Family Ties

”

“So maybe you can lighten up about it?”

“A million times better,” she said with genuine contrition.

“Sorry I put you up to it,” Wren told him quietly.

“Sorry I got obnoxious and hardheaded.”

“Paul’s right. You’re pretty wonderful.”

“’Cept when I’m not.”

“But only when I make you do things you don’t want to.”

She reached over and touched his hand. He turned it palm-up and clasped hers.

I breathed a long sigh of relief and glanced at Christy, who smiled and blinked back tears.

“So,” I said after a moment, “tell me about this ski trip.

“I stopped counting,” Wren said. She cleared her throat and took a long sip of wine. “Someone convinced me it was real people with real lives.”

I laughed and saluted her with my glass.

“Do you wanna tell him, sweetheart?” she said to Trip. “It’s your story.”

“Yeah, okay.” He sat forward and pushed his own wineglass aside. Then he smoothed the tablecloth as he gathered his thoughts.

The longer version of the story was that he and Wren had been discussing a ski trip since they’d first mentioned it, several weeks earlier. They’d originally been thinking Colorado and had asked his parents if they knew anyone with connections in the area. Did it have to be Colorado, his father had asked, or would anywhere do? It would, they’d said, so he’d made a call to a songwriter friend who owned a cabin in Squaw Valley, in California. The friend had offered to let Trip and Wren use it for as long as they wanted.

“The owner doesn’t mind if you bring guests?” I asked.

“Practically insisted when we told her,” he said.

“It isn’t right on the slopes,” Wren said, “but she said it’s a short walk from the resort.”

“Hey, I’m not gonna complain,” I said. “Beggars can’t be choosers.

Besides, I know how much those places cost. I’ll take ‘free’ any day.”

“No kidding,” Trip said.

“What about the sleeping arrangements?” I shot a sideways glance at Christy.

She hesitated and then nodded.

“It’s a two-bedroom cabin,” Trip said, “but the couch in the living room folds out.”

“I can live with that,” I said, and Christy nodded. “What do you think?” I asked her. “Is it too soon? I mean, that’s a pretty big step.” I could almost hear Wren hold her breath.

“I… think we can make it work,” Christy said.

“We’ll have separate beds.”

She nodded, but I caught the barest flicker of disappointment.

I smothered a smile and glanced at Wren, who winked.