𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 ✓

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 - 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐞 [𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞]

 

  The drive from Connecticut to Vermont was nothing short of grueling. The four hour drive was something Odessa dreaded as a kid. Her legs would fall asleep and she'd run out of road trip snacks in the first hour of the more than four hour trip.

  This time around, there were some redeemable aspects. She wasn't in the car with her mom, for one thing. Becasus of all the guests they'd invited, the group decided to split into two. One car would be made up of Odessa's mom, aunt Tia and Tia's new man Darnell. The other car was Odessa, Thalia, Jess and Ezra. They had come up with a system where Thalia and Jess would switch as drivers every hour or so. Odessa couldn't drive and while Ezra could, he didn't feel comfortable going such a long distant with so many people in the car, especially with his tics.

  And for Odessa, it made the ride more bareable to be with people she liked and appreciated, although Jess' questionable music taste was getting to be a bit of a concern for everyone at the two hour mark. They'd left late Friday, around four PM, so it was closer to nine when they got to the skii lodge. It was just outside Rutland, Vermont and one of the few spots to open so early in the season. It was very early October; a lot of the skiing and snowboarding options were limited. But, they didn't go there for that anyway.

  Thalia was diligent in explaining the specifics as to why the lodges activities outside of snow-sport were the best around, and even Odessa chimed in to agree.

  "The restaurants, the suites, the room service and the spa!" Thalia listed.

  "Oh my god, the spa." Odessa let out a longing sigh. "Saunas, shiatsus, hot-tubs,"

  "Oh my!" Jess joked. 

"If I could spend the whole trip marinating in the hot tubs, I would." Odessa noted.

  "And who's to stop you?" Ezra asked.

"My Aunt Tia, of course. If anyone is going to go out of their way to corral the group into doing things together, it's going to be her. You can't be lazy around her, it's a federal offense."

  The group laughed, gradually getting closer to the lodge. The sun had only set within the hour and the light was still present, letting a picturesque blue sky craddle the snow capped peaks. The lodge sat at the slight incline at the base of two summits of a range, spanning miles both east and west. Late as it was, there were still plenty of patrons parking, pulling in, and milling about. They weren't surprised by this, as they'd been coming to this lodge for so long they knew the patterns of it. But the reservation was set, and they wouldn't have to worry too much.

   Tia, Jeannie and Darnell had arrived first and we're already waiting for the second group in the lobby of the lodge. They made their introductions, mingling quietly to themselves as the older ones of them spoke to the receptionist at the check-in.

  "Hi, mom." Odessa spoke, already unable to ignore the look her mother was giving her guests. Jeannie looked up at her daughter in surprise, as if she had only just now realozed she was in front of her. The older woman let out a heavy sigh. "Hello, Odessa."