Chapter 3

Paxine laughed at the thought, trying to visualize Tache in snow pants as he slept. They’d need two pair of snow pants, she thought; one for the front legs and one for the back. She kept thinking he’d look like a poodle.

“What are you giggling at,” her mom said as a waiter came with a tray for the Gustaflynns.

“Tache in snow pants,” Paxine said, taking a bite of her sandwich.

Her mom smiled, shaking her head. Her dad kept leaning over and talking with Champe.

The other tables filled in their area and were also served their lunch. Conversations were short as everyone concentrated on their food.

Tache woke, yawning and stretching.

“Here’s your lunch,” Paxine said, setting his bowl of cat food on his chair. “You better hurry; I’m heading out to ski.”

Tache yawned and stretched, not looking like he was in too much of a hurry.

“Can I come with you?” Brat said from her table.

Paxine didn’t’ know what to say, she’d forgotten to ask during lunch.

“She knows how to ski quite well. If you don’t mind, Doug,” Champe said.

“No, of course not,” her dad said. “Paxine?”

“Sure, that’ll be fun,” Paxine said, glad it was Brat instead of Lanny. “Tache, you better hurry…”

His bowl was empty.

“How'd you eat that so fast?” she said, thinking he'd only have a short time to eat while she got her snow gear back on.

“Burp,” Tache said, cleaning a paw.

“Ugh, cat food breath,” Paxine said, pulling on her snow pants.

“I love his coat,” Brat said in a whisper. She was already dressed and ready to go.

“You dress fast,” Paxine said, starting to pull on her boots.

“I’m used to dressing fast,” Brat said, picking up Tache's coat. “May I help you, sir?” she said to Tache, sounding like a butler.

Tache stood in position, allowing her to fit the coat.

“I’m the slow one,” Lanny said giggling. She was hanging on her mother’s arm as she finished her lunch. “I’ll catch up with you.”

“Okay, let’s hit the slopes,” Paxine said, grabbing Tache’s snowboard. “Ready mom, dad?”

“Coming,” her dad said.

The four of them stepped outside into the crisp cool air.

“Lanny’s slow at everything,” Brat said, looking through the racks for her skis. “She’ll never catch up with us.”

Paxine didn’t mind that at all. She found her skis, fastening them on and then fastening Tache’s board to the leash attached to her coat. Tache sat on his board and Paxine attached the board to his harness.

“Gosh,” Brat said, staring.

“He’s hooked to the snowboard so he doesn’t lose it. That’s also how he tows it with him, but he can’t really walk very well through the snow, so we tow him to the lift. Watch,” Paxine said, skiing off, towing Tache behind her.

Brat caught up with her. “That is so cool. Do you tow him down the hill too?” she said.

“No,” Paxine said with a laugh. “He's on his own once we get to the top. He tries to stay behind me, in case I fall.”

“I’d be scared being that small with people falling too,” Brat said, and Paxine almost laughed aloud. She didn’t explain that Tache stayed behind her because he needed to keep an eye on her to protect her.

They shuffled through the line at the lift. Brat shuffled over first as Paxine picked up Tache, and shuffled over to let the lift chair scoop them up.

“I’ve been skiing for the last three years,” Brat said. “I’m pretty good. But, I can’t go down the big hills if Lanny is around, otherwise, she thinks she can go too. She really isn’t that good, despite what she says.”

“This is my first year. I hope you don’t get bored with me, but I’m going to do one more run of Maple Syrup before I hit the next slope,” Paxine said.

“That’s no problem. I haven’t been out yet this year, so that’s a good warm up hill. Any hill is fun,” Brat said.

“We're almost to the top,” Paxine said, finding she had a problem. She’d managed to get off the lift once without falling. But now she was holding Tache. How was she going to get off the lift and not fall down while holding Tache?

“Yelp,” Tache said, telling her what to do.

