Fair Play

by Mia Ford

  “The authorities are warning everybody to stay off the roads. If you don’t have to go out, then it is suggested that you hunker down and have supplies ready in case of a blackout. This blizzard came out of nowhere and even the weather forecasters are baffled by how easily they were fooled by only a few flurries. This is a late breaking news bulletin. The roads are treacherous, completely snow packed and icy underneath.” I looked out my windshield attesting to the announcers claim that this was a storm that nobody saw coming.

  I had problems trying to keep the windshield from freezing over. The wipers were streaking and I could barely see the hand in front of my face. The wind had picked up considerably with driving snow that made visibility almost nothing. There was no point in turning back and my final destination was no more than a few miles ahead. I was certain that if I took my time that I would get there unscathed. I was one of the lucky ones and I had my winter tires already installed well before the season had begun.

  “This just in, the main road is impassable and there have already been several car accidents in the area. The police are advising to stay off the road while they deal with these unfortunate accidents.” I passed one car that had their four-way flashers going off like neon lights. It was a good thing that they had them on because I was almost upon them before I realized that they were there.

  I managed to avoid a head-on collision with a transport that had veered into my lane and caused me to act without thinking. I went into a skid, but I managed to pull myself out of it by using evasive maneuvers.

  “The weather experts have confirmed that the storm is lying heavily over the area and will persist for several hours. They have categorized this one as a blizzard. Winds will gust up to 50 miles an hour making visibility difficult at the best of times.” I didn’t need a constant reminder, but it was the only station I could pick up in the storm. I tried to find others, but all I got was static. It was very annoying.

  There was nobody on the road and the last vestige of humanity was the car and the semi truck that probably was white-knuckling it all the way. I couldn’t think of any good reason for anybody to be out in this. I was the exception. I was running and I couldn’t get far enough away from my troubles.

  I was driving like a little old lady from Pasadena. Taking my time at a snail’s pace was the best way to approach this unless I came up against something that I wasn’t going to be able to handle on my own. Even with my winter tires, my car was still sliding considerably, but I had managed not to drive myself into a ditch of snow.

  His words cut me like a knife, slicing into my heart and leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth. Lillian was the cause of my misfortune. She was the one that put me into this position and yet I had to thank her for letting me find a man that was worthy of my affections. It was a double-edged sword. I didn’t want to think about Marshall, but there was no way that I could think about anything else.

  There was his smiling face. His beautiful soul and the way that he looked at me had me wondering how everything had gone so wrong in such a short period of time. I knew that opening my mouth was going to be a mistake. I also knew that he wasn’t going to take it kindly that I was there to bring him a bit of his own medicine.

  It was complicated and I tried to explain, but he really didn’t want to hear anything that I had to say. He was acting like a typical macho man that couldn’t see the good thing that was right in front of him. He was the one that had set me free. My heart was closed off, completely barren of human touch and then he had to come into my life.

  I had to open up my window, reaching out and slapping my wiper to make sure that they were clear of ice and snow. I felt the stinging shot of what felt like sleet against my face. It was a cold reminder of what I was feeling deep down inside. The stinging blow of his words was something that I was never going to forget.

  Lillian would find a way to get back at me. I wasn’t sure if she was going to be coming after me personally or contracting the job out to somebody that wasn’t opposed to getting his hands dirty. I’d stepped in it pretty damn heavily and I had no idea how to get out. The best thing that I could do was to find some perspective and coming here to this winter wonderland was the perfect way to let some time pass.

  There were no tracks on the road. I didn’t even know where the road was and I was lucky that there were clear-cut markers on the side of the road to indicate that I had gone too far to one side. Without them, I probably would have been driving in some kind of field or the worst possible scenario stranded on the side of the road with only the engine to keep me warm until somebody came to the rescue.

  I had on my leather gloves, gripping the steering wheel with both hands like I had been taught to do when I first learned how to drive. This was no time to play it cool with the one hand on the steering wheel. This was a time for serious contemplation. I didn’t want to die and driving well below the speed limit was preferable over having an accident that would keep me from reaching the safe haven of the cabin.

  If I was going to look at the bright side, then I would know by morning that the fresh powder on the mountain was going to make for some great skiing. I was going to need some lessons. The last time that I had strapped on a pair was when I was a small child with my parents.

  I still remember those days fondly. It was such an innocent time where the only thing that I had to worry about was whether or not I was going to wear enough layers in the snow. I had no idea that being an adult was this difficult. I had to admit that I did excel at my job and selling cars was easy when I put my sexuality on display. The sweet syrupy words laced with sexual innuendo were a good way to not only get those guys to buy cars but to make them stand at attention like loyal soldiers inside their pants.

  I saw what I thought was a light ahead and breathed a bit of a sigh of relief to know that I had gotten here.

