In the morning Kristin was up early to teach water aerobics. She collected Danielle and Kati from their even earlier swim practice when her class was over. As they walked to Paul's SUV in the health club parking lot a new dusting of snow was falling onto the five inches lining the ground from the previous snowfall. "It's snowing" Kati cried skipping ahead through the parking lot.

"I used to actually consider snow on the morning of a ski meet lucky," Kristin said.

"Hmmm I'll have to remember that. We're dueling Millertown we could use all the luck we could get." Danielle said as they reached the SUV.

When they arrived home their father was just removing his outer layers after his early morning run. Later after warm showers the family sat down to pancakes, hot chocolate, and fresh orange juice. Kati smiled pancakes were one of her favorite breakfasts and she was excited about her first ski race of the season. It was also being held at the same golf course as Danielle's school's varsity race so she was sure she could count on a huge cheering section which always made it more fun.

After breakfast Cynthia went back to the hospital to see a few patients and remove yet another swallowed quarter from a child's esophagus. She somehow wondered how statistically her children had survived their toddling years without coin ingestion. Matt dropped the girls off to warm up for their ski races while he went home to collect their grandparents to increase Kati's cheering section. Paul stood on the golf course watching his wife attach skis and prepare to ski off as she had agreed to be a course spotter for Danielle's race. He knew Kristin's father considered skiing her strongest sport and as a collegiate All-American and member of the national team he supposed he had to agree. However somehow soccer was easier to understand and much warmer he noted stomping his feet to warm them.

His inlaws joined him moments before the gun, signaling the start of Danielle's race, fired and he looked to see a flail of arms and legs and poles yet he noted that Danielle and about a dozen other girls remained milling around the start. He was confused at first but then remembered that they often did a staggered start. Sure enough 5 minutes after the first group started the second group was sent out. And then a few minutes later the coed youth race began over a separate shorter course in the opposite direction. Both races would finish on the green but at slightly different finish lines. Matt's job seemed to be making sure that the youth skiers crossed the correct finish line and Paul could see him out there, skis on ready to direct traffic.

"Cocoa Paul?" Kristin's grandmother offered.

"Sure, thanks." Paul agreed accepting the cup she handed him.

"I've started making a quilt for your little one. Kristin told me about your nursery plans since I wanted to coordinate it." Theresa Stewart continued.

"Thank you. I'm sure Kristin will be very touched, she really treasures gifts from you and Kurt." Paul said. Their entire bedroom set was handcrafted by Kristin's grandfather Kurt. He had originally made Kristin's bed, blanket chest, dressing table, night stand, and dresser when she had moved into the townhouse they now shared. When she and Paul had married he had given Paul a matching nightstand and chest of drawers as a wedding gift.

"We enjoy doing it. Kristin has always been very special to us." Theresa continued.

"To all of us, I think." Paul said

They stood there for a few more minutes chatting until finally they saw a skier burst out from the wooded trail around the golf course and start to ski the final half mile across the snow covered green. As she got closer Paul realized it was Danielle. She skied on strongly, crossing the finish line and entering the chute. Paul joined his inlaws in the applause. Danielle joined them a few moments later.

"Nice race," Paul acknowledged. As Danielle started to take off her skis and put her warmup suit back on.

"Thank you. That hill is not fun. I always forget how bad it is until I'm in the middle of it though." Danielle said. "Oh look! It's Kati and the Thompson twins." Danielle said pointing in the opposite direction where her little sister chased after two boys a few years older than her. Seconds before the finish line Kati skied past the second boy and then followed the first one into the chute.

"Wow! She's pretty fast." Paul was impressed. Although much safer than downhill skiing, cross-country skiing required a coordination Paul still didn't seem to possess.

Danielle rushed over to join her sister. "You skied so awesome Kati! I'm really proud!" Danielle exclaimed raising her hand for high fives. Kati slapped her hand and smiled. The two sisters went back to join the rest of the family as other skiers finished their races in the background. Danielle helped Kati with her skis and together they went back into the locker room in the clubhouse to get their bags.

"I wish Jenny could have come." Kati said glumly as they went upstairs to the locker room.

"I know Kate and I think Jenny wishes she could have come. But she's working really hard on getting better so she can go to other races later."

"I want her to get better. I asked God to help her."

"I know we all do, and you're right prayer can be helpful." Danielle said hugging her sister. "Come on we should go home so I can finish studying before the concert tonight."

Kati followed her sister out of the locker room. When they went back outside the last few skiers were finishing. Kristin had skied back in from her spotting post and was standing with Mr. Morton, Danielle's coach.

"Nice job Danielle." he said as they joined them.

"Thanks. Do we know the team results yet?"

"Yes we defeated Millertown 19 -40 and Deering 16-45 so it looks like we are still on track."

"Good"

Meanwhile back at 1872 Lilac Lucy was waking up. Again she realized that someone had been kind enough to disconnect her from her IV pump and she sat up and glanced around the room. It was then that she noticed the basket of stuff from The Body Shop. Lucy hopped out of bed excitedly remembering when she was younger and her parents used to leave at least one birthday present in her room for her to open when she woke up. She took the card off the top of the basket, opened it, and read:

Luce,

I hate it when we are unable to communicate. I do truly love you and it's so hard for me to understand why you find that so difficult to believe at times. Perhaps that's what the eating disorder does. You're very special to me. I love you.

Love,

Derek

In many ways Derek's actions surprised her. Her previous boyfriends had been perhaps uncomfortable with her poor self image but they had never challenged it. Touched Lucy wandered down the hall looking for Derek, she was dejected to not find him in his room but she wandered down to the kitchen where she saw him pouring juice in the kitchen. "Morning. Juice?" Derek asked.

"Sure, uh Derek I'm sorry about last night."

