Chapter 7

7

Haven Mountain Resort’s main lodge was a huge building with well over a hundred guest rooms, a spa, a five-star restaurant, a bar and lounge, and an event center plus smaller conference rooms. It was a short walk from the cabin and where Ophelia and Jed were staying during the vacation. The morning after arriving, Nelson, Tahlia, and the kids traipsed over to the lodge and joined the grandparents for breakfast at the restaurant. Tahlia still experienced some awkwardness eating with the family, but Ophelia and Jed had made her feel so welcome at Thanksgiving the nerves quickly faded.

“I’m so glad you could join us this year, Matt!” Ophelia exclaimed. Her eggs Benedict was forgotten in favor of fawning over her son’s unexpected appearance. Apparently their son had overlooked informing them he was coming. “Such a wonderful surprise!”

Nelson looked very uncomfortable and Tahlia had the stray thought he maybe deserved it. Just a little. Not appearing at family gatherings had consequences.

“A God-ahem-gosh darned Christmas miracle,” Jed grumbled from beside his wife, after a swift glance at the grandkids. “He deigned to make an appearance.”

Nelson’s face was blank, but it was plain he was irritated. Tahlia had to admit, the swipe was unnecessary, especially in front of the kids. She frowned and pulled Kaiden and Maddy’s focus to the list of activities the lodge had planned for the day, but kept one ear on the conversation.

“Jed,” Ophelia said in a warning tone, throwing a very familiar scowl at him. Jed ignored her in favor of his breakfast, obviously unapologetic as he tucked into his loaded plate of ham, eggs, grits, and biscuits with gravy. His wife looked on the verge of giving him a piece of her mind, grandchildren or no grandchildren. Time for an intervention.

“Kids! Have you told your grandparents what you did for the last day of school?” Tahlia asked.

Kaiden brightened and sat up eagerly. “We built a Christmas robot!”

“A Christmas robot!” Ophelia repeated, successfully distracted. Even Jed couldn’t help but be pulled in as the twins expounded on their mechanical achievement.

Tahlia caught Nelson’s eye, shooting him a small smile. He looked surprised but his expression softened into appreciation. Maybe, just maybe, there was a tiny little smile, too.

“I almost can’t believe how good she is with Maddy and Kaiden,” Ophelia said quietly to her son, ignorant that Tahlia was within earshot.

Breakfast was finished with no more threats to the peace and now the family was waiting for their coats at the restaurant’s entrance. The twins had received theirs first and Tahlia was helping Maddy with a stubborn zipper. Perhaps Ophelia thought she was too preoccupied to hear; in any case, Tahlia wasn’t inclined to let them know she was accidentally eavesdropping.

“And very pretty…” she continued, causing Tahlia to blush. “Don’t you think, Matt?”

“Um…” Nelson was saved from giving an answer - much to Tahlia’s unexpected disappointment - by his cell phone ringing. “I have to take this.” He quickly absconded into the lobby of the hotel, leaving both his mother amused and nanny confused.

“Where’s Matt?” Jed asked, rolling up from the restrooms with Kaiden in tow. The attendant at the restaurant’s check-in handed Jed his coat as well as Ophelia and Tahlia’s.

“On a phone call,” Ophelia replied while Jed helped her into her coat.

“For what?” Kaiden asked with a frown.

“Probably work,” Maddy answered matter-of-factly.

Kaiden was obviously displeased with that answer. “But we’re on vacation!” he exclaimed. “I thought there wasn’t any work on vacation.”

“Daddy’s always working,” his sister sighed. “It’s his…like what Mr. Hammond said about fish in water…it’s his natural state.”

“That’s not true,” Ophelia chided gently. “Work isn’t all he thinks about.”

The twins passed each other looks that were too easily understood. Tahlia cast her eyes toward where their father had gone and located his large form sitting in a lounge chair by the lobby’s giant fireplace. He was in work mode, no doubt. Scowling, tense, speaking quickly. Not a good call, then. Actually, Tahlia never saw him look happy on a business call.

“Can we go outside and throw snowballs?” Maddy asked suddenly, the group having made their way from the restaurant into the lobby. She was staring out at the thick layer of snow outside, just waiting to be plowed through and turned into a battleground.

“Absolutely we can!” Jed took Maddy’s hand and strode off quickly for the exit. “Come on, Kaiden!”

“Are you coming?” Kaiden’s eyes widened and he looked at Tahlia.

“Yes, of course,” she said, holding her hand out to him. She turned to Ophelia. “Are you up for it?”

Ophelia laughed and shook her head. “Oh no, I think I’ll get some tea and watch. Go have fun. Perhaps,” she threw a glance at her son, “I’ll be able to convince him to join you. He needs the fun.”

Good luck , Tahlia thought, before saying a quick goodbye and running after Jed and Maddy. I don’t think he knows how to have fun anymore.