Just Live

Chapter 23

Of the five days that Matteo and Sarah spent in the ski village, they blended perfectly in with the locals and tourists. Friends, couples, and families were there for a short time away from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives just like the two.  

"You want some more?" Matteo asked as he offered his beaver tail.

"Last bite," he heard her say before she took a bite off of the beaver tail, a fried pastry with their choice of chocolate hazelnut spread and sliced bananas on top.

Matteo giggled when Sarah lifted her head off his shoulder to thank him and saw chocolate spread in the corner of her lips. Her eyes were glued on him while he gently wiped it with his thumb, followed by sucking on his finger to lick the chocolate off of it.

"Sarap?" Sarah asked with a chuckle.

"Sobra. Lasang Sarah," he beamed before going in for a quick kiss on her lips.

"Drink water, bub," Sarah said as she brought the bottle to his mouth. "Love." She quickly sat up once he was done drinking and leaned closer to the window. "Snow tube tayo."

"Snow tubing? Won't that tire you out, bubba?" Matteo asked as worry spread across his face.

Sarah reached for his forehead and carefully ran her fingers across, wiping the creases away as they appeared with Matteo's worried look. "I'm okay, bub, promise. Di naman tayo tatakbo or anything. Sige na, please?" She pleaded with a grin like a three year old asking for more play time.

"Are you sure you're okay? You're not tired or anything?"

"Nope. Not tired at all. Can we, love? Please?" Sarah asked again with an adorable grin.

"Okay, let's do it, pero don't tire yourself out, okay?" Matteo agreed, his heart filling with joy when he saw his girlfriend perk up even more in excitement.

"Promise! Tara! Pwede iwan na lang natin sa locker yung crutch, bub? So we don't have to carry it around."

"Are you gonna be okay walking without it, bubba?"

Sarah nodded in excitement. "Ikaw na lang muna tungkod ko," she smiled.

"I like that," Matteo grinned and held her hand. "I will always be your tungkod in life, love. Literally and figuratively."

"Ang sweet sweet mo talaga, love," Sarah replied with a giggle. "And cheesy na rin."

"But you're kilig," he teased while laughing. "You're blushing oh, bubba, you're so cute."

"Bubba, ikaw...," Sarah began saying before trailing off and laughing it off instead. "Tara na nga, pinapa-blush mo kasi ako eh."

"Let's go, my love wants to go snow tubing, so snow tubing it is!"

Sarah stood up and put her scarf and gloves on while Matteo shoved the last piece of pastry in his mouth.

"Love, wait," Matteo chuckled at how excited she was. "Painom muna." He put his coat back on and assisted Sarah as she got out of the booth, also holding her hand while they walked out of the cafe.

Matteo lined up to get tickets for them while she sat on a bench, watching people slide down the hill with a smile on her face. He let out a joyful sigh with a smile on his face when he approached her. May it be the canyons, the lake, vineyards, the beach, or snow covered mountains, he's got the most beautiful creation of God in his hand: Sarah.

"Wow, bubba, you're brave now ha," Matteo teased while they were on an open chair lift to get to the top of the hill, much like the one they rode in in Vancouver.