Carolina Rodriguez

"Well you're good at teaching," I said and smiled at him.

Carolina

"Thanks, I hope so."

Mason

I smiled and was about to say something when I realized it had gotten really quiet. "Where's Logan?" I said, looking around. "Oh my god where did he go? Logan!? Logan where are you?!"

I started looking around and didn't see him anywhere. Shit. "Just calm down, he's wondered off but we'll find him."

"Calm down? I can't calm down right now! What if he's hurt? Logan!"

"The other kids are nearby, maybe he headed their way. Come on, let's go."

I followed after him, looking everywhere my eyes could reach, as I called him over and over. He didn't answer and I was quickly panicking. What if something happened to him? I couldn't lose him, I just couldn't...

We were reaching the river when I heard kids yelling and didn't sound like the playful yelling. They were in a panic. I started walking faster and faster.

I moved past him and started running until I reached the river. I looked in the water and screamed when I saw Logan. I started to jump in when I felt a hand grab my arm. "Let me go! I have to get him! Let me go!"

"It's frozen, he fell through the ice! Get back!" I told her and put her behind me. I grabbed a heavy branch and started beating it into the ice where he fell in until it broke through enough for me to get in. I threw it to the side and took a deep breath, diving in.

I fell to my knees, sobbing, praying to anything and anyone out there that he was going to be okay...

I grabbed Logan beneath the water and swam back up pushing through the broken ice that was still floating around. Carolina rushed over and pulled him out and I climb up right behind him. I checked his pulse "He isn't breathing." I told her and started doing CPR.

"Breathe baby, please, breathe for mommy," I sobbed out.

I kept going until he finally took a breath and started spitting up water. I rolled him over and patted his back "There you go, get it out buddy."

When he finally stopped spitting up water I pulled him into my arms and hugged him as hard as I could, tears streaming down my face, while Mason put his jacket over him. "It's okay baby, it's gonna be okay, you're fine, I've got you, I've got you."

I took a deep and slow breath "We should get him home before he catches hypothermia."

I nodded and stood up with him, keeping my arms tight around him as we headed to the house. "You're coming too right?" I asked Mason.

"Yeah, let's get him home." I told her and started leading the way back to her house.

We got back to the house and I immediately changed him into warm dry clothes and wrapped a blanket around him.

I went outside and grabbed some of the dry firewood we had stored and brought it back inside. I went to the fireplace and started to build up a good fire for him. I was soaked too but that was the last thing on my mind.

He fell asleep in my arms and I carried him to bed then covered him up with an extra blanket. I stood in the doorway and watched him while he slept, then felt Mason come up behind me. I turned to look at him, tears in my eyes. "How... can I ever... thank you," I whispered then hugged him hard.

I put my arms around her and patted her back gently "You don't have to." I told her "Better be careful, I'm still wet. Don't want you catching a chill."

"I don't care about that. I don't... care.... I can't... I can't thank you enough... I can't... I can't lose him Mason, he's... he's all I have," I whispered, trying hard not to burst into tears again.

"I know. I know he is and we would never let anything happen to him." I told her "Shhh. It's alright."

I nodded then realized I still had my arms around him. I stepped back awkwardly, knowing my face was beat red. "I'm sorry," I said quietly. "Please stay for dinner. I don't know what I can do to repay you, but I can at least do that. Not that it's nearly enough, but... but... would you like to stay?"