them back. She just wanted to go somewhere warm and dry.
At least the road was somewhat cleared. It was still snowing but they could at least walk where the plow had been. There was no point heading back toward Jasper Falls. The exit ramp was too steep and the Motor Inn was probably closer.
But first, she needed to pee. “Turn around.”
“What?” He stood beside the car, which looked like a giant snow drift.
“I have to pee and I’m not trekking into the woods. Turn around.”
“You’re going to piss on the road?”
She really couldn’t hold it. “You’re seriously the most annoying person on the planet. Can you just give me five seconds to myself?”
He held up his hands and rotated until he faced the car. Several seconds passed in silence. “Well?”
“I…I can’t go. You’re too close.”
He let out an aggravated huff. “If you think I’m trekking into the woods so you can piss in private you’re out of your damn mind.”
“Just shut your eyes and…put your fingers in your ears.”
“This fucking girl,” he grumbled and plugged his ears, then yelled, “Okay…”
With her dress hiked up to her hips and her panties pulled aside, she tried to keep her balance. What if another plow came by? She panicked then a slow trickle started, and once she started, she couldn’t stop. After hours of drinking and not using a bathroom since she’d left home, she had a lot to get out. Finally, she finished and jiggled her bottom dry.
Righting her dress, she stood. “Okay, I’m done.” He remained still with his fingers plugged in his ear, so she nudged him. “I’m finished. You can turn around now.”
He rolled his eyes. “My turn.” Without waiting for her to look away, he unzipped and shot a stream of pee into the snow bank.
“Oh, my God, how about a warning?”
“I gave you one.”
“You’re disgusting.” She started walking in the direction of the Motor Inn.
The soles of her heels glided like ice skates over the thickening layer of slush, salt, and newly fallen snow. Her exposed legs were frozen to the bone after ten minutes. Luckily, the Motor Inn wasn’t too far up the road. But she prayed for another plow truck to pass.
Giovanni caught up to her, his breathing heavy and his sniffles steady as he bunched his shoulders under his coat. “Remember when snow used to be fun?”
She didn’t answer, mostly because she didn’t remember snow ever being fun. Snow kept people trapped inside. Sometimes, snow even caused stores to close. When the hardware store closed, her dad got angry. When her dad got angry, he got violent.