by C. Fennessy
Chapter 6: Counting Miracles
The hotel spa was a combination of relaxation therapy and beauty salon. The girls had the entire afternoon to spend getting the full treatment. After massages, they next went to the salon for facial treatments and manicures. A relaxing hot bath helped to calm Kelly’s nerves. By the time they were finished, she felt rejuvenated. She laughed at Jan and Cindy's corny jokes and soon forgot the ordeal she had suffered earlier.
The girls decided to spend an hour at the ice rink where their two guards could be with them. They put on their skates and glided over the ice. The rink was busier than it had been the last time, but they still had plenty of room to experiment with jumps and twirls. Cindy remarked that she thought she had improved her skating since the last time she had skated. She kept her eyes open for Sam, but he didn't appear.
They had fun skating and laughing at each other’s attempts to do a jump or a twirl. Once, when skating around the edge of the rink, Kelly spotted the two security guards standing nearby. Instead of making her feel secure, they reminded her of the terrifying ordeal she had experienced earlier.
The girls back to the suite followed by their guards to rest until dinner. They made reservations at the best restaurant in the hotel, and decided to dress up for dinner. At seven-thirty they went to the Sur du Mont restaurant on the top floor and were given a table overlooking the ski slopes. Their guards took a table next to theirs. Kelly told them to have dinner and put it on her tab, for which they were grateful.
After the main course, the girls were waiting for dessert when Cindy pointed out the window and cried, "Oh, Look!"
On the ski slope, a long line of skiers were carrying burning torches and skiing in a single line down the mountain.
"Wow! That’s so beautiful!" Jan exclaimed, and Kelly agreed.
The line kept swinging left and right across the slope to the bottom of the trail. When the line finally completed its journey, the skiers stood with their torches in a large circle and began to sing. The people in the restaurant became quiet as they tried to hear through the glass. Soon they could hear strains of We Wish You a Merry Christmas echoing up the side of the lodge.
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" a loud voice cried. Everyone turned to see a man in a Santa suit in the restaurant carrying a large sack on his back waving to the people. Everyone laughed and waved back as he made his way around the tables wishing everyone a ‘Merry Christmas’ and handing out candy canes.
A trio began to play at the end of the bar, and several people got up to dance to Winter Wonderland.
The girls' desserts arrived. Jan had chocolate cherry cake and Cindy ordered cheesecake with strawberries. Kelly enjoyed warm apple pie. After tasting each other’s desserts, the girls were undecided about which one was best.
Three young men came to the table and asked the girls if they'd like to dance. Cindy and Jan agreed and went to the dance floor. Kelly thanked the other young man but told him she was too tired for dancing. He accepted her apology and went to another table to ask someone else. Kelly looked at her two guards, who had seen the whole thing. One of them gave a nod to her, either of approval or understanding. She wasn't sure which. She only knew that her enjoyment of the evening had suddenly ended. She felt like she couldn't trust anyone anymore. Normally, she would have been up on the dance floor enjoying herself with her friends. But not tonight.
After several dances, Cindy and Jan came back to the table.
"Hey, what's wrong? Didn't that guy ask you to dance?"
"He did. But I'm just really tired. You two can stay and enjoy yourselves. I'm going back to the suite."
"We'll go with you!" Cindy insisted.
"No, the guards will go with me, so I won’t be alone. I'll be fine, really. Please stay and dance some more. This is our last night. You should stay and have as much fun as you can," Kelly said, "Please. I want you both to stay. Besides, who else are those guys going to get to dance with them? There's a real shortage of attractive young ladies here tonight!"
Jan and Cindy looked at her with concern, asking, “Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"Yes! The guards will be right outside the door, so I'm not going to be alone. Besides, I’m going to call Dad as I promised."
"Well," Jan said, "If you're sure you don't mind…"
"I don't, really. Please stay. I'll leave the lights on, but I'll probably be asleep in bed by the time you get back."
They thanked her and made sure the guards promised to stay with her until she was safely locked in her room.