  The parking lot was jammed with cars covered in snow and only a few sparse parking spots to choose from. I stopped and stayed silent with the wind howling outside. I was in desperate need of a few moments to compose myself.

  I used my hand to clear the window. I saw the resort and the twinkle of lights coming from the cabins where I was going to stay sheltered. Those cabins were built to take the pounding of Mother Nature.

  I took a deep breath. I was wearing a green army like parka that I had keeping me warm. I opened the door and I made a mad dash for the main office. I had to be very careful in how I stepped. I almost lost my balance a few times. I must have looked pretty damn funny to anybody that was watching me.

  I got to the door, opening it and slamming it behind me before the elements had a chance to bleed into the inside. The atmosphere was cozy and there were those that had been skiing sitting by a roaring fire and drinking hot toddies. The place was made of mostly pine wood. It had the telltale sign of a ski chalet.

  “Here, you take this and I think that you need it more than I do.” This buxom blonde with a skintight ski outfit in pink handed me a cup of hot chocolate that had her bright red lipstick on the rim. I gave her a nod of thanks and then I picked up my keys from the front desk. I found my way to the cabin. It was almost too good to be true. It was quaint and had the feel of something that time forgot.

  I didn’t bother packing and I was used to living out of suitcases when I was barely able to rub two pennies together. I had a tendency to surf from the couch of whatever friend decided to give me a place to stay for however long I needed it. I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a salesperson. Like everything in my life, I fell into it by accident and I don’t think that I had ever been any happier. I was good at it. It took me awhile to figure out that I had the tools and I just had to learn how to use them.

  Having a bit more curve was the kind of sex appeal that the guys were looking to be with. I was not opposed to one night stands. I actually enjoyed waking up with a strange man with no idea of what his name was. The young ones were my victims. I would treat them like pieces of meat and then I would leave them like a hit
and run victim on the side of the road.

  I heard a knock on the door. I had no idea who would be out on a night like this. I cautiously approached, pulling back the threadbare white curtains to see the disheveled expression on the front door manager’s face. I opened it quickly, not wanting him to freeze to death or catch the death of cold out there.

  “I wanted to bring you some dry firewood for the fireplace.” He was small in stature, but there was something about him that made me think of him as a little brother. “I know that your reservation states that you’re going to be here for a week. I do hope that the unfortunate inclement weather hasn’t dampened your spirits. They say that it should clear by morning. I’ve already set up an appointment for you to have your first lesson. I’m sure that you’ll be pleased by the young man that will be showing you the ropes. I will warn you that he has a reputation for sleeping with his clients.” The one thing that I didn’t have to worry about was somebody turning my head.

  “I appreciate the warning, but it’s not something that I’m going to concern myself with.” I watched as he expertly stoked the fires and soon had them raging with this warmth that converged on me with no warning whatsoever. I had on a white fluffy sweater underneath the jacket and a pair of jeans that looked like they were put on me with the Jaws of Life.

  “I’ve always been of the opinion that whatever happens on the mountain stays on the mountain. Jessie is a bit cocksure for his own good, but he has no problem with the ladies. I would be very careful about saying that he doesn’t have a chance. He might take that as an insult and treat you like a challenge. I don’t mean to be blunt, but you are exactly the type that he gravitates to. He loves a little more junk in the trunk. I know that a lot of guys including myself can say the same thing.” He was wearing a blue ski outfit. He had his gloves off and he was warming them by the fire. He really didn’t have any interest in going back out into that.

  “He might be kibble for some of these girls that are less experienced, but for me, he’s barely a blip on my radar. I can take care of myself. No offense, but I don’t need somebody to act like my father. I am very tired and it was a long journey to get here on these dangerous roads. The weather makes it unfit for man or beast out there. I think that I’m just going to bundle up with as many blankets as I can find and sleep through the storm.” I was hinting that it was time for him to leave and he smiled like it was his pleasure to serve me in this manner.

  “The restaurant will be open at exactly 7:00 AM tomorrow morning for your convenience. There is a menu on the table over there. I think that you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what we offer. If there’s anything that you need, then all you have to do is ask and I will do my best to find it.” I was tempted to say that I needed something warm in my bed to keep me company, but he might have taken that in a different way than I intended.

  “I have everything that I need. I’m sure that you’ll be seeing me in the morning. I don’t know if I would consider myself an early riser.” He passed me the schedule of my lesson and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was an 11:00 AM. That gave me plenty of time to sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast and then let the young man take a shot at getting my panties off.

  I found it flattering the way that the manager would caress me with his eyes. I was not an angel and I did like to play with a man’s heart strings. Bending certain ways and showing off a bit of skin had become something of a mainstay for me when I was selling cars. It also came in handy when I turned to an illicit hobby that really had a lot of guys hating me for the words and the photos that they would find on my blog.

