"Winter Rental", by Gratiana Lovelace (Done 2022) (copyrighted 2022)

Ch. 6: Emergency on Pineridge Mountain

"Winter Rental", Ch. 6: Emergency on Pineridge Mountain, by Gratiana Lovelace,
 February 06, 2022 (Post #1445)

["Winter Rental" is an original contemporary romance story copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace, 2022; All rights reserved.];
[(1) the "Winter Rental" story cover (left); other image credits are at the end of each chapter(s) post] 

[Author's notes:  I cast my characters as I write my stories—to help myself and my readers visualize the main characters. So my main characters for "Winter Rental" are: Richard Armitage as Greg Halliday; Cameron Diaz as his younger sister Connie Halliday; Anne Hathaway as Diana Langley; Liam Hemsworth as Eddie Hughes; Rege-Jean Page as Mike Porter, Octavia Spencer as Octavia Porter, and others as noted.

This is also a gentle romance (with chapters being rated as PG-13 or so, unless otherwise noted), with some heartfelt romantic moments—and some mature romantic discussions put to humorous effect. So if you cannot or will not attend a movie with my maturity ratings, then don't read that chapter. And though I set my story in the lovely city and area of Galena, IL—which I have enjoyed visiting many times—for the purposes of my storytelling here, I use dramatic license of the facts, individuals, locations, etc. These are my disclaimers. And I will post new story chapters weekly on both my SAL blog, as also on my Wattpad site.]

"Winter Rental", Ch. 6: Emergency on Pineridge Mountain

After Greg's meeting with Mike Porter about Greg wanting to buy his family's [oldvacation] home back from the Pineridge Mountain Ski Resort [and Hotel], he meets some obstacles—in that the Ski Resort has created a whole compound of buildings, turning it into a business conference center both marring the beauty of the original property (in Greg's mind), and making the house and property much more expensive to reacquire, were the Ski Resort even willing to sell it.

As Greg sits at a window side table in the Ski Resort's restaurant--brooding over the fate of their family vacation home—he is the picture of gloom and dread as he awaits his sister Connie joining him for lunch when she returns from her cross country skiing group tour. Then Diana returns to the Ski Resort Hotel for some lunch as well, after visiting several kitchen appliance and design stores in the area this morning, gathering information on her choices. Diana spots Greg looking forlornly out a window of the Ski Resort's restaurant dining room. And she is inexplicably drawn to finding out what is the matter with him.

Diana: "Greg, are you alright?" She asks softly so as not to startle him.

Greg: Greg slowly looks up to see Diana standing near his table and shakes his head. "I hardly know. I'm just here waiting for Connie to get back from her cross country skiing group tour this morning. Please sit and join us for lunch, if you don't have other plans." Actually, Greg welcomes talking to Diana about the area and what it means to her, even as he tries to understand why it seems to mean so much to him.

Diana: "Thank you. I think I will join you for lunch." Diana smiles cordially at him, then she sits across the table from him.

And Greg notices the distance from him that Diana is keeping. And he guesses that it is his fault. Oh, not for kissing and embracing her this morning in bed, that was quite lovely. But for him feeling awkward about it later, and then his blasted reserve probably made her think that he doesn't like her. But he does like her. Yet his first salvo, does not convey that.

Greg: "Why didn't you tell me?" He asks Diana in exasperation.

Diana: Noting his anger, she wonders where it's coming from. "Is this about my house?" She huffs at his ire.

Greg: "No! This is about my house. The ski resort turned our family's former vacation home and property into a business center retreat with extra cabins around it—as if it were a campground recreation area." He sputters in disgust.

Greg and his family had spent decades returning to their vacation home for Winters and Summers. And it was home for Greg, since he was nine years old when his family built their vacation home in Galena on the lower elevation of Pineridge Mountain--and he had a say in decorating his bedroom with a skiing theme, he also insisted that their family room needed a ping pong table, he reveled in lying in the hammock on lazy Summer afternoons while reading books under the big tree in front, and so much more.

And Greg has always suspected that his ten years younger sister Connie was conceived by his parents there at [their] vacation home at the end of their family's first long fun Summer there when he was nine years old—considering Connie was born in the following Spring and she made poopy diapers that stunk up the place. So his Mama made sure that Connie was [potty] trained—at least day time [potty] trained--by the time they traveled there again the following Summer, when Connie was a one year old and Greg was eleven.

Diana: "Oh! I thought you knew, Greg. There have been a lot of changes since old Mr. Hughes died four years ago and his son took over. Their business philosophies were and are completely different."

Greg: "It would seem so. When my parents sold our vacation home to the Ski Resort four years ago, it was with the promise that they would maintain its family home charm. In fact, I know that my Dad put a stipulation in the contract for deed that said they had to keep it as a family home and property, pristine for my and Connie's life time—so we could rent it out when we came back to visit."

Diana: "He did, did he? That was very forward thinking of your Dad. So in essence the Ski Resort has, let's say a 50 year lease, before they can actually assume full ownership of the property?" Greg nods. "Well you're a lawyer, Greg. I'd suggest that you review that contract for deed and see what your options are."

