Page 52 of Reunion at Mistletoe Lodge
“I don’t have the virus…” Barb’s words trailed off as she swallowed. “But you’re wise to be cautious. Now let me get up and dressed so I can have a word with Zac.”
“Okay,” Oscar said, bouncing off the bed. “Love you,” he yelled over his shoulder as he rushed from the room, slamming the door behind him.
Barb sighed. “I wonder why kids can never just close a door.”
Forty minutes later, Jackie had left with Max and wasn’t due back until tomorrow. Barb and Oscar were having breakfast, with Charlotte doing her wiggle-wiggle exercises in her rocker on the table beside Barb.
“Do you know that as a baby's nervous system matures and their motorized skillsget better, these continuous movements will start slowing down,” Oscar surprised Barb by saying.
“That’s right,” Barb said, looking at him in amazement. “Where did you learn that?”
“Jackie told us yesterday when we were laughing at how Charlie is constantly moving like she’s trying to wiggle herself somewhere,” Oscar explained.
“She does move a lot now,” Barb agreed, rubbing her head, then sipping some ginger, honey, and lemon tea to soothe her throat and headache. “You still move quite a lot, too.” She laughed.
“That’s because there’s a lot to do in a day,” Oscar told her, grinning. “Like running around and making snow forts for snowball fights.”
“Just make sure you’re all bundled up warmly and change your clothes when you're done,” Barb reminded him. “Don’t stay in damp clothes.”
“I know!” Oscar sighed, rolling his eyes. “I’m ten now, mom.”
“Of course you are,” Barb hid a smile. “But moms still like to feel useful and nag their kids about these things.”
“Can I be excused from the table?” Oscar asked. “I want to get ready to go with Dad into Frisco.”
“Sure,” Barb said, nodding before standing and taking their dishes to the sink.
As she was going back to Charlotte, there was a knock on the door. Her heart leaped, and the anger once again boiled as she instinctively knew it was Zac. Barb swung the door open and froze when she came face to face with the brunette she now knew was Paige.
“Hi!” Paige waved a gloved hand at her with a smile on her face. “I’m Paige Shields, Zac’s sister.”
“Hello, Paige.” Barb couldn’t help the frostiness that laced her voice.
“I came over to introduce myself as we didn’t get a chance to meet yesterday,” Paige explained. “As we’respending the day with Oscar, I thought it best to meet you.”
“Where is Zac?” Barb asked, her anger rising a level at the assumption that she was just going to let Oscar go with them. “I need to have a word with him.”
“Oh,” Paige turned to look toward the chalet. “He’ll be here soon.” She looked at Barb again. “He takes longer than most women to get ready. Especially when it’s cold.”
Barb nodded.
“Is that Dad?” Oscar’s excited voice rang down the hallway as he rushed toward them, stopping beside Barb at the door. “Hello, Aunt Paige.”
“Hey, Ozzie,” Paige greeted him.
“Ozzie?” Barb’s anger gauge was rising to the steam out the ear point.
Paige’s eyes widened, and her smile dropped as she looked at Barb. It must’ve registered with her then that Barb wasn’t aware she’d met Oscar.
“Oscar and I met at the main lodge last night,” Paige explained. “Priscilla introduced us, and we—”
“Decorated the lodge’s window tree together,” Oscar explained. “Dad put me on his shoulders and lifted me as Avery said I could put the angel on it.”
Barb’s eyes widened as they caught Paige’s. She didn’t want to cause a scene in front of Oscar. “Honey, go brush your teeth.” She smiled at him.
“Oh, yes, I almost forgot,” Oscar said, glancing at his mother and then back to Paige. “I’ll be back in three minutes.”
He turned and ran to the bathroom.
