by Mona Ingram
A soft snort came from the back seat. Dale obviously disagreed with something she’d said, but she continued on.
“When I saw him sitting beside her bed like that, I realized just how much he loves her.” The Christmas lights on the houses began to blur, and she brushed away unshed tears. “It was an eye-opener.”
After a moment’s silence, Ken spoke. “Who’s Adrian?”
“Adrian Zimmerman. That was his father’s jet we came on.” Morgan paused. “I suppose technically it’s the company jet, but ultimately, it’s his.”
Ken slowed as he entered their street. “So that explains it. Is he nice?”
“He’s very nice.” Dale spoke before she could reply.
Morgan twisted around to stare at her friend.
“Well, he is.”
Morgan could still feel his lips on hers. Good thing Dale didn’t know about the kiss in the hotel garage. She smiled. “Yes, he is, isn’t he?”
* * *
Dale and Morgan put together a batch of chili and some home-made biscuits. Boomer came home from the hospital, ate a surprisingly large portion and then went back, promising to come home for a few hours of sleep.
“That man is so stubborn,” Dale said as they were getting ready for bed. “But at least we know he’s had something to eat.”
She crawled into her old bed, opened her Kindle and then looked up at Morgan. “Have you called Adrian?” A smile softened her face. “I talked to Chance while you were in the shower and told him the good news.” She gave a small sigh. “He misses me already.”
“I’ll bet he does. You two have been almost inseparable lately.”
Dale lowered her eyes to her Kindle but the smile was still there. “Go down the hall to Ken’s old room and call him,” she said.
* * *
“Morgan?” Adrian answered almost instantly. “I was hoping you’d call.”
She smiled into the phone and brought him up-to-date on her mother’s condition.
“That’s wonderful.” He paused for a moment. “We were talking about your mother just before you got the call from Dale. Was that really just this morning?”
“I know. So much as happened. Did you have a good day with your father?”
“Yes. He spent some time in with Mr. Wynn-Jones, and they had lunch together in the restaurant. We had dinner together tonight.” He chuckled softly. “He seems to think you’re some sort of a miracle-worker for getting me on the Peak2Peak.”
“You’re the one who did it.” She looked outside. “It’s snowing here. What’s it like there?”
“Clear tonight. I miss you, Morgan.”
Had she heard him right?
“Did you hear me?”
“I miss you, too.” She closed her eyes. “A lot.”
“Good.” There was a comfortable moment of silence. “Okay, then. I’ll say goodnight, but promise me you’ll call again tomorrow and fill me in. Oh, and my Dad says to tell you that you’re to take as long as you need.”
She laughed at that. “I’m sure Wynn-Jones is thrilled at that news.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that. I have a feeling that Mr. Wynn-Jones is going to be looking for new career opportunities fairly soon. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but Dad wasn’t at all impressed with him.”
“I can’t say that too many of the staff will be broken hearted.”
“Dad got that impression too. So, you’ll call me tomorrow?”
“I’ll call.”
“Good night, Morgan.”
“Goodnight.”
Dale looked up when she came back into their shared bedroom. “You got through to him, I see.”
“How can you tell?”
“For crying out loud, Morgan. I’ve known you since you were a kid.”
“You’re impossible.”
“So I’ve been told. Goodnight, kiddo.”
Chapter Twenty
The doctor met them in the hallway the next morning.
“She’s been conscious for about an hour now.” He smiled at Boomer. “First thing she did was ask about you and the rest of her family. She was worried about you all. Now, you can each visit her for a minute or two this morning, and then we’re going to run some tests. You can all come back later in the afternoon and see her again, but she’ll probably be tired. What she needs now is rest, and a minimum of stress.”
Boomer opened his mouth to speak but the doctor cut him off. “Mr. Dempsey, you can stay as long as you’re quiet. I think it will be good for her if you’re here.”
* * *
“I feel useless.” Morgan stood in the middle of her mother’s perfectly ordered kitchen. “There must be something we can do for Mom while we’re here.”
Dale was gazing out into the back yard and didn’t seem to hear her. “Did she say anything to you?”
“Not really. Her eyes kept closing. But she looked happy to see me.”
“Yeah, same here. That’s a good thing, isn’t it? The fact that she’s sleepy?” She wandered around the kitchen, touching the familiar items.
“Yes, it’s good.” She caught her friend in a hug. “She’s going to be fine.”
Dale blew out a stream of air, visibly relaxing. “I suppose we could put up the Christmas tree,” she suggested tentatively. Even in her later years, when she’d finally accepted that she was part of the family, Dale had rarely participated in family traditions.
“That’s a terrific idea. Let’s send Ken out for a tree while we get out the decorations. We can have the house all decorated when Mom gets home.”
* * *
“Hello, girls.” Their mother was sitting up when they went back to visit around six. Her colour had improved greatly and the food tray showed that she’d eaten fairly well. She reached for her water and winced. “The doctor tells me I’m going to be stiff for a while.” Morgan handed her the water and she sipped gratefully through the straw. “Something to do with the muscles tensing when we’re in an accident, I guess.” She looked from one to the other. “I’ve been afraid to ask your father, but what happened to the people in the other vehicle? Were they badly hurt?”
