Chapter Forty-Two
Cross-country skiing was harder work than Lisa imagined. When Nathan had suggested it, she thought it sounded more romantic than joining everybody else queuing up at the local ski station and hitting the busy pistes. As they had breakfasted with her parents and Luke, she had thought a touch ofski de fond, on the undulating, groomed trails across the localparks and into the woods, sounded dreamy. As she face planted into the snow for what felt like the tenth time as she attempted to negotiate a small hill, she decided it was turning into something more akin to a nightmare. Under normal circumstances she was a competent skier, but switching her skis for ones that seemed twice as long and half as wide made the task of staying upright more difficultthan she imagined possible.
A group out for what looked like a fun family outing passed by, all gliding without difficulty and saying ‘Bonjour’, as they floated by on their skis, waving and smiling at her predicament. Lisa tried to respond, and maintain some decorum despite the fact she had rolled over and was sitting on her bottom in the snow. Inside, she was desperate for them to passand sure the heat in her cheeks, from the exertion and the embarrassment, might actually start melting the snow if they didn’t hurry along. When the last, a boy of about nine makingski de fondlook like a casual walk in the park, had passed by, Nathan swung round in front of her. He offered his hand.
‘Come on, we’ll go across the park; it’s flatter there.’
‘I can ski,’ Lisa protested.‘I just seem to be terrible at this.’
‘Next time we’ll get you classics instead of skate skis.’
Lisa smiled at the thought of there being a next time, as Nathan helped her stand and find her balance.
‘How come you make it look so easy?’
‘Hmm, well, I’ve had lessons; this is one of those sports that’s harder than people think, you have to learn the technique.’
‘And now you decide to mention that!’
Nathan laughed. ‘Come on you’re doing well.’
Lisa swiped her gloved hand over her head in an attempt to keep her hair out of her face while she got going again. She had started off wearing her woolly hat and a buff; she really wanted to take off her gloves and jacket, but knew Nathan would insist on carrying them for her and she didn’twant to add to his load. Not when he was already carrying a backpack that contained both of their water bottles, her woolly hat and buff, as well as a map, torch and whistle she had mocked him for. About to push off, Lisa heard her phone buzz. ‘Ah ha, saved!’ She took out her phone, and saw three missed calls from Felicity and a message. She felt the colour drain from her cheeks.Oh, please leteverything be OK.
‘Lisa, what is it?’
‘Hold on, I don’t know yet. Flick has tried to call me.’
‘The signal dips in and out here; she’ll be wanting to share her news.’ Nathan smiled.
Pulling off her gloves Lisa pressed to read Flick’s message:
I’ve tried calling, but it’s going straight to voicemail. What should be such a happy day has gone so horribly wrong.I can’t believe it. Call me.
‘Oh no,’ Lisa felt the breath leave her, ‘it’s not good. Something bad. I need to call her.’
‘What?’
‘This bloody phone has lost its signal again. Nathan, I need to call her.’
‘But she can’t be upset. She should be happy, really happy!’
Lisa felt her feet slip from under her again and landed in the snow. ‘Please help me get outof these bloody skis and tell me what is going on. Felicity is clearly upset.’ With that she read Felicity’s text out loud.
‘Well, it must be the submarine trip. I told him it might be a step too far, but still, I think she’s overreacting.’
Lisa glared incredulous. ‘Nathan, please don’t make stupid jokes now. I’m really worried. Can we just go so I can call Flick?’
‘Ofcourse, but it wasn’t a joke.’
‘Not a joke? Oh my God, Pete hasn’t joined the navy or something, has he?’
‘The navy? No.’
‘Then what?’
As they started striding back to the car, skis in hand Lisa was grateful for the fact Nathan had decided if Felicity now knew what it was Pete was hiding, then he wouldn’t be breaking his word by letting her in on the secret too.Lisa attempted to summarise the situation, still trying to process what she had heard.
‘So, Pete has worked all those hours at the bar to save up to take Felicity to Barbados.’
