Underneath the Tree (gg)

Chapter 4 - Winter Things

Summary:
They finally make it to the lodge quite late. They start fresh in the morning

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They finally pull up to the lodge. It's well lit and bigger than expected. Parking their cars next to each other in reserved spots, they hop out. Beth lingering a little longer, Rio walks over to the passenger to coax her out.
"I know your tired ma, we all are, you gotta get up." Rio goes to grab her arms to pull her out of the car. She accepts this gesture and melts into his grasp. Annie and Ruby watching as Beth can barely stand up.
"What's up with her? I know we just drove for 4 hours, but didn't we all get to nap in the car? Me and Ruby traded like.. three times." Annie stands facing Ruby waiting for acknowledgement.
"Nah, she didn't nap. Too upset." Beth nudges Rio in his side as he reveals this.
"I wasn't upset, just a little offended." She says this in a yawn.
"Yeah, apparently she didn't get much sleep last night either. Something keeping her up." Rio glances down at her in his arms letting a small smirk show. Annie looming skeptically, decides to remain quiet.
"B, we didn't mean to offend you, but come on. Who else were you gonna bring? Deansie? Nah, I didn't think so. Apparently Annie did though, cause I won." Ruby let's out a laugh, as does Beth before leaning into Rio more.
"Yeah, she's real tired. I haven't seen her like that since Jane was born." Annie walks over to Beth, as if trying to help lift her. Being no help at all, Rio scoops her up and leads the way as they are all walking inside. When indoors, they are greeted by the receptionist, looking awfully cheerful. Rio continuing to hold Beth in his arms, not struggling whatsoever.
"Hey, we have 2 rooms reserved. One for me and Ruby, the other for Beth and her plus one." Annie gives the receptionist all of this information in one breath.
"Here are your keys, rooms 3b and 4b, same floor. Have a good rest of your night, sleep well as there will be room service sent up bright and early." Handing Annie the keys.
"Yeah, I'm gonna lose those." She hands them over to Ruby without hesitation.
They take the elevator to floor B, Beth still in Rio's arms.
"Beth you should probably stand, I'm sure Rio's getting tired." Ruby whispers towards Beth who's clearly passed out in his arms.
"Nah she's good, let her sleep. This is light work." Rio adjusts her in his arms, being careful not to wake her. Ruby shrugs her shoulders sharing a glance with Annie who is barely staying awake herself.
"Bitch... get up! You took three naps." Ruby snaps Annie out of her daze.

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Beth wakes up to the sound of a light knock on the door. Unaware of where she is, she glances to her left to see Rio next to her in the bed. Apparently they couldn't get two twins? Not that she cared, but what would Annie and Ruby think? The knock starts again, this time a little harder.
"I'm coming!" Beth makes her way towards the door to find a lady with a cart of food, "Oh hello! What's this?"
"It's your room service, it comes with the passes." This lady saying in a very monotone manner. Sliding the cart into their room and leaving with another one she's guessing is for Ruby and Annie's room.
"Thanks..." Beth glances at the food. Not particularly starving. She decides that it's a good time to shower as she hadn't taken one the day before. They had been in such a rush to drive from Detroit. It was a pretty far road trip.
Beth slid into the bathroom, not making much noise. Beginning to run the water, she hears a little knock on the bathroom door. Due to her still being clothed, she opens it. As she thought, it's Rio, looking wide awake despite just having been asleep.
"Mind if I join you? They bill for everything here." Though she hasn't answered, he steps into the bathroom.
"No, uh.. I mean I don't mind. I don't even know how Annie managed to pay for all this in the first place." She let's out a laugh as she begins to undress, Rio does the same. While in the shower, not much happens, Rio only giving Beth little neck kisses here and there.

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Once out of the shower, they both towel up. Beth remaining in the bathroom while Rio changed. Taking the time to brush her teeth. They swapped so Rio could utilize the bathroom. After he was finished, she returned to the bathroom to blow dry her hair.
"Elizabeth, your head is not going to freeze." Rio jokes with her.
"I'm not taking any chances, it's so cold. I understand that it's still Michigan, but it's colder here than in Detroit." Beth continues to blow dry her hair.
As they converse, Rio hears three knocks on the door. Thinking it's the room service lady again, he opens the door. Just to be met with Annie and Ruby standing, looking tired and hungry.
"Did they bring you room service? Cause we didn't get any..." Annie inquires, clearly becoming angry.
"Yeah, it's over there if y'all want it. We just finished." Rio nods in the direction of the rolling cart, still having a decent amount of food on it. Beth comes strutting out of the bathroom, unbeknownst to anything happening.
"Oh hey guys. What's going on?" Beth watches as Annie and Ruby devour and finish the rest of their room service.
Ruby finishes a sip of coffee before speaking, "How's it going sleeping beauty? You look refreshed. That makes one of us, or two... Rio looks awake too. What time did y'all get up?"
"Uh, I'm not sure, I kinda just rolled out of bed to the room service lady. I got the food, expecting her to take you guys some. Apparently she didn't, and then we took a shower an-" Beth is suddenly cut off.
"Wait what?!" Annie almost spitting her food everywhere, "You guys took a shower? One shower?" Ruby's eyes widen as she realizes what Annie saying.
"What, no I-" Beth tries to defend herself.
"We tryna help you... I'm not sure if you know this, but just because you bought these passes, doesn't mean that they aren't still billing you." Rio gives this information to Annie, as if she'll actually processes and thinks about it.
"Hah so you did!" Pointing her finger out towards them, completely missing Rio's statement.
"Well played..." Ruby sitting on the couch given in the room.
"Annie! I'm divorced, rules don't apply. Even if they did, my ex has slept with every skinny bitch secretary in Detroit. So excuse me if I just took a shower. Do you want to know what happened in that shower..." Beth keeping her eyes on Annie's suddenly looking interested, "nothing... absolutely nothing. We showered, like normal people, just at once. We both needed hot water."
Annie staring back at Beth, surprisingly with an impressed expression. She doesn't say anything, but instead starts laughing.
"Wow sis, you got that worked up about a shower. I was just asking." Annie continues to cackle despite the silence of the room.
"We're going ice skating in an hour, it's 8:00 am, so meet us down there by 9:00." Ruby breaking the awkwardness, now having to drag Annie out by her wrist in order for her to follow, "Come on, leave them alone."

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