Facades

by Alex Marcoux

  “Well, I just like him, if you know what I mean. He is an arrogant son of a bitch sometimes.”

  The two arrived in Vail before eleven, and spent the rest of the day food shopping, unpacking and getting settled. The rest of the week, the two spent on skis. Anastasia took private lessons in the mornings, giving Sidney time to ski alone, which she enjoyed. During the evenings they played lazy and stayed in. Each night they enjoyed their own home cooking, some wine, and relaxation by the fire, telling war stories from their day on the slopes.

  On Christmas Eve, Anastasia was rummaging through some of the closets looking for something.

  “What are you looking for?” Sidney asked.

  “Your guitar.”

  “My guitar?”

  “Yeah, I played with it this summer. Natalie gave it to me.”

  Sidney got up and disappeared down the hallway. She returned and handed Anastasia the guitar. Anastasia tuned the instrument, then began playing some Christmas carols. Sidney relaxed and enjoyed the fire, wine, and music.

  At the end of the first song, Anastasia asked, “Was this Charlie’s guitar?”

  Sidney was once again surprised. “What do you know about Charlie?”

  “Just what I’ve heard. He’s an ex. He dumped you and broke your heart.”

  “Really? What else have you heard?”

  “Just that you haven’t gotten over him and you live in the past.”

  “Remind me to have a chat with Natalie.”

  “Actually, I didn’t hear it from Natalie. Well, is it true?”

  “I’ll make you a deal, Anastasia. You don’t ask about my past lovers, and I won’t ask about yours.”

  It was about ten o’clock when the phone rang that Christmas morning. Sidney rushed to answer the call. The sound of the phone reminded Anastasia how isolated they were. It was the first call all week.

  “Merry Christmas,” Sidney greeted the caller.

  “Hi Mom, Merry Christmas,” Justin said.

  The two talked a long time about their vacations, and how much they missed each other. Then he changed the subject. “Mom, Dad is staying in St. Moritz through New Year’s. He says I can stay with them if it’s okay with you.”

  Sidney remained silent. She was crushed to hear her son express interest in staying with his father on her holiday.

  “Mom? Are you there?”

  Sidney was trying to be understanding, “JP, what would you like to do for New Year’s?”

  “Of course I’d like to be with you, Mom. It’s a shame though; if I come back early I’ll be shortening Sean’s vacation too.” ‘ “Who’s Sean?”

  “He’s Dad’s new chauffeur. Dad would have me travel back with him, if I go back early.”

  “When would you come back?” I can’t believe I’m asking.

  “On the third,” he said, “Is it okay, Mom?”

  “If that’s what you want, it’s okay.” Sidney was crushed.

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Sweetheart, put your father on so I can wish him a Merry Christmas.”

  “Okay. Bye, Mom. I love you,” Justin said, then there was a long pause.

  Michael got on the phone. “Yes?”

  “You son of a bitch,” Sidney was furious. “This is the second year in a row you’ve kept him through the New Year. I don’t have him for that many holidays as it is.”

  “Now Sidney, it’s not my fault he wants to spend New Year’s with me.” Michael was almost laughing. “Oh, by the way, you better not step out of line, if you know what I mean.”

  “No, I don’t know what you mean. What the hell are you talking about?”

  “I know you have a friend with you. You better not step out of line, because I’ll own him, do you understand? You’ll never see him.” Then in a much heartier voice he said, “Merry Christmas to you, too.”

  Sidney heard the dial tone in her ear. In fury, she pulled the phone out of the wall and threw it across the room. If Anastasia had not seen it with her own eyes, she would not have believed it. When Sidney saw Anastasia staring at her, astonished, she apologized. “Sorry.” Then she walked to the hall closet and pulled out her ski apparel.

  “Are we going skiing today?” Anastasia was surprised.

  “I’m going out for a couple of runs. You can stay here; it’s pretty cold today.”

  Anastasia had never seen Sidney this upset before. I better not let her go out by herself. “That’s okay. I’d like to take a couple of runs,” she lied.