Kelly left with the guards. She bid them goodnight outside of the hotel room and locked the door feeling oddly like a prisoner.
She made a hot cup of cocoa and called her father. She assured him that she was fine and that the two security guards he had arranged were standing right outside of her door. He said he was glad she had called, and hoped she would get some sleep.
She got ready for bed and climbed under the covers. Even though she was exhausted, sleep wouldn't come. Her mind was buzzing and all she could think about was what might have happened if she hadn't been able to escape from that man.
She got up and turned on her bedroom light and got back into bed. Taking out her Bible, she began to read her favorite verses and chapters. By the time Jan and Cindy got back, she had fallen asleep.
In the morning, Kelly was the first one awake. She didn't hear any sounds coming from the other room, so she tip-toed out to the living room. The other bedroom door was closed, but she saw Jan and Cindy's shoes on the living room floor.
She made herself a cup of coffee in the kitchenette and sat down in a soft easy chair to look out the window. The events of yesterday had begun to fade, and once again she appreciated the beauty of the snow-covered mountain and stately pine trees sprinkled with sugar. A large wreath hanging on an adjacent side of the lodge reminded her that Christmas was only one week away.
Today she would take the train to New York City and Dad would be waiting for her at Grand Central Station. She missed him and her pets Daisy and Bailey. She couldn’t wait to get back home and see Keith again. Daisy would be waiting for them at her grandparents' apartment, and she was looking forward to seeing her again, too. She loved visiting her grandparents in New York City. She thought of all the fun things they did together, and she felt very lucky to have such wonderful grandparents. Kelly knew she had a great deal to be grateful for, and went to get her Bible.
Ever since she was a little girl, her parents had taught her to read her Bible every morning. They had taught both of their children to pray, to give thanks, and to read the passages that would give them strength and guidance for their lives.
She turned on the fireplace to ease the morning chill, and resumed her place in the easy chair. Snowflakes gently drifted past the window as she began to read.
Soon the other girls were up and seeking coffee. They sat with her and asked how she felt.
"Actually, I feel pretty good," Kelly replied. "When I think of how things could have gone, it was a miracle I was able to get away. And it was another miracle that the maid was there in the hallway to help me. I feel I was protected every step of the way. I think God was watching over me. Even though I know that there are bad people in this world, He is there to protect me and guide me."
Jan said admiringly, "Boy, I wish I had that kind of faith."
"I believe you, Kelly," Cindy said sincerely, "I think God does send guardian angels to watch over us. There are plenty of times when I say that my guardian angel must have been there to help me."
Jan said, "Yeah, but what about when bad things do happen? Sometimes bad things happen to good people. How do you explain that?"
Kelly replied, "My dad and I talked about that. He agreed that bad things do happen sometimes. But God is there to help us deal with it and get through it. And God gives us good friends and family to help us get back on our feet. If you two hadn't been here yesterday, it would have been awful. You two really helped me. And I believe God has given me y
ou two friends, and Keith, and my family to be there when I need you. Remember when my mom got sick, and then she died? You two were there with me every step of the way, and that really helped me get through it. And knowing God was there with me helped me to be strong. Anything is bearable when you know God is with you."
Jan looked at her admirably and Cindy nodded in agreement.
"But enough about that," said Kelly, "Tell me what happened last night after I left."
The two girls both began talking at once. They told her that the young men they met were from the same college as the others they had met the night before from the same college ski club trip. They had danced every dance together and had sat at the table for over an hour talking about the resort and what they had done. Soon, all three were laughing.
"They invited us to ski with them today, but we told them we were leaving this afternoon," said Cindy. "I wish we could stay here another week. This trip has been great!"
Jan agreed and Kelly reminded them that checkout time was noon, so they would have to get breakfast soon.
After getting dressed, they came out of the suite to find two new security guards standing outside their room. They introduced themselves as Bob and Ken, and walked with the girls to the café.
The café was crowded, but the hostess soon seated them and brought them menus. Each of the girls decided to order something new, and then shared each other’s dishes to try them.