Greg: "That's an excellent idea. I was just so bummed at the almost theme park approach that the Ski Resort has done to our family's lovely property, that I haven't been thinking straight—not thinking as a lawyer." Of course, the upset Greg is exaggerating a bit about the theme park look of the property—but his former vacation home does look like a campground.

Diana: "Greg, I understand what you're feeling. Our homes have precious memories for us. They embody the touchstones of our lives in the mementos kept there--of kites flown, fishing or skiing competitions won, the kid height markers on the door frames for each child as they grew up, wonderful Summer barbecues with family and friends, and especially memories of those we've lost." Diana now looks sad and teary eyed.

Greg: "That was beautifully said, Diana." Greg reaches across the table and lightly touches her hand. "I'm sorry about your parents. You must miss them a great deal."

Diana: "I do. Mom died ten years ago, and then Dad died just last Fall. Yet the pain of losing them never goes away." Diana pauses to try to compose herself. But she finds that she can't be stoic any longer. "And I don't know what I'm doing any more, where I'm going with my life. I feel like I'm not moving forward anymore." Diana covers her crying eyes as she buries her face in her hands. Her grief has been even more difficult because she has no one to share it with. Her brother Gary didn't involve himself when her parents became ill—not even to help her out, since Diana was her parents' main caretaker, both times. And Diana feels adrift and alone in the world.

Greg silently moves to a chair adjacent to Diana's chair and leans over and embraces her shoulders. Then Diana leans into Greg as he comforts her. It is, perhaps, a blessing that Diana is facing the window—so she is not on display to the other restaurant patrons as she cries, and her privacy is somewhat maintained. And their restaurant server is patiently giving them their space and time, by not approaching them for their lunch orders yet.

Unfortunately, life is rarely uncomplicated. And this moment is one of them, as Diana's cell phone rings and she answers it--even as Greg sees the Pineridge Mountain Ski Resort manager Mike Porter approaching them, with a serious look on his face.

Gary on phone: "Diana, thank God I reached you! The cross country skiing group tour has not checked in yet, and they were due at the Ski Resort for lunch 30 minutes ago. I have all kinds of frantic relatives trying to find out what's going on. Can you come into the store to help me field questions here?"

It is so typical of Gary, him needing his sister's help, but rarely giving his help to her. And with them sitting so closely together, Greg hears every word of Gary's call. And knowing that Diana is in no state to do what Gary asks—even as he worries about the fate of his own sister Connie—Greg gently takes the cell phone from Diana's trembling hands.

Greg on phone: "Gary, this is Greg. I'm with Diana at the Ski Resort's restaurant. And she is unable to assist you at this time. The Resort Manager Mike Porter is walking toward us and we'll see what he says. I'll call you back later when we know more." And Greg cuts the call, not giving Gary any time to make any more demands of Diana.

Mike: Mike heads straight to Greg and Diana's table and sits down. "I see you've heard about the missing cross country skiing group tour from Gary." He states in a serious tone.

Greg: Greg nods. "Yes, and my sister Connie is with that group. Is there a search and rescue effort begun?"

Mike: "Yes, we have designated and trained mountain search and rescue staff. And myself and several of the other more athletic ski resort staff are going to supplement our usual search and rescue teams via deploying the resort's snow mobiles."

Greg: "I'm coming, too. I'll just need to borrow a warmer overcoat, since mine is back at Diana's house and we don't want to lose time going for it."

Mike: "Sure, we'll raid the pro shop. Diana, will you be alright by yourself?" He asks in concern, noticing that she has been crying.

Greg: Not wanting to breech her personal grief, Greg suggests. "Diana? Maybe you should rest up in your suite. I'll call you on my cell phone when we know something.

Diana: "No! I'm coming with you."

Mike: "But your infirmity?" Mike reminds her. And surprise is evident on Greg's face—him not knowing that Diana has a physical ailment. .

Diana: "I'm fine. We'll be on snow mobiles. I have driven them all my life. And we'll need all the snow mobiles out there so we can bring back the tired and cold cross country skiers with us--if they're off the main roads that are inaccessible by vans." And what she thinks but does not say, is that if they find anyone injured, they will likely need to call for an air lift out via the nearest open clearing. And it turns out that her Ski Resort Manager friend Mike Porter has already called in the local hospital's helicopter on standby.

Greg: "Are you sure, Diana? You must think of yourself." Because Greg is now also worried about Diana, him not knowing the scope of her physical challenges. And Greg worries if Diana's condition is merely an injury that is life challenging, or worse, possibly a heart condition which could be life threatening

Diana: "I would rather be doing something, helping, rather than sitting alone in my suite."

Mike: "Alright,." He agrees reluctantly. "But at the first sign of you not feeling well, I'll bring you back to the resort, myself."

Diana: "Fair enough." She states resolutely. She will not be a burden. But Diana will also not sit idly by if she can help. And helping others is what she does.

Greg: "Mike, You're needed to coordinate the search efforts out there. So put Diana and I together in one of the groups, and I can bring her back to the ski resort if she needs it." Greg hugs Diana's shoulders while smiling down at her as she looks up at him. Despite Greg's worries about his sister Connie's safety in the missing cross country skiing group, Diana also has meaning for him.