“No, Abby. You’ll get stuck too.” She wouldn’t let the other woman get in the same predicament as her.
She saw a truck pull up then Kent climbed out, rushing towards them. “Abby! What the hell is going on?”
“I’m going up the ladder to get Marisol. She’s too scared to climb back down.”
“No, you’re not. You know you’re not allowed to climb ladders. What’s happened? Marisol? Are you all right?” Kent called out.
She carefully looked over the side to see that Kent now had his arm wrapped around Abby’s waist. The other woman was pale as she stared up at Marisol in worry.
“I’m fine,” Marisol replied. Another shiver ran through her and her teeth started to chatter.
“Marisol climbed the ladder and then it started wobbling and scared her so she climbed onto the roof of the porch and now she won’t get down. And I can see how cold she is from here.”
A big red truck pulled up beside Kent’s and Linc fairly shot out of the driver’s seat. Relief flooded her. She was going to be all right. Linc was here.
Linc wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
“What the fuck is going on?”
She winced at his roar. He was yelling and swearing. That wasn’t a good combination. “Marisol! What are you doing up there?”
“She climbed up to wash the windows and now she’s too scared to climb down. The ladder was on the ground when I got here and she was clinging to the roof. But you have to get her down, she’s so cold,” Abby said worriedly.
She didn’t add that she’d been up here at least an hour before Abby arrived. Her whole body was starting to feel like a popsicle but especially her face and hands. She wished she could move, but she was too scared to.
“I’m coming up the ladder to get you, Mari-girl.”
She let out a small whimper but didn’t protest. She wanted down from this roof. And she knew now that Linc was here, she was safe.
He soon appeared at the edge of the roof.
“Linc,” she gasped out.
“Baby, it’s all right. I’m here. I want you to come towards me, though. I’m going to guide you back down the ladder.”
She shook her head.
“Come to me, teeny. I don’t want to add my extra weight to the roof in case it can’t take it.”
“I . . . I can’t.”
“Do you trust me, Mari-girl?” he asked calmly.
“Yes.”
“Do you know that I’d never let anything happen to you?”
“Yes.”
“Then come here, teeny.” His voice was firm. An order that was expected to be obeyed and her body was moving before her brain could even catch up. When she was close to him, he reached up and grabbed hold of her hips gently, drawing her closer to him until she was pressed against him, her legs hanging down, on either side of his torso. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she shook, both from the cold and with relief that she was in his arms.
“I’m going to guide you down, baby.”
She shook her head. “I can’t do it.”
“You can.” He took hold of her chin. “You can do this. You will do this. Understand me?”
His command filled her. His confidence calmed her. His presence kept her in the here and now with him.