“The Super G?” asked Eric.
“Never mind.” I was glad he didn’t get it. “Sorry I was such an ass. I was just trying to … I don’t know. I was being stupid, I guess.”
“Hey, these things happen, you know?” said Eric.
“Sam!” I heard behind me. Eric helped me turn around. It was Ashley, running toward us with her hands in the air.
“I’m so sorry. I tried waiting for you up there, but then I thought I missed you. And then when I got to the bottom I looked for you again. And then Drew came by and told me what happened. Oh sweetie, are you okay?”
“Yeah, Ashley. I’m all good.”
“We were having such a fun time, too. Tote bum.” Which I guessed meant “total bummer.” I tried to give her a smile. She smiled back.
“Oh, darlin’, can I do anything for you? Do you need anything?”
Her face looked so long with concern.
“That’s okay, Ashley. Really, I just need to go back to the inn and lie down.”
“Okay. Well, how about I try to catch up with you later today on the phone, okay? We still have to exchange e-mail addresses or something so we can stay buds.”
“That sounds good,” I said.
“Ooooh, I’m gonna miss you. Can I …?” She reached in to give me a hug. “You take care now, you hear?” She looked like she might cry.
“Promise. You, too.” I wanted to tell her how much fun she was, but I didn’t feel too steady standing up.
Eric and I walked the rest of the way in silence. His truck was a big navy pickup.
“This is Snoop,” he said.
I looked around, but there was nobody there. “Who?”
“The truck. His name is Snoop.”
“Oh hi, Snoop.”
“Just to warn you? It’s pretty hairy inside. Usually I’m traveling with someone much smaller and furrier.” He smiled.
“No problem,” I said.
He helped me up into the cab and made sure I was all settled in before he shut the door. There were a lot of dog hairs in here. And pine needles on the floor. And on the console I saw there was a small pad of paper with what looked like a sketch of a mountain pass, the rocks drawn in shades of gray. I didn’t have time to get a good look, though. Eric was already opening his door.
“I swear it’ll warm up in just a few. You freezing?” he asked.
“Nah, I’m fine.”
He turned the key in the ignition, and Steely Dan was playing really loud.
“Oops, sorry about that,” he said sheepishly, ejecting the CD. The local news came on.
“Looks like it’s gonna be a big one, too. Starting off in the morning and not tapering off until late in the evening. We may get as much as one and a half to two feet, so get out those shovels,” said the announcer.
Eric turned the radio down.
“Sounds like it might be the perfect day to stay in tomorrow,” he said.
I didn’t even answer. I just leaned back into the headrest and closed my eyes.
By the time Dad and Kathy and Jeremy came back, Eric had already set me up in front of the fire in the living room with a fleece blanket that felt like butter and a steaming cup of hot chocolate. I wasn’t sure I could get it down, but it smelled great.
“How’s the patient?” asked Dad, kissing me on the forehead.
“Better,” I murmured.
“We found someone who wanted to see you,” said Kathy.
“Nice job, nerd,” said Jeremy, leaning in and rubbing my head delicately.
“Sorry they brought you back, Jer.” My words kind of mushed all together, I was so relaxed and sleepy now.
“Whatever. I was done. Just get some rest,” he said.
The rest of the afternoon I spent in and out of sleep. I think I started to drink my hot chocolate about four different times, but I never made it very far. Each time I woke up, there was a fresh cup there. Dad and Kathy camped out on one of the other couches reading, and every once in a while when I woke up, one of them was hovering over me, just watching. At some point, Dad came into view with his cell phone in his hand.
“Hey, chicken, can you talk?” he asked, handing me the phone.
“Hello?”
“Mom!” It was so good to hear her voice.
“Oh honey, are you okay?”
“Mom, don’t worry, I’m fine.”
“That’s what your father said, but I just wanted to hear it from you.”
“I am, Mom. I am.”
“You know he called me first thing. It was so nice of him. And I was thinking I hadn’t talked to you in a while but I didn’t want to bug you on your honeymoon — I mean, their honeymoon, but … ah, I miss you, Sam,” she said quietly now.
“Yeah, Mom. I miss you, too.” She sounded so lonely.
“Okay,” said Mom, back to her cheerful patter. “It’s just a few days. I’ll see you soon. You get some rest now, you hear?”
“Yes, Mom.”
“I’m serious. Do not pass Go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.” That’s what Mom always says when she wants you to do something right away, like wash the dishes or take out the garbage. It’s from the game Monopoly.
“Got it,” I said, smiling.
“I love you, chicken.”
“Love you, too, Mom.”
I handed the phone back to Dad.
“I guess I should’ve asked you before I called her, but I knew she would want to know. Sorry, kiddo,” he said.
“No, I’m glad you did. It was good to hear her voice.”
“Yeah, yeah, it was,” said Dad. And I realized how lucky I was that they were still friends. That they really did try to keep us a family somehow.
Just then, Eric came in with another cup of cocoa.
“Hey!” he said. “I didn’t know you were up. You look a lot better.”
“Doesn’t she?” said Dad.
Then they both just stood there, looking at me. So I said, “What did I miss?”
“Nothin’,” said Eric. “Oh, actually, you got a phone message.”
“Huh?”
“Let me see if I got this right.” He cleared his throat, then started again in a sugary singsong: “Please tell Sam that it was tote hilare hangin’ out with her and I hope she gets better soon. And we have to stay in touch. I think it’d be super-fun to be PPs because nobody does that anymore. Okay, toodles!”
Dad gave him a small round of applause.
“Wait — PPs?” I asked.
“Pen pals?” Eric shrugged. “She gave me her address, too.”
“Right.”
And now I saw that the lamp next to me was on, and the room had softened into a bluish gray. There were a bunch of guests from the inn crowded into the lobby, and some heading into the dining room, too.
“Hey, is it happy hour already?” I asked, sitting up.
“Yeah, but I don’t suggest that you drink right now,” Dad said, smiling.
“Thanks, Dad. No, I meant, sorry I’m still in the middle of everything.”
“No worries,” said Eric.
“Oh, yay! You’re up!” Kathy came in then, with two cocktails in her hands. She handed one to Dad. Her cheeks were really flushed, and she looked like she was swaying a little.
“To Sam!” she said, raising her glass. And then her eyes got big and watery. “We’re really, really grateful that you’re okay,” she said. Her voice was trembling. She looked down quickly.
“Hey, thanks,” I said. I looked down, too.
But out of the corner of my eye, I saw Eric slip out of the room.
My favorite moment of any movie is when everything goes dark, just before the first image, and the music begins. It’s only a breath — less than a second, but it always sends shivers up my spine.
After dinner, Phil and Eric had rearranged the living room for Classic Movie Night. They put the couches in a semicircle and pulled out a big screen. The first one was going to be Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. The second one was going to be something about snow. I was planning on being asleep by then, anyway. Everyone settled into their spots. It seemed like it was mostly couples except for me — Dad and Kathy, Dara and Stevie D., a couple of other twosomes I’d seen at breakfast. Jeremy was upstairs watching some heavyweight fight. And then there was me, tucked into a corner of one of the armchairs. That was okay. I wasn’t in the mood for cuddling, except for maybe a couch pillow. But just as I was sinking back, letting my eyes grow heavy again, I felt a vibrating in my sweatshirt pocket. My cell phone. I must’ve looked like a frog, jumping in my seat. The couple next to me jumped, too.