Chapter 96

There was no hot water supply in this place. She turned on the faucet and filled the tub, then put his coat, shirt, and pants in, sprinkle with washing powder, and rubbed them with her hands. The water was biting cold. She could barely keep her hands from freezing. But she adapted to it after a while. A washing machine was on the side. She could use it to spin the clothes dry. Otherwise, the clothes would still be wet by tomorrow morning. After cleaning things up, she could finally go to bed. The cold was a concern because there was no heating in the room. But her worries turned out to be unnecessary—Mark’s body heat warmed the bed like a fireplace. After a day on the road, Summer was getting motion sickness. So she crashed out as soon as she lay on the bed. At night, the room was so quiet that only the faint sound of their breathing was in the air. …… Early the next morning, when Mark woke us, Summer was still snuggling in his arms. Cold made her body curling up into a ball a