“They sell a snow experience.”
Joe pressed his trembling lips together. “Real snow?”
“Made artificially but yes. We’re going to have a ski lesson.”
“You can’t ski already?”
“No. I thought we could learn together.”
Joe gave a sigh of pleasure. Kaden had noticed that when they did things together and they were new to Kaden, Joe was at his happiest.
After they’d put on all the gear they hired, including the skis, they moved through to the snow area, sliding in small increments, only for Joe to come to a sudden stop right in front of him so that Kaden knocked him forward. He ended up plastered to Joe’s back with his skis either side of Joe’s. Kaden shuffled backwards and came up alongside him. Joe stood with his mouth open staring at the flakes drifting down from the snow cannons.
“Move forwards and they’ll fall on us,” Kaden said.
He watched as Joe slid further, then stopped and turned his head to the falling snow. Kaden joined him.
“It’s beautiful,” Joe whispered.
He pulled off his glove and bent to grab a handful of snow, squeezing it into a small, lumpy ball.
“Wow. Ouch.” He dropped it again. “It’s freezing.”
“That’s snow for you. Cold.”
Joe rolled his eyes and shuffled forward.
“Glide,” Kaden told him. He moved past Joe, sliding one ski after the other, the movement a bit like skating, then stopped and looked over his shoulder.
“I’ve got it,” Joe called.
They managed to make it over to where Mac, the instructor, was waiting— without falling over, so Kaden took that as a win.
Within a short period of time, they were both able to ski down the beginner slope, top to bottom. Having a private lesson for just the two of them had been a good idea even though this was going to be a very expensive day.
He knew Joe was nervous because he didn’t so much ski as narrate a live documentary. But it made Kaden and the instructor grin as Joe held intense negotiations with the snow, the slope, his skis…and occasionally himself. Quietly, but still audible.
“Press, lift, turn. No, no, NO! Outside ski—listen! Lean down the slope.”
The snow hissed softly beneath Kaden’s skis as he skied down, trying to remember everything Mac had said and to not laugh at Joe as he passed him.
“Okay,” Joe muttered. “I’m absolutely not panicking.” A pause. “I am slightly panicking.”
“Pizza!” Kaden called.
Joe awkwardly pushed the tips of his skis inward and slowed. Then moved them apart and went faster.
“Well done,” Mac shouted.
As Kaden watched, Joe went even more quickly, managed a neat turn halfway down and came to a halt at the bottom in a spray of snow. Then he fell over.
When Kaden reached his side, Joe was laughing. He pushed himself to his feet, a broad smile on his face. “Falling doesn’t hurt. This is fun!”
It was.
They pressed up against each other on the train going back. No one sat in their vicinity. Joe had brought drinks and sandwiches and they were quickly consumed.
“Thank you,” Joe said. “That was a very gooddoing something unexpectedday. I want to do it again because there’s so much more to learn. Next time I’ll pay. Maybe we can go on a holiday to somewhere with snow.”