Paxine unhooked the leash from his snowboard as the lift reached the top. Brat hopped off, veering left. Paxine hopped off, bending her knees, so that as she landed she was almost squatting. She released Tache on his board, then she stood, skiing to the right to the edge of the lift building. Tache slid to a stop by her. Brat came around the building from the other way.

“Oh, my gosh. He does snowboard,” Brat said in astonishment.

Paxine felt exhilarated that she managed to get off the lift with Tache and not fall down. Her parents gave her a thumbs up as they skied in the opposite direction down another slope.

“You have cool parents,” Brat said, watching Paxine’s parents ski off. “My mom’s really old fashion. Which is why,” Brat said with embarrassment, pointing to her braces. “These are the type of braces she had so that is what I get.” She rolled her eyes, looking miserable. “There are invisible braces, but since my mom never had them, she thinks they don't work.”

“Meow,” Tache said.

“Tache is in awe of your braces,” Paxine said, translating. “Anyone with bigger teeth than him has his respect.”

Brat burst out laughing, despite the focus on her braces. “He’s so cool.”

“Well, we don’t have all day, let’s go,” Paxine said, pushing off toward Maple Syrup, feeling confident. She took the slope at a fast pace, even despite the fact that there were more skiers, and she had to maneuver around them. The last part of the slope she didn’t zig and zag to control her speed, ending the slope at a fast pace. The wind in her face was exhilarating.

“You don’t ski like this is your first time,” Brat said, skiing up to her.

Tache glided up beside them.

“Dude. Look,” the two boys said at the same time, standing by the lift, gawking at Tache.

“They’ve been there all morning,” Paxine said, fastening Tache’s snowboard to the leash.

“That’ll mean Lanny will never make it up to the slope. She’s a flirt,” Brat said, ignoring the boys.

They shuffled into the line at the lift.

“Getting a lot more crowded this afternoon,” Paxine said.

“Yeah, morning is usually the better time to ski. My mom never gets up before ten, so my dad and I will go skiing. Lanny never goes anywhere without mom,” Brat said.

“So what is the next hill,” Paxine said, not wanting to talk about Lanny.

“The next one after Maple Syrup is called Slurry. It’s a long one like Maple Syrup, but with steeper hills,” Brat said.

Tache nudged Paxine to warn her they were getting close to the top. Paxine hooked the leash.

“Tally ho,” Brat said, jumping from her seat.

Paxine release Tache and skied to the lift building.

“We go that way to Slurry,” Brat said, pointing to her right.

“Go, I’ll follow,” Paxine said, feeling intimidated by the hill.

“See you at the bottom,” Brat said with a laugh.

“You bet,” Paxine said, pushing off with her. Brat was faster, soon leaving her behind.

Paxine didn’t mind. The long hill in front of her was scary, dipping down in places so it looked like she was going over an edge of a cliff. She breathed in deep, keeping her cool and controlling her speed. A cabin in the woods came into view, making Paxine think she reached the end of the slope. Smoke wisped from the chimney and there were skiis leaning against a snow drift and people standing on the porch, looking as if they were sipping drinks. Then the slope turned sharply to the right and down another steep hill, leaving the cabin behind.

Trees surrounded her as the slope curved; ending in a huge clearing where there was a lift. Paxine slid up to Brat, surprised to find Tache right behind her.

“Did you like that slope?” Brat said.

“Yeah, that was a good one, and long,” Paxine said, not wanting to admit it was scary.

“Yep. The longest one,” Brat said. “We’re on the other side of the mountain. This lift will take us back up.”

“Let’s go,” Paxine said, hoping to catch her breath on the ride up.

They rode up the lift and skied down Slurry again.

“Ready for the next one? It’s called Anaconda because of all the curves. Not really so steep,” Brat said.

“Lead on,” Paxine said, checking on Tache, who was keeping his ice balls to a minimum.

Paxine didn’t think the slope was any less steep and it did curve a lot. She fell once, but managed to ski the rest of the way without another fall.

“You’re doing really great,” Brat said. “There is no way I was doing that on my first day skiing.”