  The two were dressed and had the car packed within fifteen minutes. It was cold; with the wind chill it was 18 degrees below zero. Anastasia got in the car and said, “Brr.”

  “Why don’t you stay here? I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

  “No. I want to go.”

  Between the weather and the holiday, the slopes were empty. Initially, Sidney remained silent on the gondola. Anastasia did not dare to bring up the telephone conversation. But about halfway up the mountain, Sidney started talking. “How can I compete with him?”

  “Compete with who?”

  “Michael.”

  “I’m lost Sid, what are you talking about?”

  “How can I compete with him for JP’s affection?”

  “This isn’t a competition, Sid. It’s obvious that JP loves you, you don’t need to compete for his love.”

  “Don’t I? Then why is he spending New Year’s with Michael and not me?”

  “He’s not coming back for New Year’s?” Anastasia was starting to understand.

  “I can’t compete with him. Michael always seems to find a way to do it bigger and better, no matter what it is. His presents are always bigger and his vacations are always better. How can I compete with that? He has JP for weekends and holidays. I’m the one who nags him to do his homework and chores. Last week I heard JP say he wanted to go to his father’s alma mater. Then he wants to work with his dad to take over Whitman Industries.”

  “Sidney, I really think you’re overreacting. I’ve gotten to know JP pretty well this year. He adores you.”

  The gondola was rocking in the wind as it approached the end of the lift. The two exited the lift and Sidney turned to Anastasia. “Look, this weather isn’t the best to ski in. Why don’t you go in the lodge and warm up? I’ll take a run and come back to get you.”

  God. It is cold out here, Anastasia thought.

  “I’ll be fine, really,” Sidney tried to convince her.

  Anastasia dropped her skis and stepped into her bindings. “I want to take at least one run before I take a break.”

  They selected an intermediate trail and agreed to meet halfway down the mountain, at a junction they were both familiar with. Then they quickly started heading downhill.

  The wind was bitter on top of the mountain and did not ease as they descended the slope. The run had a modest grade and circled the mountain offering entrances to other trails, many of which were more advanced. It was hard-packed and fast, narrow with many bends, and lined with trees on both sides.

  Although Anastasia was a good intermediate skier, Sidney was more advanced and soon was out of Anastasia’s sight. This would not have concerned Anastasia any other day, but today was different.

  As Sidney skied down the trail, her mind kept racing. She heard Michael’s voice say over and over, “It’s not my fault he wants to spend New Year’s with me….He wants to spend New Year’s with me….He wants to spend New Year’s with me….” Sidney could feel the tears freeze on her eyelashes as she heard Michael’s voice echo in her head. “You better not step out of line, if you know what I mean, because I’ll own him….I’ll own him….I’ll own him….”

  As her mind wandered, skiing conditions quickly deteriorated. The wind was causing blizzard-like conditions. Sidney forced herself back to reality. I’m skiing too fast. She made an effort to slow, but it was too late. The tip of her right ski caught something and she lost her balance and fell hard. Sidney’s left ski released but her right one stayed faste
ned. Her right leg snapped as the ski twisted around. She slid down the hill face first, attempting to stop with her hands, but she could not.

  She never saw the “trail closed” sign and rope that tied off the expert trail. She slid right under the yellow warning rope, and was propelled into the vertical trail. Oh shit, she thought as she flew, looking at the vertical mogul field below her. Sidney landed hard on a mogul. The impact to her shoulder caused its dislocation, and intense pain. She slid from mogul to mogul down the steep terrain, until the backside of a large mogul stopped her body.

  Oh God, this hurts. Sidney lay facing the mogul that had stopped her. She tried to look behind her but the pain from her shoulder was intensifying with every movement. Sandwiched between two moguls, she was unable to see the top of the trail. This isn’t good. When she tried to move her legs, she felt an overwhelming pain in her right leg. Wonderful, she thought sarcastically. My leg is broken. Then a wave of dizziness overwhelmed her, and she passed out between the giant mounds of snow.

