AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Both girls giggle, and I shake my head.
“You see why we should have had a boy?” I turn to my wife. “Boys don’t plot against their parents.”
“It’s not too late, you know,” Giselle whispers for my ears only.
Her response fills me with desire. We’ve never really talked about having more children. Giselle’s career has blossomed over the years, and she’s now head of the conservator team, having worked so hard and had many successful exhibits.
“I’d enjoy the process of making another child,” I remark with a grin, caressing her flushed cheek.
“Nicole, let’s get out of here and leave them alone.” Ashlyn grudgingly takes her sister’s hand, and they move away to join the throng of people ready to go down the mountain.
My eyes travel across the far-stretching snowy slopes. The view shows off the old villages in the valley below, spas, après ski bars, and restaurants on the slopes.
“It is indeed a spectacular sight,” I concur.
“Told you.”
We join our daughters in doing some warm-up exercises to prepare ourselves for skiing. Nicole can hardly hide her excitement.
With pride in my eyes, I look on as Ashlyn watches over her younger sister.
“Remember to have fun, Nicky,” Giselle says, and Nicole nods.
“Don’t worry. We’ll start slow,” I tell her.
“It doesn’t matter if you fall,” Ashlyn says and laughs. “I fell countless times.”
Nicole’s eyes widen. “You did?”
Ashlyn’s head bobs.
I laugh at the memory. “You should have seen her. She was a hopeless case.” She was four years old then, and Gwen thought skiing wasn’t her thing, no matter how enthusiastic our little girl was about it.
“But look at me now.” Ashlyn beams with pride.
Giselle cups Nicole’s cheek. “You can be a pro like her someday. It doesn’t have to be today. Okay?”
“Okay, Mom.”
With Giselle and me bracketing our daughters, we slowly slide down the flat slope. We keep a watchful eye as Ashlyn shows Nicole how to bend her knees, side step, and slide. When she finds her rhythm, we pull behind and allow her and Ashlyn to enjoy themselves.
About thirty minutes later, our younger daughter is beaming from ear to ear and challenging her older sister to a race.
“No, sweetie. Let’s save that for tomorrow,” her mom tells her as she bends down and kisses her cheek.
I put my arm around Ashlyn. “I’m proud of you, sugarplum.”
Giselle stands up and turns to hug Ashlyn. “Thanks, Ash. You’re the best big sister ever.”
“Yes, she is!” Nicole forgets she has skis on and tries to jump enthusiastically, causing her to miss her footing and fall back into the snow. We all turn in her direction with identical looks of shock on our faces. She looks hilarious lying in the snow with her skis up in the air.
Nicole starts laughing, and we all join her at the comical sight she makes.
We enjoy the rest of the holiday skiing, taking pictures, and delighting in the delicious cuisine that the place is known for in its restaurants and mountain cafés. When it’s time to go back home, we all know we just have to come back here again . . . possibly with another addition to our happy family.
The End
