Welcome to day 2 of the count down to Christmas HoD style. I hope you are liking this story thus far. I have worked endlessly in what free time, I've found the last few months to complete it.

Enjoy!

"Zoe, you get enough snow in New York," Ethan laughed into the phone, flipping a patient's folder open.

"Not the good kind, at least not in the city," Zoe protested, scrolling through the pictures of the winter resort she wants to go to over winter break, on her ibook g3 in the color blueberry, a light blue color. She was given the choice to decide where they go, and she wanted snow, not the dirty slushie snow they end up with. She wants to walk outside and smell the fresh cold air, not gas exhaustion from passing cars. She wants to see the mountains. And as much as she could have all of that in New York, she wanted to head out of state. A nice little resort in Denver.

"Are you sure there isn't somewhere else you'd rather go?" Ethan asked, grabbing a pen and slip of paper.

"You sound like mom," Zoe sighed. "Why do we have to go to the beach? Why can't we take a vacation to the slopes?" She asked her dad.

"Most go to Aspen or Big Bear, not Denver," Ethan told her, glancing at the time. "If you want the mountains, we can go to the Alps and have a nice vacation in Switzerland or France, if you want," he shared with her.

"I've done my research on this, and it's a cute little winter resort. If everyone hates it this year, we can go back to the beaches and the sun next year," Zoe stated, if he decides to actually join them, that is. "As fun as France and Switzerland is, I want to try a normal family vacation," she told her dad. "Can't I have that once?" She asked, softly.

"Okay," Ethan sighed. "Give me the information and I'll book everything," he informed his daughter. "Once it's booked, I'll email your mother the information," he told her.

"Thanks, Dad," Zoe smiled, reciting the number and the name of the resort that she found. This is going to be the best family vacation they've had since her dad left them to work in Europe.

"I will let you go tell your mother, that instead of the sand and surf, it's cold and snow," Ethan told her, glancing at the clock on his office wall. "I've got to run, Zoe," Ethan told his daughter.

"Okay, she'll be easier than you," Zoe laughed. "You promise that you're going to make it this year?" Zoe asked, closing out of the webpage.

"I promise," he quickly told her. "I'll talk to you later, Zoe," he said, trying to end the call before he ends up late for surgery.

"Okay, I love you, dad," she smiled, hanging her phone up. With a smile on her face, she headed downstairs to inform her mom about where they were going to be spending winter break. She couldn't wait for the next few months to speed by her. If only to see her dad in person.

Zoe sat in the living room waiting for her mom. Her bags were packed and by the door. Every year they go on a trip for winter break. It's a nice family getaway since they don't celebrate Christmas, as they enjoy Hanukkah. The last few years have been fun. She does enjoy spending time with her mom. This year, unlike the last 7 years, her dad promised that he'd be there this time. She was given the opportunity to pick where they vacationed. The last few years it had been on tropical beaches and it was great, but this year she wanted the cold and snow. So she chose Denver, Colorado. Even if she could have picked the Alps, it's not what she wanted. She wants a simple winter break where no one knows her. And the Alps are a good place where she is more than likely to run into someone she doesn't want to see, and for her mom to run into a business partner or two.

Living in New York it was weird to return to school once they went back after the new year with a tan, even when the whole school looked like over-cooked turkeys. She loves the tropical beaches, but this time she wants something different. The cold, the snow, skiing, the warm fires sipping on hot cocoa, that's what she wants. For once in her life, she wants to experience a small piece of Christmas.

"Is Dad coming?" Zoe asks seeing her mom enter the living room. She's been trying to get ahold of him, to see if he is still coming with them, but he won't answer her calls or return them. She doesn't understand what she had done to upset him. it can't be over the destination for the family vacation.

"He has to catch a later flight, sweetie, he'll join us in a few days," Candice retorted, dropping a few things into her purse.

Sighing Zoe fell back against the couch, fighting back her tears. The last few years had been hard for her, without her dad showing up for their family vacations or other special occasions. She doesn't know when she will see him again. How did she go from being her daddy's little girl to nothing overnight? She was looking forward to spending time with him, hearing stories from the surgery rooms to hearing about his job, period. She misses her dad, and she wants to spend any amount of time with him she can.

"Great," Zoe replied coldly, standing up, dread filling her that this year will be like the last 7 years and he won't show up. "I'll be in the car," she stated, straightening out the dress she wore, and grabbing her purse as she went. Her bags would be brought down for her.

The one thing she wanted the most this holiday season was the one thing she wasn't getting. How wonderful is that? She made it to the car, without the tears spilling from her eyes. The second the door shut behind her, she could no longer keep the tears from rolling down her face. This vacation was for them to have a second chance at being a family. How can they try to be a family, if her dad doesn't want to come spend it with them?

She's not that naive little girl, that thinks that her family is going to be whole again, with a little fairy dust. But she thought that this family vacation could be a fresh start for them. Guess she was wrong about where her dad was concerned when he can't even bother to show up on time.

"Zoe, dear," Candice said, handing her daughter a tissue. "Your father loves you."

"More than surgery?" Zoe quipped out, dabbing at her eyes. How someone can love their job more than your daughter, she doesn't know.

"Your father has his downfalls, but that doesn't mean he loves you any less," Candice stated, pulling out her phone, and starting to make business calls.

Zoe refrained from rolling her eyes, pulling out a mirror from her purse to fix the makeup she was sure she ruined from crying over her father once again. She knows that her father loves her, and he does show it, but she would like to see him instead of talking to him for a few minutes out of the day, when he has the time. Was it that wrong of her, to want to have her family somewhat whole? To have her dad back in New York with her?

Pulling up to a private airstrip, Zoe slipped a pair of sunglasses on hiding her red, puffy eyes. The rest of her makeup was fresh. She may feel like crap on the inside, but on the outside, she's going to look well put together. She's going to enjoy her winter break, whether her dad decides to show up or not.