Dale indicated that Morgan should respond.
“Apparently it was touch and go for the driver, but we checked just now when we came in and it looks like he’ll pull through.”
She grasped Morgan’s hand. “Make sure your father knows that, will you? I have a feeling that he thinks the other driver died, and he’s been trying to avoid upsetting me.”
“Mom, will you worry about yourself for once?” Dale smiled to soften her words. “Dad’s a big boy.”
“Yes, I know, but do this for me, will you?” She smiled at them both. “I’m eager to hear all about Whistler, but let’s wait until I get home. I was pushing to get out of here today, but they wouldn’t hear of it.” She sighed, and lay back on the pillows. “Maybe tomorrow.”
Boomer was pacing up and down the hallway when they left the room.
“How is she?” he asked, his brow furrowed. “What do you think?”
“Dad!” Dale laughed, hoping to ease his tension. “You’ve been here almost all day. You know she’s much better.”
Morgan grasped his hand, forcing him to be still. “We checked on the other driver when we came in and he didn’t die after all. Mom senses that you’re worried about that, so make sure she knows that you’re in the loop, okay?”
“That’s a relief.” Some of the tension left his face. “My lawyer has already contacted me and he thinks we should sue, but it’s a young chap with two young children; suing would only create hardships for him.” He grinned. “As a matter of fact, I might give him a car from the used car lot.”
“Great idea.” Dale gave him a hug. “He’s bound to tell someone. You can’t pay for advertising like that.”
He pulled back. “Well, listen to you! A businesswoman in the family.”
Dale gave him a shy grin. “A friend of mine is looking into buying a business. We’ve been doing a l
ot of brainstorming.”
“Good for you. And now, if you’ll both excuse me, I want to get back to my better half.” He disappeared through the door of the private room.
* * *
“Andrew, really. I can manage.” Cynthia Dempsey only called her husband Andrew when he tested her patience, preferring ‘Drew’. She never called him ‘Boomer’.
“Just trying to help,” he said, opening the front door with a flourish.
Morgan, Dale, and the three boys stood by, waiting to catch their mother’s reaction.
“Oh, children,” she said, eyes gleaming with tears. “It’s lovely.”
And it was. An eight-foot tree stood in its usual corner, glittering with lights and ornaments that had been in the family since Morgan could remember. Christmas-themed bowls that were brought out once a year held an assortment of nuts and candies, and chunky candles were placed strategically around the room, their flickering light glowing softly.
“We built a fire.” Grant and Gareth spoke together. The entire family knew how Cynthia loved to sit in front of the fire. She went there now, lowered herself into her favourite chair and put her feet up on the ottoman.
“It’s good to be home,” she said, meeting the eyes of each person in the room. “The doctor says that as far as he can tell I’ll have no long-term effects and that the best thing for me right now is rest. So I’d like you to get on with your own lives. You’ve all spent enough time worrying about me.” She smiled up at Morgan. “But I really would like a decent cup of tea. I don’t know what they use at the hospital, but it’s never quite the same.”
Morgan’s brothers went downstairs to their man cave. She’d heard the three of them murmuring earlier about dates later on tonight. Her father wandered into his home office, no doubt checking up on company business.
“Girls, I’d like to talk to you please.” Cynthia gestured to both of them and they drew closer.
“You know that I appreciate your coming home, but you both have jobs. This is the busy season, and I’m sure the hotel needs both of you.” Her tone softened and she gripped the mug of tea in both hands. “I love you both, but you need to go back now. It’s great of you to make dinner, but if I know my neighbours, the freezer is already half full of casseroles, right?”
Morgan and Dale looked at each other and laughed.
“So, I won’t need to worry about meals for a while, and believe it or not, the twins have learned how to use the dishwasher.” She paused to catch her breath. “So I think you should go back tomorrow.” They started to protest and she held up a hand. “I know how kind your employer was to fly you out here. Well, now it’s your turn to repay his kindness and get back to work.”
Dale nodded. “You’re right, I suppose. The hotel’s occupancy rate is always high, but starting next week, I think we’re at a hundred percent through the New Year.” She turned to Morgan. “Isn’t that right?”
Morgan nodded, deep in thought. “Yes, and Adrian can’t cover for me forever. The concierge desk is bound to be busy.”
Her mother watched her carefully. “Is that the young man who got the position instead of you?”
“Yes, but it’s a long story.”
Cynthia Dempsey removed her feet from the ottoman and tucked them up onto the chair. “Sit here and tell me about it.”
Morgan was aware of Dale drifting away as she sat down.
“I know how disappointed you must be about this, but I’m proud of the way you’ve handled yourself. You sound like you don’t harbour any ill feelings toward this young man...Adrian did you say his name is?”
Morgan looked down, trying to hide the blush she could feel flooding her face, but her mother knew her too well.
“Tell me about him,” she said softly.
Morgan looked into her mother’s eyes. “It’s complicated, Mom.” She heard her own words and recognized them for what they were...an avoidance of the truth.
