Ski Lodge

20// Avalanche

And the avalanche missed its target.

"I cannot believe that some buffoon chose to smoke pot instead of double check his guard for the avalanche!" my nurse yells into her phone, "I know ma, I was hoping to catch the plane too.... Yes, I know I'll probably be late for New Year's... only a day delay... yes really. No, she's fine; doesn't even have anything serious. Ok, love you too."

"Could you hand me my phone?" I ask the nurse from the bed I've been told to stay down in while I wait for results.

"So you can try to call your mom another five times? No. It's been six minutes. Give her a break, she'll call you back when she sees your messages... or turns on the news... or tries to drive here."

The avalanche went off an hour ago. It wasn't directed correctly, so it rolled right on down to the hospital. We're snowed in until a team can shovel us out. It should only take a day according to the nurse.

"Can I turn on the tv then?" All the sudden, there's a knock on the door.

"Come in," the nurse says as she gets up to leave.

I wonder if somehow my mom has miraculously made it through the bad snow storm, the closed roads, and missed the avalanche in time to get to the hospital. It's probably just a doctor with my results.

Emmett walks in. "Hey, Trisha, how are you feeling?" he asks cool and collected, and I fear I'm hallucinating. The stress must have finally gotten to me and now I'm seeing things. I rub my eyes, but he's still there, rubbing his neck with one hand, the other in his front pocket. "Bummer about this avalanche, huh?"

"How did you get in here? There's like ten feet of snow outside!" I exclaim. Gloria chuckles and closes the door behind her on her way out.

"Twelve, actually. I've been here. I was waiting for you to finish some tests for visiting hours, and well, then the avalanche happened. The doctors said they were going to make up a bed for me tonight since it will be awhile. How are you holding up?" With that question, he drops his arms and walks over to the side of my bed. "Are you feeling ok? Are there any issues? Did I do this?"

"What? No of course not. I mean I'm fine, and you didn't do anything wrong," I'm starting to feel weirdly vibrate-y, like I'm buzzing, "actually you probably saved me from like hypothermia or something worse."

"I would have carried you back before I let you get hypothermia," he laughs.

"Thank you," I smile at him.

He smiles back. It's really awkward. Do I acknowledge the kiss? I want to know if it was real or just a spur of the moment decision to save my life. It felt real. I want it to be real. Are those butterflies in my stomach, or am I just feeling grateful?

He's just standing there, staring at me. And I guess I'm staring back. His eyes look concerned. The same look as before, but now I can see it better. His brows are knit together. His lips are slightly curved up at the edges. His eyes are just a little squinty. He parts his lips. Then closes them and swallows.

"So whatcha been up to?" he says.

I laugh. "Um, well I woke up in an unfamiliar place after blacking out, and then I got poked and bled and forced to sit in a wheelchair and then run and then rest. I ate jelly and soup and drank tea. The nurse refused to give me... oh! Can you pass me my phone?" I eagerly point to where it's sitting on the table far away from my bed.

"Are you going to frantically text your mom?" he asks.

"No! I promise!" My fingers are crossed behind my back.