"It's ok. I'm never sure what I should say to help you feel better. I love you Lucy Camden." Derek said.

"I love you too Derek." Lucy said allowing him to embrace her gently just as Danielle and Kati came scampering through the door. Derek hugged her more tightly and then released her and at least appeared to be excited in hearing about Kati and Danielle's ski meet.

Lucy sipped at her juice hurt by their intrusion. As the rest of the family congregated in the kitchen where Matt began fixing lunch Lucy excused herself to get dressed. But when she reached her room she was already in tears again. She couldn't really explain what she was feeling, life just felt out of control.

She decided not to get dressed right away. Instead she brought Derek's basket into the bathroom and started to draw a bath. She lay in the bathtub crying but somehow feeling comforted in a weird way. Eventually feeling a little better she got out of the tub and toweled dry. Later, dressed, she finally went back downstairs but to her dismay only Matt was in the kitchen finishing up lunch preparation. Apparently Derek had gone back upstairs to work on his paper and everyone else had dispersed to their own activities. Lucy glanced at the clock in the kitchen and saw that it was 12:30, so she had spent almost half an hour in the tub, actually a rather short bath for her she had to admit. She was about to take advantage of Matt perhaps not noticing her presence, as he stirred the soup in the crockpot and removed sandwiches from under the broiler, and escape back up the stairs.

However, like all parents, Matt seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. "Good afternoon Lucy. Would you like a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich?" he asked brightly.

"Uh I'm allergic to tomatos." Lucy said. It was the first excuse she had thought of and she was sure Matt saw through her lie since she had eaten both lasagna and spaghetti with tomato sauce without adverse events.

Instead Matt said, "Well we have a few sandwiches without tomato."

"Oh good," Lucy said feeling trapped as Kati and Danielle came back into the kitchen after changing out of their ski clothes. Danielle and Kati started setting the table as the rest of the family joined them.

As they sat down to lunch Lucy initially vowed to make a real effort to eat to set a good example for Laurel as she thought of how she would never want Ruthie to have an ed. But she just couldn't do it. After one bite of grilled cheese she felt huge and blimpoid and sure that Derek would never really love her. She held back the tears and returned her sandwich to her plate. No one commented on her barely touched lunch when they were cleaning up after lunch. Then to add insult to injury Derek offered to bring Jenny some soup. Lucy watched him ascend the staircase with a tray and feeling rejected went back up to her room.

In her room she frantically searched her room for her remaining packet of laxatives and then she remembered how Matt had taken it when he searched her room for "ed contraband" the previous weekend. She slammed her desk drawer shut and threw herself on her bed in tears, eventually crying herself to sleep.

It was almost 6 when she awoke to Derek stroking her hair. She sat up in bed allowing her eyes to adjust to the dimness of her room. "I wasn't sure if I should wake you, you looked comfortable but I thought you wanted to go to the orchestra concert and it begins at 630." Derek said.

"Well don't you want to stay home with poor Jenny?" Lucy asked her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Derek either missed the sarcasm or chose to ignore it. "Well actually I would be a logical choice to stay with Jenny as I am tone deaf and probably wouldn't miss as much by not going to the concert. However it seems that my grandfather also claims to be tone deaf and he's going to stay with Jenny. He's finishing up the crib for Paul and Kristin's child but don't tell anyone it's supposed to be a secret."

Lucy pondered for a moment and realized that it was probably time to adopt the if you can't beat them join them attitude and go to the concert with Derek.

So they went to the concert and listened to several pieces played by the orchestra Matt, Kristin, and Danielle played in. Finally right before intermission the Community Symphonic Band which from what Lucy could figure out was kind of like a "B" ensemble played two lively pieces. Kati played in that and although there seemed to be some teens in that group and one girl that might have been possibly Ruthie's age Kati was clearly the youngest. During intermission Cynthia left to take Kati home and put her to bed since it was already 7:30 and that was her usual bedtime.

After the concert Matt and Cynthia hosted an afterglow and open house. It reminded Lucy of the Thanksgiving Party but was a little more formal as it was held in the ballroom and everyone was still dressed up from attending the orchestra concert held in the Pember Auditorium next door to the Museum on the Square. Her parents had never been so social and certainly not in the high society etiquette way. As the Lucy glanced around the room at the professionally arranged trays of desserts and urns of specialty coffees she was surprised at the absence of alcohol. It seemed like wine would be served.

Lucy quickly lost interest in the party and longed to just take off her makeup and go to bed. She whispered to Derek that she was tired and he followed her upstairs. At the top of the stairs he asked, "Are you really exhausted or had you just had enough of that party?"

"A little of both really," Lucy said embarassed.

"Hey it's ok I'm not a big fan of these formal things either. Tomorrow night will be just kind of cookies and hot cider."

"Tomorrow night? What is tomorrow night?"

"The Tree Lighting Ceremony in Lilac Park. An ensemblage of the Community Orchestra and Band usually play some carols and a few other pieces. Then there are a few cookie parties at various homes in the neighborhood. Of course my parents volunteer every year." Derek explained.

"Of course. I think I would get sick of all of the entertaining."

"I kind of do. My parents enjoy it though. Our New Years Party is more fun though. Lots of music and dancing and wonderful cheesecake. Anyway what I was originally going to say was that if you weren't exhausted maybe we could watch a movie."

"We could do that. I want to change out of this skirt first though." Lucy agreed.

"Ok, there is a TV and DVD system in the conservatory here or we could go downstairs to the rec room."

"Lets just stay up here, that way I can change into my pajamas and not have to risk running into a town councilman as we head downstairs." Lucy quipped.

"Three of them are actually down there," Derek joked.

"I know, your father introduced me." Lucy said smiling and turning to head down the hall to her room.