  “I would invite you over to have dinner at my place. My wife makes an amazing casserole, but I doubt that she will be very happy to have any company at this time of night. I’ve done the next best thing and I brought you some leftovers. It’s a poached salmon dinner that was left over at the end of the night in the restaurant. I did heat it up, but you do have your own microwave and stove to use as you see fit.” I was wondering about the package that he had left on my table when he came in with a handful of wood.

  I stood by the window watching the snow slap against the pane of glass. The wind was scratching branches making me feel like there was an intruder trying to get in. Lillian had really affected me on a level that I didn’t think was possible.

  “I had a feeling that the restaurant was closed. I am famished. It was very kind of you to think of me in this way.” I rewarded him with a soft and delicate kiss on his cheek. He blushed and I could tell that the attention that I was giving him was more than his wife had done in quite some time. Couples get complacent, forget to say certain words and even relegate sex to special occasions and birthdays.

  “I’m just doing my job. I like to make sure that all of my guests are comfortable. I pride myself on going the extra mile to make sure that everybody has what they need. I would offer some extracurricular contraband, but I don’t think that you indulge.” He was referring to Mary Jane and I had tried it, but I saw nothing good coming from it. It had a tendency to make me feel mellow. Time would slip by without being noticed. I didn’t like the way that it made me feel, but I had to give him credit for making the effort to make my stay here more pleasant.

  “I don’t do any of that and I barely drink unless it’s during social occasions.” I escorted him to the door, opening it and then closing it behind him as he disappeared in the storm.

  I could smell the aroma of the maple coated salmon that was poached to perfection. I lifted the tray to see the steam escape. The mashed potatoes had a hint of garlic that wet my appetite.

  There didn’t seem to be any need to heat things up in the microwave. I sat down, grabbing a red linen napkin and placing it in my lap before grabbing the gleaming silver of the fork in my hand.

  I heard the whistle of the wind, but I was safe and secure and happy to be off the road. I ate in silence, thinking about Marshall and wanting him to be here to experience this with me. The salmon flaked off my fork. There was a medley of fresh vegetables that were most likely in season this time of year. I devoured the entire plate, thinking that it was the perfect way to end a very confusing day.

  The future was unclear and murky like I was looking into the dirty water under the bottom of a bathtub. I had no idea what would be waiting for me when I went back to civilization. I’d seven days to think about that and to not think about that. It was hard not to think about the words that Lillian and Marshall had said to me.

  I went to the fridge and I opened it to see the complimentary bottle of wine. I looked for a corkscrew and saw that one was magnetized to the door of the fridge. This place really did think of everything including more blankets and dishware for whatever I would pick up and make on my own in the small kitchenette.

  I pried the cork loose, poured myself a glass and then sat down by the fire. I looked into the flames and I could remember the heat that penetrated into my clothes every time that I was around Marshall. My legs would be weak at the knees. My heart fluttered and my eyes glazed over with amorous intentions.

  I got up and I walked to the window, pacing back and forth and then draping myself over the chair by the fire once again. Any problem seemed to wash away. It was a perfect venue and something that I should’ve done a long time ago. I was a summer person and winter was a time to cloister and hibernate by binge watching old shows and movies on Netflix.

  This place had all the comforts of home and was definitely my way of roughing it. I found a few books that were probably left during somebody’s stay. I got quite involved in a mystery that was taking place on the orient express. I was breezing through the pages, holding the book in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. I felt like I was getting a better understanding of who might have done it. I had my assumptions, but I had yet to find any evidence to corroborate my theory.

  The murder was in the dining car after the lights had inexplicably gone off for only a few seconds. When the lights came back on, young Mr. Peterson was flung over
his food with blood dripping from his mouth. The evidence of foul play was quite apparent by the hilt of the blade sticking from his back.

  I curled up with a blanket over me. I was in the Lotus position. I was quite comfortable and finding that this time away was doing me a world of good. Marshall still lingered in my thoughts. Touching his lips with the deep impression of my lipstick was keeping me from getting to the bottom of the mystery in the novel. I didn’t recognize the author and it was not one of those that would be found on the New York’s best seller list.

  I heard the creaking of the cabin as the wind buffered against it. I was afraid that it wouldn’t stand up to the abuse, but this place was built with the kind of eye for detail that was not seen these days.

  My eyes were starting to get heavy. I couldn’t avoid going to bed. I knew that once under the covers that I would feel a profound sense of loss. Marshall’s words would strike me over and over again preventing me from finding eight hours of beauty sleep. I would toss and turn, twisting in the sheets and throwing them asunder onto the floor. That was something that I was expecting.

  It was getting close to midnight and I’d finished almost half of that book before putting it down. I was ready to retire for the evening. The fire was dying out. I threw a couple of fresh logs on to keep it going. There was nothing like the warmth of a fire to make you feel like you were in the lap of luxury.