Page 77 of Snowballed

“My mother’s been huge too. As a champion figure skater, she knows what it takes to perform under pressure.”

“Right. Candy Sugimoto. Amazing talent.”

“I grew up trying to keep up with my sister and brother. It felt like they were always a step ahead. Chi, my sister, introduced me to meditation as a way to relax.”

I laugh at that. Adam’s always been the most relaxed one of us.

The interviewer begins the next question, but Adam interrupts him. “Sorry, I really have to mention my brother. Noah. He used to be my idol, but now he’s something better. He’s my mentor. Whenever I have a big problem, he’s the guy I ask for help.”

Jesus. I’m not crying, am I? I blink the moisture away just in time because Adam comes crashing into my room.

I wave the phone at him. “I watched the video, and I don’t know what to say.”

Adam grins at me. “It’s true, asshole. So return my calls. I’ve had some big problems lately, and you’re too busy putting your hand up goat butts to help me.”

“Your knowledge of female anatomy makes me feel sorry for all your girlfriends,” I say.

“And that’s exactly one of the problems I need to talk to you about,” he begins, although I don’t know how I got to be the expert on girl problems.

Everyone wants to talk to Adam tonight, but after dinner, Chi insists that the three of us need to go out together.

“We only get to see Adam for two days,” my mother protests.

“Yes, but Adam has lots of friends who can’t fly to Vancouver to see him like you can,” Chi argues. She already gave us a heads up to message anyone we wanted to see to meet at a local club.

“Were you always this bossy, or did I not notice before?” I ask.

She waves away my complaint. “I know both of you. Adam won’t plan ahead yet gets disappointed when his friends don’t magically show up. And you, the person who got all the looks in this family, will stay home and play cards with Bachan if I don’t kick you in the butt.”

Chi knows us all too well. I contact my two best friends from high school, and they’re both keen to get together.

We head to the club around 9:30, with Adam protesting that it’s too early and me saying it’s too late. So obviously, it’s exactly the right time.

I see Charlie and Amil across the dark club and join them.

“Why did we meet here instead of a quiet place where we could actually talk?” Charlie asks.

“Chi’s idea,” I yell. We walk around and find a table in a dead zone where the music and lights aren’t so invasive. First, we disparage people who go to clubs on Christmas Eve, and then we catch up on each other’s lives. Amil tells us about his new tech job in San Francisco, and Charlie complains about working for his father. I talk about grad school and hockey, having learned my lesson about bragging on my goat-milking skills.

“Guess who?” A pair of soft arms wrap around my neck, and I smell a very familiar cologne.

“Lauren?” I turn my head, sticking my face right into my ex-girlfriend’s cleavage, which is extremely embarrassing. Blushing, I turn back.

Lauren slips into the booth between me and Amil. She cheek-kisses all of us.

“Merry Christmas, guys.” Lauren looks glitzy and beautiful in her skimpy sequin dress.

“How did you know we were here?” I ask.

“Amil invited me,” she says.

It’s the first time I’ve seen Lauren since we broke up. Our split was civil, but I still feel uncomfortable. Of course, Amil always had a thing for Lauren, so it’s not surprising that he contacted her. What’s surprising is that she came.

“How’s Vermont?” she asks me.

“Cold and snowy. But I like it,” I say.

She shivers. “Really? You don’t miss all the sunshine and smog here?”

---