Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

February 2015, Breckenridge, Colorado

Sophie took a sip of champagne and observed the event hall. Darkness had fallen outside the large glass windows that lined the building, and the snow-covered ground reflected the lights from inside, casting an eerie yellow glow. She sat alone at a table by design, wanting a moment for herself amid the wedding chaos. She had listened to the speeches, eaten dinner, and made the rounds with Miles. Now, as she watched their friends and family members mingle, talking loudly and laughing, Sophie had never wanted to be invisible more. She felt outlandish in her A-line white dress. She had insisted on simple—not a speck of lace or sparkle on the entire thing—but she’d never been designated like this before, as the special person in the room.

Miles and Evelyn, in conversation by one of the windows, caught her eye. For a moment, the sight of them talking warmed her heart. She wanted Evelyn to like Miles—to love him, even, to think of him as family. After all, they were. But Evelyn hadn’t tried to disguise her lack of enthusiasm about the wedding, or even about the relationship itself. She brought up the six-year age gap between Sophie and Miles often. Even when Evelyn hid her emotions with words, her body language usually betrayed her. And now, she stood at an angle from Miles, arms folded across her chest, looking like she had a plethora of opinions to unleash.

With a resigned sigh, Sophie set her glass down and marched across the room, dodging wedding guests who wanted to compliment her dress or her hair or the ceremony or wish her luck. She knew they meant luck in life , but what she needed now was luck in ending the conversation between Evelyn and Miles before Evelyn said something regrettable.

Evelyn noticed Sophie approach and waved her over. Sophie slipped beneath Miles’s arm, casting her gaze between them. Evelyn looked visibly more relaxed now.

“Look at you two,” Sophie said, glancing from Miles to Evelyn. “In-laws.”

“Soon we’ll be having family dinner every Sunday night,” Miles said.

Sophie elbowed him. “Funny. I don’t think Evelyn has time to fly out to Wyoming every week. Besides, I don’t want to share you just yet.”

“I’m not sure I trust the repair job I did on that pipe, anyway. We should probably give it a few test runs before we have any guests.”

“With how much you cook, you’ll have it fully tested in a week. Besides, didn’t your parents say they wanted to come visit soon?”

“In the spring,” Miles said. “I don’t want them to deal with all the snow.”

“So, June?” Sophie asked. She glanced away for a second and noticed that Evelyn had disappeared. “Oh. I was going to thank Evelyn for her speech again.”

“She thinks very highly of you,” Miles replied. “I always thought you looked up to her, since she’s your older sister. But after talking to her, I think it might be the other way around.”

Sophie shrugged. “Maybe it’s not looking up. Maybe it’s mutual respect. I think we’re on the same level, you know? Our lives are very different, but we want the same thing.”

“Are you really going to climb K2 and Broad Peak this summer?”

Sophie took a step back. “Why wouldn’t we?”

“She just seems busy,” Miles said with a shrug. “Like you said. Your lives are very different.”

“We have our permits already. We’ve started getting sponsor equipment and money.” Sophie narrowed her eyes at him. “Did she say something?”

Miles lifted his hands, deflecting her suspicion. “No. No, I’m just impressed that she’s able to make it work.”

Sophie searched the room, eventually locating Evelyn in conversation with their mother and one of their uncles. If Uncle Bill was present, they probably weren’t gossiping about her. But Sophie knew, without ever hearing them say it, that Evelyn and her mother were on a united front about her life choices.

“I should make more rounds,” Sophie said, kissing Miles and then stepping away. She wandered in her family’s direction, stopping for short conversations with guests as she drifted closer. Uncle Bill had wandered on—now Evelyn and her mother were standing closer. Evelyn gestured as she spoke, but Sophie couldn’t see her face. She decided not to wait any longer for one of them to notice her.

Stepping between them, she said, “I see Mom is more exciting to talk to than me.”

Evelyn flushed. “Oh, I...” She trailed off. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“I’m kidding. It was me who interrupted.”

“I can’t get over how beautiful your dress is,” their mother interjected, running her hand down Sophie’s right sleeve.

Sophie tilted her head in her direction, allowing herself to smile. Maybe she was being paranoid. “Thanks, Mom. I’m glad you helped me pick it out.”

“I’m still sorry I couldn’t come dress shopping,” Evelyn said. “I was so busy with—”

“Law school,” Sophie said, finishing the sentence for her, thinking back to her conversation with Miles. “It’s okay. As long as you make it to K2.”

“I wouldn’t dream of missing it.”

Beside Sophie, their mother shook her head. “Where did you two come from? This adventurous gene. It’s a mystery.”

“I think you’re to blame, for teaching us to ski,” Evelyn said.

“Skiing is hardly the same as spending months in a different country, with no communication, climbing a mountain where a thousand different things could go wrong.” She shivered. “Oh. I’m going to get an ulcer from worrying.”

Sophie leaned against her. “Mom. You raised us to be strong and capable. We’ll come back home safe.”

“Besides,” Evelyn said, winking at Sophie. “At least we don’t ski down the mountains, right? Some people do that. Come to think of it, I bet we could fit our skis on the plane. First ski descent of K2?”

“Absolutely not,” their mother replied, taking a step back. “I’m going to refresh my drink. Anyone else?”

“Can you bring me a glass of Riesling?” Sophie asked.

Their mother made a face before turning away. Sophie exhaled. She had received a lecture that morning: don’t drink too much or you won’t remember your own wedding .

“I’m just glad the wedding is almost over.”

Evelyn’s brow furrowed. “Really? Why?”

“It’s just the stress of it all,” Sophie replied. “I just want to be married already, you know?”

“You are,” Evelyn helpfully pointed out.

“Sure, but I want to be home. In Wyoming. Guiding climbs and training for K2 and Broad Peak. Just me and Miles. Without any prying friends and family.”

Evelyn nodded. “You’re sick of us. I understand.”

“Not you,” Sophie said. “I don’t see you nearly enough. The thought of this summer is what’s kept me going these past few months. Through all the wedding planning stress, through dealing with the cabin all winter, through all the worrying about money I’ve done. I knew that, at some point, I’d get to spend two months on a mountain with you, with no one else around.”

Evelyn shifted. “You didn’t go into debt for the wedding, right? I know you’re tight on money—”

“No,” Sophie replied, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “I told you, Mom covered a lot of it. And Miles’s parents. It’s just everything else. Being alive is expensive.” Evelyn looked like she had more to say, so Sophie pushed on. “Just promise me that we’ll always find a way back to the mountains together.”

“Of course,” Evelyn replied, without hesitation, like Sophie had asked her to pick something up at the grocery store. But Sophie knew why her response came easily—the mountains were an integral part of their relationship, intertwined with most of their significant life experiences. Though college had taken them to different coasts, climbing had brought them back together.

“What do other siblings do?” Sophie asked. “The ones who don’t share an extremely dangerous hobby.”

Evelyn laughed. “They probably never have anything to talk about. They probably also aren’t going to put their mother in an early grave due to excessive stress.” Evelyn glanced over Sophie’s shoulder and then looked back at her sister, a conspiratorial expression on her face. “Speaking of which, she’s headed right for you with a glass of water. So let’s go get that wine.”

Through the crowded room, Sophie followed her, wondering why she ever doubted Evelyn at all.