“Thanks. That last one was pretty scary, but I think I can make it. Let’s do that one again,” Paxine said.

“Cool,” Brat said.

Paxine liked Brat a lot. She was so much fun and a totally different person away from her sister.

“One more hill,” Paxine said, “and I need to thaw out a Tail.”

“Okay. I want to go down Black Bear,” Brat said, pointing toward a hill.

“I don’t think I am ready for that one,” Paxine said, noticing it was a black diamond rated slope.

“I think you are, but you should do what you’re comfortable doing. I’ll meet you at the bottom,” Brat said.

“Okay,” Paxine said, watching Brat head for the slope

“Mew,” Tache said, whipping his tail in the snow.

“Yeah, I know. Time to defrost you. We’ll go down Maple Syrup,” she said, checking the ice balls on his tail, legs and feet. Even his whiskers were frosting up from his breathing.

Tache pushed off ahead of her. She followed, passing him.

“Hey, dude.”

Paxine slowed down, knowing who was coming. She turned to let Tache catch up only to see the two boys snowboarding straight for him. Paxine didn’t have to warn Tache as his ears, like tiny radar, were already tuned into the boys.

Tache slowed his board by turning, waiting for the first boy to reach him. He leaped from his board, coming to a dead stop in the snow, letting his board keep going. He braced himself as his board reached the end of its tether. The board whipped back, slamming into the shins of the first boy.

“Aaaaaaaagh,” the boy said, diving head first into the snow.

The other boy, coming too fast to stop in time, collided with the first.

Tache bound up the hill, dragging his board behind him.

Where was he going, Paxine thought as she stopped.

Tache turned around, jumping onto his board and pushing off. He headed straight for the fallen boys and just as he reached them, he threw his weight to one side skidding to a stop, showering them with snow.

Paxine cupped her mouth to keep herself from laughing.

“That wasn’t very nice,” she said, stifling a laugh as Tache, having pushed back off with his snowboard, slid past her.

Tache flicked his tail at her. Paxine skied after him, keeping him in front of her for the rest of the slope.

“What took you so long?” Brat said, waiting for them.

“We hit some turbulence,” Paxine said, laughing and checking up the hill. The boys weren’t in sight.

“I’ll tell you back at the lodge,” Paxine said, hooking Tache’s board to the leash.

“Bed, Paxine,” her mom said, popping her head into Paxine’s room. They were staying in a two-bedroom suite at the ski resort. It came with its own tiny kitchen and large living room. The bedrooms were cozy with large beds and thick warm comforters.

“In a moment, grandma’s calling,” Paxine said, sitting with her laptop positioned on a pillow. She adjusted her camera perched on top of the screen. The screen flickered.

“Hi grandma,” Paxine said.

“Hello Paxine. Hi Dalia. How’s skiing?” her grandma said, sitting in her office. Her blonde hair was starting to show gray. A silver gray cat sat in her lap.

“Great. Hi Tinder,” Paxine said.

“Mew,” Tinder said back. Tinder was her grandma’s Tail.

“Just awesome powder, mom,” Paxine’s mom said.

“We met Champe, the inventor of the cube,” Paxine said. “His two daughters are here too.”

“Ah, yes. I remember him. Flaming red hair,” her grandma said.

“That’s the one,” her mom said with a laugh. “He is really nice.”

“He is an extremely intelligent man,” her grandma said with sincerity

“Grandma, I have a favor to ask,” Paxine said.

“No, you can’t get your own cube,” her grandma said.

“Nooo,” Paxine said with a laugh, “That's not what I wanted to ask. This is really a favor to Brittney, his daughter.”

“Well, what is the favor?” her grandma said, trying to be serious.

“She has braces, but her mom is old fashion and won’t let her get the nicer looking ones. Ya know, the ones that are invisible and such,” Paxine said.

“I see. So, I need to have tea with Mrs. Gustaflynn?” her grandma said. Her grandma did business over tea.