  Anastasia continued down the trail at a more conservative speed. Visibility was poor, so she stayed alert to the changing conditions. She almost hit Sidney’s ski as she swept by it, and stopped ten feet downhill of the ski. Then she climbed up the hill to investigate and recognized the Rossignol ski. It was Sidney’s.

  “Sidney?” she called out. “Sidney?”

  Anastasia picked up the ski and slowly traversed the trail, searching for signs of her friend. About twenty feet down she found a Scott ski pole. She searched the trees that lined the trail. “Sidney?” But she was nowhere to be found. About thirty feet downhill, the trail came to a “Y.” The right side continued the natural course of the ski run, and a yellow rope tied off a left bend.

  Anastasia traversed to where the trail split. Standing at the point where the trail curved, she looked back up the mountain. What happened to you, Sid? “Sidney?” She continued to call, but the only thing she heard was the trees blowing in the wind. She glanced at the “trail closed” sign and yellow rope, then made her way to the restricted entry and peered over the rope of the closed expert trail. Below the steep initial descent was a dangerous mogul field. She looked quickly over the area and was about to leave, when something caught her eye near a mogul about twenty feet down. She stared at the object, trying to figure what it was. It’s small. Maybe goggles.

  Quickly, she removed her skis and stuck them upright in the snow, forming an X at the entrance of the closed trail. She studied the initial drop. An eight-foot vertical wall descended to a steep mogul field. If I go down, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to climb back up. Anastasia sat on the lip of the cliff and let herself fall off the initial vertical. She slammed hard into the first mogul, then moved to the next mound and next, until she reached for the object. Her heart skipped a beat as she pulled the partially buried object. Shit, her goggles.

  “Sidney?” she called with more urgency. Again, there was no response. Anastasia moved from mogul to mogul, combing the challenging terrain. She was about thirty feet down when she heard someone calling from above, “Do you need help?”

  Anastasia looked up to see a kid at the top of the slope. “Yeah, I think my friend is down here.” The boy started removing his skis, then Anastasia yelled back to him, “No. Don’t come down, you won’t be able to get back up. Go for help. Please.” The boy waved, then skied away.

  Anastasia continued to descend the steep terrain. She saw an object partially buried in snow, about twenty feet away from her. Her heart started beating faster when she realized it was Sidney.

  “Sidney?” she called, but the body lay motionless face down in a mound of snow. “Sidney?” She hurried to Sidney’s side, but Sidney was still motionless.

  Anastasia gently pulled the snow away from her face. Thank God she’s breathing. She could see that Sidney’s right leg was badly twisted. The ski was still attached. “Sid, can you hear me?” she called in the wind, but there was no response. Anastasia was afraid to move her. What if her back or neck is injured? She looked up the trail but could not see the main trail. I hope that kid gets help.

  Oh God, what should I do? I’ve got to stay with her and hope the kid brings help, she decided. But what if he doesn’t? She turned to Sidney and started talking. “Sidney, can you hear me?” She waited for a response, but again there was none. “Sidney, you’ve got to wake up. I need to know how badly you’re hurt. I need to know what to do,” she admitted.

  “Look, I’m waiting for someone to bring help. I’ll give him a half an hour or so, you have to hang in there.” You have to. “I’ll just keep talking until you wake up, okay?”

  As she sat staring at Sidney’s seemingly lifeless body, reality hit her. What if she’s not going to make it? The cold was starting to bother her. Up until then, her adrenaline had kept her mind off the frigid weather. Sidney, you’ve got to be okay.

  “Now why did you go do something stupid like this, Sid? We were having such a good trip. Damn it. JP loves you, that’s all that matters.” I do too.

  “I know your secret, you know. You pretend to be such a hard ass, but I know you’re not. It’s okay; your secret is safe with me.”

  She knew she had to keep talking to take her mind off the bitter cold. “Have I ever told you that you remind me of somebody I once knew? The funny thing is-I can’t place when and where I knew her. But I know she was a lot less stubborn and pig-headed than you are.”

  Anastasia was getting concerned; the temperature felt like it had dropped ten degrees since she reached Sidney. Then Anastasia thought she heard a moan from Sidney, but it was so faint, she was not sure. “Sidney? Sidney, can you hear me?”

