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She looked at me for confirmation that she was going to be alright, and I gave her a small nod. She turned her attention to Laila, who was already joining the other kids on the large couch in front of the fire.
“Laila, how did you like skiing?”
“Well, I didn’t really get to ski. And I couldn’t understand a word the teacher was saying.”
Skye smiled and bent down to her level.
“If you’d like to learn, I am about to take Ethan, Penelope, and Oliver out for their first lesson. We’d love to have you join us if your dad says it’s okay.”
Laila looked at me with wide, pleading eyes.
“Do you want to go back out today?” I asked.
Laila nodded her head with vigor, and that was the end of the discussion. Skye stood up with a smile on her face and turned to look at me.
“I’d be happy to take Cora, too, if she’s feeling up for it.”
Cora clung to me even tighter and refused to look at Skye. I patted her gently on the back to reassure her.
“I think we’ll come out and watch, but Cora is probably done skiing for the day.”
“Well, watching is a lot of fun, too. But you’re welcome to join us if you change your mind.”
I wasn’t sure how she had gotten so good with children, but I assumed seven nieces and nephews had something to do with it.
Cora finally wanted her feet back on the ground, so with her hand in mine, we trekked back out into the sunshine and snow, following behind Skye and her herd of small children. I truly commended her determination to teach these four young kids all by herself, but they seemed to respect her immensely.
While the rest of her family was out enjoying their day, she was taking the time to give these kids the skills to enjoy themselves out on the slopes. Every new thing that I learned about her just made me admire her even more than I thought possible.
9
SKYE
The crisp winter air and the warm glow of the sun embraced us as we stood at the base of the snow-covered hill. The kids’ excitement and nervous energy was palpable. I had to admit, even though I was a seasoned skier, I had never taught anyone else how to ski. And certainly not four young kids who had never set foot on a ski before.
I glanced over at Owen, who was sitting on a nearby bench with Cora, her little hand wrapped inside his. He smiled at me, though when was henotsmiling? And he had the most perfect smile.
“Auntie Skye,” Ethan asked, bringing me back into the present moment, “can we go fast?”
“We need to talk about a few things before we can go fast, okay?”
He groaned and sat down in the snow to pout. This was not going to be as simple as I thought it was.
“Alright, let's start with the basics,” I said, my voice gentle yet firm. “First things first, let's get those skis on and learn how to balance.”
I knelt down, demonstrating the art of strapping on the skis. The kids followed my lead, their small fingers working diligently with buckles and straps. I moved down the row, making sure they had all done it correctly.
“Oliver,” I said, kneeling down in front of the blonde-haired boy. “You have your boots on the wrong feet. How did that happen?”
He shrugged and continued trying to strap the boots into the skis.
“We need to switch these around, my friend.”
I helped him pull off his boots and get them on the correct feet, then stood back up to see how everyone else was doing. I tried to resist looking at Owen, but I could feel his eyes on me. When I dared a quick glance, I saw that Cora was sitting down in the snow, rolling a ball and placing it on top of one she had already completed. The visual made me smile as I turned back to the other kids.
“Remember, take it step by step,” I encouraged. “Now, once you have your skis on, stand up and find your balance.”
Each of the kids tried their best to stand on their own, but I quickly realized they were going to need a bit of assistance. I worked my way along, helping Penelope to her feet, then Oliver, then Laila, and finally Ethan.