“He’s really nice. I met him the first night I checked in.” A sigh escaped her lips. He’s tall, and good-looking without being flashy. But most importantly, he’s what you would call an old-fashioned gentleman.”
Her mother made a murmur of approval. “But?”
“Okay, his last name is Zimmerman and his family owns the hotel chain.”
Her mother looked at her steadily. “And that makes a difference how?”
“You sound like Dale.”
“She’s a wise woman. Really, Morgan, what possible difference does it make? When I met your father, I knew he was going to be a wealthy man one day, but that didn’t stop me from getting to know him. The only thing that would have made a difference was if he was involved with someone else. Now that...” She stopped abruptly. “Is that it? He has someone else?”
Morgan raised both hands, and then let them drop. “I don’t know. I asked him, but he never really answered the question.”
“What does your heart tell you?”
Morgan closed her eyes. “I don’t know.”
“I think you do.” Cynthia Dempsey reached for her tea and regarded her daughter over the rim.
“What do you mean?”
“Give him time, Morgan. I’m not saying you should be a doormat and wait for him to call, like we did when I was young.” She took a sip of tea and set the mug down carefully. “Besides, you work with him; it will be hard for you to avoid each other.”
“I just don’t want to fall in love with him and then have him go back home to Switzerland.”
“And what would you do if that happened?”
“I’d survive, I suppose.”
Her mother nodded. “Yes, you would.” She stared into the fireplace for a moment. “And now I think I’d like to go to bed. It’s been a long day.” She stood up; tall, erect and determined. Morgan realized that she’d never really known her mother. “Now go and book your flights.” She touched her daughter on the cheek. “And keep me informed, would you?”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Your Mother would like a cup of hot chocolate.” Boomer burst into the kitchen and Dale looked up. “Can you show me how?”
“I’ll do it. I’d like to talk to her for a minute anyway.” Dale poured some milk into a measuring cup and popped it into the microwave. “Dad.” She laid a hand on his arm. “Don’t tire her out by hovering too much, okay?”
“I’m not...” He stopped. “I am, aren’t I?” For the first time that she could remember, Boomer Dempsey actually looked embarrassed.
Dale gave him a loving smile. “She’s doing really great, but she worries when she thinks she’s not taking care of you. So act relaxed, okay? Even if you’re not.”
“Relaxed.” Boomer nodded. “I can do that.”
“Okay, good.” Dale hid a smile as she stirred the hot milk into the chocolate mixture. “Now give me a few minutes with her before you come busting in, okay?”
“You’re tough,” he said with a laugh. “But okay.”
* * *
“Hi, Mom. I brought your hot chocolate.”
“Dale.” Cynthia set aside the book she’d been attempting to read. “I was just thinking about you.” She patted the edge of the bed and moved over a bit. “Sit down.”
She took a sip of the hot chocolate. “Your Dad didn’t make this, did he?”
Dale chuckled. “No.”
Cynthia studied the young woman she loved as much as her own daughter.
“Who is he?” she asked after a moment. She set down the hot chocolate and reached for Dale’s hand. “I can see the happiness shining in your eyes.”
Dale didn’t deny it. “His name is Chance. Chance Larson.”
Cynthia nodded. “I like him already.”
“He’s twenty-eight, and he’s from Lake Louise originally. He’s the manager of the ski shop that’s attached to the hotel.”
“And you love him.”
Dale hesitated for a moment. “Yes, I do. I know it seems awfully quick. He met me at the bus depot when I arrived, and that wa
s it.” She traced the pattern on the duvet with a finger. “Do you think it’s possible to fall in love with someone that fast?”
Cynthia squeezed her hand. “I fell in love with Drew the first moment I saw him.”
Dale spoke softly; almost to herself. “I keep thinking that something is going to go wrong. That he’ll wake up one morning and realize he doesn’t want me. But he’s always there, steady as a rock.”
“I know this is personal, but has he told you he loves you?”
“No, but I think he wants to.” Dale lowered her eyes. “That first day, I told him I didn’t do relationships.”
“And what did he say?”
Dale laughed. “He said that was a good thing. Less competition for him.”
“He sounds like my kind of guy.”
Dale looked up, her eyes luminous. “I love him. A lot.”
“Then that’s all that matters. We can’t undo the past, Dale, but this man sounds like your future. Listen to your heart. I told Morgan the same thing. Don’t deny yourself this chance at happiness.”
Dale gave her mother a gentle hug. “I love you, Mom. You don’t know how much.”
Cynthia Dempsey’s eyes filled with tears and she touched her heart. “Thank you, my dear. I love you, too.”
* * *
“They go on forever,” said Morgan, looking out the window. The Rockies stretched into the distance, bold and rugged, even when draped with a blanket of snow.
Dale looked up from her Kindle. “When I was a kid, I thought that the Rockies were a string of mountains, one after the other, that ran from the top of Alberta down into the States.”
“They’re beautiful.” Morgan’s voice was wistful and Dale gave her a curious look.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “You’ve been quiet since last night.”
“I talked to Mom about Adrian. What she said makes a lot of sense.” She turned in her seat. “You know, I’m looking at her differently since all this happened. She has more backbone than I realized.”