After breakfast, the girls decided to take one last look at the resort. Bob and Ken said they would welcome a stroll around, so the girls headed to the ice rink. They watched the skaters for a while, and then walked past the ski lifts on their way back. They spotted the guys they had met the night before at the restaurant and waved. The young men skied over to the girls and spoke to them for a few minutes while Bob and Ken stood back a short distance watching. After a short conversation, the guys said good bye and wished them a good trip home.
Their last stop was to visit the boutiques and shops on the second floor. The girls each bought some gifts to take home to friends and family members. Soon it was time to go back to their suite and pack.
By noon, they were packed and ready to leave. After having their luggage picked up from the room, the girls had a quick lunch and then waited at the hotel entrance for the van to take them to the train station. The manager came out to say goodbye and thank them for their visit. Once again, he apologized for what had happened to Kelly.
"Please don't worry about it. I’m fine now," she said, "Have you heard anything from the police yet?"
He shook his head, "No, but I'm sure that they'll catch that man if he tries anything again."
Soon the girls were in the van. They waved goodbye to the manager, Ken, and Bob, and headed for the train station.
Steve and Sam followed the girls’ van from the hotel to the train station. They sat in their car and watched as the girls stood on the curb waiting for their luggage to be loaded onto a cart.
"This is our last chance," Sam said, "Ever since she got away, they've had two guards watching those girls every minute. I'll have to grab her before she gets on the train."
Steve asked, "But how? They're all together now.”
Sam nodded, "The other two girls are going back to Westfield, but the Carlson girl is going to New York City. We need to check the times that the trains leave. You go inside and ask. If I show my face, they may get suspicious."
Steve nodded and exited the car.
The snow was falling gently in large flakes floating down like ashes. The temperature was warm enough to melt the flakes into globs of water when they settled on people’s coats.
The girls tipped the van driver, and a railway porter came to take the luggage cart.
"We'll take your ski equipment home with us," Cindy told Kelly, "That way you won't have to drag it around New York City."
Kelly smiled, "Thanks. Not too many ski hills in the Big Apple! I am taking my skates, though. Dad and I always go skating at Rockefeller Center."
"That sounds so great! I wish I were going!" Jan exclaimed.
"Well, maybe next year we can all go together. I'm sure my grandparents can find rooms for us at Carlson Towers," Kelly said.
"That would be so cool! Maybe the Harris Brothers will be there next time and we can see them live in concert!" Cindy said excitedly.
Jan shrugged. "Well, maybe. Come on, let's go inside. My feet are getting cold in these boots."
Cindy rolled her eyes, "That's because they look too cool to be warm."
The others groaned at her pun and went inside the train station.
The station was a restored 19th century wood frame building. A huge clock hung from the center of the ceiling. The main room had several rows of wooden pews. A row of paned-glass windows looked out over the small town of River Bend. The platform where people waited for the next train was on the opposite side of the building.
"It looks like a Christmas card," Cindy remarked, gazing out of the window. The others agreed that the view of the quaint town looked festive with the snow falling.
They found their train departure times and sat down to wait. People came in and out while trains arrived and left. Two sheriff's deputies were waiting in the station for someone. Cindy went to the snack counter and brought back hot chocolate for each of them.
Steve returned to the car and got inside. He blew on his cold, red hands to warm them.
"Well?" Sam asked.
"The train to Westfield leaves in half an hour, and the train to New York City leaves in forty-five minutes."
"So we have fifteen minutes to grab her. She'll probably get on the train as soon as it arrives, so let's be ready. You have the stuff?"
Steve nodded, "It's on the floor by my feet."
Sam nodded approvingly.
"You get on the platform and as soon as the train for Westfield leaves, get the girl to follow you to the back of the station near the dumpster. No one will see anything back there. You know the plan."
"Yeah. I tell her that some of her luggage may have been put on the wrong train, and I need her to come to see if her bags are still on the cart."
Steve nodded. Sam had stolen a railway worker's jacket and hat from the station the day before for Steve to wear as a disguise.
"Don't forget to wear the hat," said Sam.