Ski Lodge

17// Sauna

My dad finds Emmett and I tumbling down the bunny hill while racing Laura and Weston.

Emmett didn't return to the bigger slopes although I told him he didn't have to stay with me. He said he prefers my company.

"Trisha," my dad is fighting to ski through the snow that's coming down, "we have to leave now. The snow is too heavy."

The Drs Greene, the kids, Emmett, and I join my dad, mom and the Drs Becker at the hut to take off our skis. The purple pair I used yesterday are neatly hung up on the rack. I guess Phoebe really did get kicked out. The ten of us head back to the vans. This time, my mom and dad hang back to wait for the second van because they're worried about me and Emmett getting back safely.

The van ride is quiet. Visibility is low and the driver is going down some steep turns. I can't help but grab onto Emmett's arm, and he lets me squeeze it as we descend the mountain.

"I'm worried about my parents," I say.

"Why?" Weston piques up from the seat behind us.

"Just because it's snowing," Dr Midge Greene says, "Trisha, I promise, they'll be alright we shouldn't get snowed in; the weather forecast says it will be worse tomorrow than today. They're going to meet us at the sauna; you'll see them there."

"Ok, I say, a little relieved." I let go of Emmett's arm. He slides his hand down and into mine, squeezing. I look at him a little shocked. He looks back encouraging, like he's proud of how I've handled today. I know I am proud of myself.

Weston gets bored in the van and without his Angry Birds, he's left with only himself and his sister to entertain. He starts singing theme songs from Disney movies that I no longer recognize. Eventually, he makes it to High School musical which makes all eight of us burst out into a pitchy rendition of "We're All in This Together."

Finally, we make it down the hill and back to our little townhouse. The vans are coming more often because of the snow, so my mom and dad arrive not 15 minutes after us, and I run into their arms with a big hug.

"What's this for?" My dad asks as he smooths my hair down. "Oh, Trisha, honey. It's not bad outside. We're ok," she tightens her hold on me, "now go put your swimsuit on under your layers."

"I already did," I say not letting go.

"Perfect, then we will, and we can all head to the sauna together."

Dr Becker makes cold meat sandwiches for dinner with apples slices and we all eat quickly to give enough time to digest. Then, we all pull on our hats and mittens and trek to the sauna. It's just outside the square lodge, down a wood staircase that leads to a large ledge on the side of the mountain the resort is on. It's breathtaking. A large, glass geo-dome, that Dr Patrick Greene immediately goes into an architectural spiel about, is lit up with dangling fairy lights that my mom informs us are set to turn off once the sun has fully set in order to let the starts shine in the darkness.

We enter the sauna and split off into the woman's and men's dressing rooms.

Inside, it's warm and comforting. Like sitting in front of a space heater in the middle of an air conditioned winter with a cup of coffee. It smells faintly of pool chemicals, but the smell is mostly covered up by a mineral, earthy smell. Like a really expensive body wash.

We rinse off before entering the area with the heated pools. There are three pools, each of a different temperature in a sort of slightly terraced set up. The largest is the coolest, and it's where the Drs Greene take Weston and Laura. The rest of us start at the medium pool while we wait for spots in the warmest pool to open up.