  Sidney’s eyes fluttered. “Anastasia?”

  “Yeah, it’s me.” Oh God, thank you. “Sid, where are you hurt?”

  “My shoulder…and I think I broke my right leg.”

  “How about your back and neck?”

  “I think they’re okay. Where are we?”

  “Some closed trail. I saw a kid some time ago and asked him to get help. But no one has come.”

  “What time is it?” Sidney asked.

  “It’s almost three o’clock.”

  “Anastasia, you have to go for help.” ‘ “I’m not going to leave you here alone.”

  “You don’t have a choice. In another hour the sun will go down. If we lose the light, nobody is going to find us.”

  Anastasia knew Sidney was right. “Okay, I’ll go. I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can.” She gently rubbed Sidney’s back, “Hang in there.” God, please take care of her.

  Anastasia started her climb back to the top. She fell repeatedly but persisted, then she reached the initial drop. How am I going to get up there? She studied the vertical wall above and decided the left side offered a better climbing face. As she climbed she thought, The cold must be getting to me now. I’m starting to hear voices. Anastasia was hanging on the wall face when an arm from above reached down and pulled her to safety.

  “God, am I glad to see you,” she said when she saw the ski patrol.

  “Are you okay?” one of the men asked.

  Anastasia nodded. “I’m okay, but my friend needs help. She thinks she broke her leg, and her shoulder is hurt. She’s down there.” She pointed down the steep ski trail.

  It was dark by the time Sidney arrived at the medical facility at the base of the mountain. She was taken into a small examination room where a nurse immediately started removing and cutting away Sidney’s ski apparel.

  Then a young, good-looking man walked in and introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Dr. Waters.”

  “You’re a doctor?” Anastasia asked.

  He detected disbelief in Anastasia’s voice. “Yeah, I graduated and everything.” He was obviously annoyed. Then he turned to the patient and started examining her. The ski patrol had splinted her leg and immobilized her upper left side. Although the doctor was young and green, he seemed thorough.

  After his initial exam, he said, “Your sh
oulder is dislocated. I’m going to have to reset it.”

  “Have you ever done that before?” Anastasia asked.

  “No,” he admitted. “Would you like to do it?” It was obvious that the two did not care for each other.

  Sidney interrupted the bickering. “Doctor, would you please reset my shoulder, so I can go home?”

  Sidney’s arm was carefully removed from the sling. Then the doctor eyed the gold chain that hung around her neck. “We should remove your necklace,” he said, and clumsily tried to undo the clasp.

  “Here, let me try.” Anastasia was losing patience with the doctor. She removed the chain and pendant and put it in her ski jacket pocket.

  Moments later, they were ready to reset the shoulder. “I wish I could say this isn’t going to hurt, but I can’t,” the doctor admitted. He turned to Anastasia. “It might be better if you step outside.”

  “Absolutely not.” Anastasia reached for Sidney’s free hand.

  The doctor gave her shoulder a quick jerk and Sidney cried out in pain. Her grip on Anastasia’s hand tightened as her shoulder was reset.

  Anastasia was heartbroken seeing her friend in such pain.

  Hours later the two returned to the house, with a list of instructions and pain medication. Sidney wore a sling on her injured shoulder and had a cast on her right leg. Anastasia helped Sidney into a La-Z-Boy recliner, then concentrated on building a fire to get the chill out of the great room.

  “What can I get you?” Anastasia asked as the fire strengthened.

  “A glass of wine would be nice.”

  “I don’t think you should mix alcohol with pain pills.”

  “I haven’t taken any pills.”

  When Anastasia hesitated, Sidney complained, “The pills are in that bag over there. Take them, I won’t use them. May I have a glass of wine now, please?”

  Anastasia poured two glasses of merlot and carried them to the great room along with cheese and crackers. Sidney saw the broken telephone lying against the wall and was reminded of her conversation with Michael.

  “I was a real asshole today,” Sidney admitted.

  “You won’t get an argument from me.”

  “I’m sorry, and thank you for saving my butt.”