Fraser Mountain - Living the snow life

Chapter Thirty Eight

To: LexieMcGinty@yahoo.co.uk

From: Tabitha_Harding@gmail.com

Subject: Re: News

How are ya, mate!? I'm emailing you from this mad little internet café in Valdez, while Trav does the laundry. I'm all for equal rights, so he's on scrubbing duty while I deal with the technology. Trav says Hi, BTW.

We are having the best time in Alaska. We saw a black bear and some cubs yesterday from our canoe – that was bloody cool. I'm getting eaten alive by mozzies but as for the camping, it's not too bad. I got a bit freaked out the other night when we heard some rustling in the bushes. T even got the bear spray out, but it was only a gopher. My tan's coming along nicely now that the weather's getting better and some of the meadows here are so amazing in the spring, with all the wildflowers. I've attached some piccies – take a look.

Reckon we're going to head back to Fraser at the end of May. We already found a great little house in the Annexe that T wants to renovate in the summer, so looks like I'm staying for the long-haul. It won't be the same without you around but Danno said he might come back too, depending on Rick. Can't believe they're still going strong, eh? Mad!

Hope you're good, love? Miss u lots.

Taz x

'Wow.' I whistle, double-clicking on the attachments in Taz's email and looking at the photographs. She wasn't kidding about the flowers.

'Gosh! Where's that?' Mum asks, looking over my shoulder.

'Alaska... I just got an email from Taz and Travis.'

Mum hands me a glass of wine. 'Are they having a good time?'

'Of course!' I grin. 'Look at the pics – it's beautiful.'

Mum leans back on the kitchen worktop and looks at me closely. 'You really miss it, don't you?'

'Yeah, but I'll go back one day. It's not like it's going anywhere.' I reply, closing the lid on my computer.

'Can I say something?' she says, coming to sit next to me at the table. 'And you have to promise not to get angry.'

I feel my shoulders tense up as I put my glass down, wondering where this is going. 'Go on...'

'Darling... when you got back from Canada, you looked so well. I know it was sad when Granny left us, but you seemed so full of life. It was nice to see.'

I shrug and take a sip of my wine. 'I guess it's the lifestyle out there. It's just different. Healthier than London, that's for sure.'

'Well, yes. But look at the hours you're working at the moment. I thought you said the pitch was finished now, but you still seem to be there until very late at night when I call?'

'Mum,' I sigh, trying not to sound annoyed. 'That's just the way things are. I have to work hard otherwise they'll get rid of me. And we didn't win the pitch, so we have to work really hard to get more business in.'

'From what you've told me, you didn't win the pitch because your boss doesn't seem to know what she's doing? You couldn't have worked any harder, darling.'

I smile. 'You're my mum. You're supposed to think the sun shines out of my behind. I'm lucky they wanted to keep me on afterwards. Do you know how many designers would kill for that position? Loads.'

'I know, but I just think you need to take stock. You've still got most of your redundancy money left over. Maybe you should plan a holiday – meet up with your friends?'

'Are you trying to get rid of me, Mum?'

'No! I just don't understand why you're not going back. I was so proud of you when you ditched Henry and went off to have an adventure.'