Pointe Shoes

Chapter eight

After a morning complete with stale muffins and leftover fluffernutter, Max and I continued on our journey to Estes Park.

    We had another ten hours to drive, so we left at eight to get there at six, maybe seven with stops. I slept, read, and talked to Max for the long, long drive.

    "That's it!" Max exclaimed, waking me from my slumber. I looked around me to see trees. Lots of trees, and lots of rocks. Oh, a lot of brown buildings.

    "Wildwood Inn." I read off the sign as we drove in the parking lot in front of a log cabinish building with the largest set of wind chimes that I had ever seen out front.

    "I'm going to go into check us in, can you please carefully bring my baby to 211? Its at the top." Max stated, seeming uneasy about leaving his precious van in my care. I had my license, I didn't understand why he thought I was so unworthy.

    I took the keys and hopped into the driver's seat of the van that had taken so far already, and grinned as it came to life with a turn of a key. I carefully pulled into one of the parking spots reserved for 211, and took a look around before Max showed up. Our room was built kind of like a motel, but not really. Due to the fact it was built on a mountain, there were several separate buildings with only about six rooms in each, and lots and lots of stairs. On the patios of most of the rooms, there was a hot tube about big enough for four people, maybe. rocks and trees were everywhere, even inches from the buildings. Definitely not like California.

    "Clara-Beara!" Max's voice stood out loud and clear in the almost silent Inn. I turned around and smiled at him racing up the stairs, looking like a little kid on Christmas morning.

    "Do you have a key?" I questioned Max, looking down at his empty hands. He just grinned, and yanked one out of his surprisingly deep pockets. He handed the key to me, and I struggled for a moment before swinging the wooden door open.

    Our room was beautiful; decorated like a log cabin, but with modern appliances. Mooses (or meese? I had never been good with English) were scattered throughout the room, a statue here, a painting there. I could probably find twenty in five minutes if I wanted.

    "Nice, huh?" Max said with a grin in my direction. I nodded with a smile, and checked out the bathroom. The granite countertop was sleek and modern looking, just like the steam shower.

    "How did we afford this place?" I questioned, feeling a bit nervous. We were staying here two nights, and at the end when I paid for my half of the trip, I didn't want to go completely broke.

    "Actually, this was Marnie's gift to us. All she asks is a picture of us kissing." I felt alarm pulse through my body, and Max noticed. "She didn't say where though, so I hope you are ready for the best kiss on the hand you've ever had." I laughed, feeling relieved, and also disappointed. He had some pretty nice lips, not that I had any experience with kissing.

    "I'll take the picture on my phone." I told him, propping the phone on a vase and putting on the camera timer. I walked over to him and smiled as he took my left hand and placed a gentle kiss right on the back of it as the snapshot noise went off.

    "Let's go check it out." Max offered and we observed the picture on my tiny phone screen, and I have to admit, it was an adorable photo. Max's hair was a bit of a mess, brown fly-aways made gold in the sunlight streaming through the window parallel to us. I had a look of pure happiness on face, a bright smile plastered on my lips. The corners of Max's lips were pulled upward, even with most of them pressed against my hand. It was a very sweet picture, looking very much like a real couple's picture.

    "Marnie will love this. It looks like we are a real couple." I laughed, and then regretted my last sentence. Why would I even mention us and couple in the same sentence? What. An. Idiot, as Hermonie Granger would say.