“Well, maybe. Or, maybe just tell her that a child with braces is really ugly and made her look fat. I guess their mom is a fashion queen, ah…” Paxine said, not knowing how to further describe Mrs. Gustaflynn.

“Yes, I am aware of Mrs. Gustaflynn and her limited ability to look beyond her shoes. She is really a sweet person. You just have to break through to her on her own level. So you want me to help get her daughter nicer braces,” her grandma said.

“She walks around embarrassed all the time and covers her mouth,” Paxine said, putting just enough of a whine in her voice.

“I think I can help her,” her grandma said. “I’m not used to grandchildren not asking for things for themselves. Someone seems to be showing a maturity beyond her level, don’t you think Dalia?”

“I don’t know. As long as someone doesn’t think a cube is the reward for helping others,” her mom said, pretending to be serious.

“Geez you two,” Paxine said rolling her eyes. “Anyway, thanks grandma. Oh, and tell Garon that the snowboard works great.”

“We saw the pictures your mom sent,” her grandma said.

“You sent pictures of Tache?” Paxine said, looking at her mom in surprise.

“Of course I sent pictures, but not just of Tache. I think I even got one with you on your butt,” her mom said with a laugh.

“I hope not,” Paxine said, moaning.

Both her mom and her grandma laughed at the look on her face.

“I guess Brittney isn’t the only one embarrassed,” her grandma said.

“Ha ha,” Paxine said, not amused. “Can we have a call tomorrow at ten? That's when everyone will be done with breakfast and ready to go skiing.”

“My ten or your ten? You are in a different time zone, you know,” her grandma said.

“Oh, yeah. Our ten. That will be about…” Paxine said.

“Seven in the morning for you mom. Pretty early,” her mom said.

“Yeah. Is that ok?” Paxine said.

“Yes, I guess I can do that favor for my favorite granddaughter,” her grandma said. “I will be up by then. Lots to do.”

“Thanks, grandma. Talk to you tomorrow,” Paxine said. “And by the way, I’m your only granddaughter.”

“Yeah, for now,” her grandma said with a chuckle. “Bye. Have fun.”

The call ended but now Paxine was too excited to go to bed. She bounced on the bed trying to dislodge Tache.

“Bed, or I will send the tickle monster in,” her mom said, pretending to be stern, causing Paxine to have a fit of giggles.

Paxine bounced once more, but Tache was not to be dislodged, so she curled up with him, feeling tired all of a sudden.

“Fresh air and skiing tired out Tache, now you,” her mom said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Good night.”

***

Paxine woke to a tail tickling her nose. She pet Tache, rising, surprised to find her body stiff.

“My legs hurt,” she said to her dad who was already in the kitchen making coffee.

“You discovered a couple of muscles you never used before?” he said, pulling out two mugs from a cabinet.

“I expected my butt to hurt after falling down, not my legs,” she said.

“A little warm up this morning, and you’ll never notice,” he said, checking that the coffee was ready. He filled both mugs.

“I have a conference with Grandma at ten this morning. After that, I’ll hit the slopes. Are we going to eat up here or down stairs? I want to talk to Brittney,” Paxine said, watching her mom come in and sit down by her coffee.

“We can go down there. I already arranged to breakfast with the Gustaflynns. Then Champe is going to ski with us,” her dad said.

“Cool,” Paxine said, exaggerating her hobble back to her room. “Tache, get up.”

“There's no hurry,” her dad said, calling after her. “We still have to get dressed.”

“Well that's good,” Paxine said to herself, spying Tache sleeping in bed, enjoying the warm spot where she'd been sleeping.

She tried not to hurry getting dressed, taking extra time to make sure her laptop was all set to go. Tache yawned and stretched before heading to the kitchen for his breakfast. Paxine followed, glad to see her parents weren't still lingering over their coffee.

It wasn’t long before they were breakfasting with the Gustaflynns. Lanny was bragging about what slopes she was going to go down. Brat was sharing eye rolls with Paxine.