Ski Lodge

16// Snow Storm

"I think I almost did," he says staring directly into my eyes.

"That's why I pushed you."

"So I wouldn't kiss you?" He says.

"Yes. I was still mad at you," I explain.

"Right," he looks almost hopeful, "you were mad."

"I was. I shouldn't have pushed you. I'm sorry."

"I've already forgiven you," he chuckles.

I see behind him that the security officers are pulling Phoebe out of the line to talk to her. She looks bright red and is fuming.

"It looks like it's clear to go again," I say pointing to the J-lift.

"Really? You wouldn't prefer the bunny hill?" He smiles at me, a sparkle in his brown eyes.

"I've fallen on both at this point," I respond.

"Trisha!" My mom calls out to me before we can head for the J-lift. She waves me over, "come tell your side of the story."

Emmett and I slide across the snow to the security guard, and we give a reasonable play by play of the events that occurred not shying away from Phoebe's accusations that I like Emmett. I watch my mom carefully as some emotion I can't quite grasp lands on her face. After I'm done telling the story, I end up getting a punishment for not being a great skier. Basically, I'm stuck on the bunny hill for the rest of the day. Phoebe gets sent back to her lodge and will have a meeting with her boss. My mom pulls me aside after the officer and Phoebe leave and whispers, "Trisha. I owe you an apology, honey. I should never have pushed you into being with Emmett so much. It really is your call; just, you know how best friends with children the same age dream up fantasies of their kids marrying and becoming family. We just took it too far. And now you're getting hurt because of it."

"I'm not hurt," I say, "just my bum maybe has a bruise but I've fallen twice on it now, so who knows which fall really caused the bruise."

"I mean me hurting you. Like... emotionally."

"Oh, mom. I forgive you," I lean in to hug her.

"Good! Ok, now. I was talkin' to Midge and Erica, and we think that we should do a girls thing at the spa before this trip is over. How would that sound?"

"Really? Would Laura come?"

"Well I guess that's up to her mom, but I don't think she would turn down a princess treatment!"

"Nor would I! I'm in," I grin.

"Ok, good. We have to get a reservation still so it might be a day or two. Tonight we're all going to hit the outdoor sauna/hot tub thing. It's back down the hill, and it's gorgeous. You can see the stars through a glass ceiling! And it's super warm."

"That sounds fun!"

"Ok good, now you go flex your skills on that bunny hill or you can get a hot chocolate in the rest area over there. Just bill it to the room; here use the little room-card they gave us for purchases," my mom says as she hands me a card I haven't seen before. It's a small plastic room-card that looks kind of like a credit card.

"Thanks, mom," I put it in my ski jacket pocket and zip the pocket up so it won't fall out.

My mom pushes away after one more hug and joins my dad who's yelling, "good job, kiddo!" And making air punches as my mom reaches him, and then they ski away.

Emmett skis up to me with a grin. "So? Bunny hill?"

"No, hot chocolate! You want to join me?" I say with my hands on my hips.