WitFit Word Prompt: Advice

Highline

Chapter 19

We ate our stew in mostly silence, and it was easily the best I'd ever tasted. I wasn't sure if it was actually the quality, or simply the fact that I'd eaten nothing more than beans and freeze-dried food for nearly a week that made it so good, but I knew I wouldn't forget it.

After we finished up, we were introduced to Shelly. She was an older heavy-set woman who shared the same happy demeanor as Mr. Banner. She wore her hair in a long frizzy braid, and was dressed in a bright tie-dyed t-shirt covered in a worn plaid button-down.

Rose and I grabbed our bags and followed Shelly outside to the shower house. She brought along a small basket with tiny travel bottles of soap and carried two fluffy towels for us over her arm. She carried a lantern in her other hand that gave off much better light than our small flashlights did.

"I'm sorry you girls had to wind up here." She said, leading the way down a well-travelled grassy path. "But at the same time it's nice to see some new young faces up here."

"This is a beautiful place." Rose replied for us. "If we have to be stranded, at least it's here and not out there!"

"Ain't that the truth. We could keep you all fed and happy for a week or so in the lodge. We could keep you fed and not as happy for much longer though." She said with a chuckle.

"Dinner was amazing. I'll have to get your recipe." I said, hoping she'd be willing to give it up. "Thank you so much for taking care of us on short notice like this."

"Nah, it's my pleasure. Those Cullen boys are good kids - I'd help them in a heartbeat - and this stuff is what I live for. I could do without the attitude on that French one in there," she said, throwing the lantern out gruffly in the direction of the main lodge, "but all company is good company. This place was made to be enjoyed. Most of our guests come back – once they get the taste of off the grid living, they can't stay away."

"If there's anything we can do to help out, please let us know." I offered. "It's the least we can do." I had done a minimal amount of research on the Mt. Assiniboine Lodge while preparing for the trip, and I learned that a stay came with a hefty price tag. This was mostly due to transportation costs as the lodge was only accessible by foot, ski or helicopter. Showing up without much notice – and without paying for it – didn't sit well with me. I knew we didn't have any other options, but I still didn't like the idea of freeloading.

"Well, I can always use a hand in the kitchen. Bob's arthritis has been flaring real bad with this crazy weather." She murmured, shaking her head. "Anyway – I won't bore you with that. Here we are, girls." She said, opening the creaky door of a small wooden shack. "It's nothing fancy, but it works and the water eventually gets hot. I'll leave the lantern here by the door – see you back inside!"

Shelly was right about the showers not being fancy. There was a thin shower curtain hanging between two nozzles mounted on the walls, and a bar to hang our towels on. It didn't matter though – it was clean, and I was desperate to remove some grime and warm my chilled bones. My daily sponge bath with wet wipes just didn't cut it.

"How long do you think we have in here before the hot water runs out?" Rose asked, latching the wooden door behind us closed and checking it twice.

"Probably not long enough." I sighed, stripping out of my clothes.

"So..." she said, dragging out the "o" sound, "What exactly was happening in that tent that neither you nor Edward heard the radio?"

I grabbed a bottle of soap from Shelly's basket and turned the shower on. Ice-cold water poured out of the tap, sending my back square into the wall behind me.

"Shit, that's cold!" I shrieked, tentatively sliding a hand out to test again. It was gradually warming. "Things, well…they got pretty heated."

"Mine's frozen too, but it's getting better!" Rose giggled. "What do you mean by heated?"

"We fooled around – I don't know. I'm feeling kind of stupid for it now."

"Why? 'Cause you got busted? Big deal!"

"No, it's not that. It's happening so fast. I really like him – I don't want him to get the wrong impression."

"I see. Can I give you a little piece of advice?"

"Sure."

"Turn the tap to eleven o'clock – somehow that's hotter. And another thing? Don't overthink this. I know you – I know your way. Maybe just try something new here. What do you have to lose by just letting it happen?"

"I guess nothing." I stepped fully under the rapidly warming spray, immediately feeling tension release from my shoulders. Rose made a good point – I couldn't think of anything I had to lose. Edward had shown me respect, and we were two consenting adults. If we had the opportunity to take things further again, I'd be getting the chance to create memories with an incredible man. There really wasn't anything wrong with that.

"Exactly. You're smart, B. Your gut won't lead you astray."

xoxoxoxo

With clean clothes on and freshly braided hair, we made our way back to the main cabin by lantern light.

Inside, Edward, Emmett, James and Laurent were sitting around the dining table studying maps. Jacob and Riley were studying a book closer to the fire, seemingly uninvolved in the others conversation. Right away I could see that the tension from earlier hadn't let up a bit.

"Not a fucking chance!" Emmett groaned, tossing his pencil to the table. He looked incredibly frustrated with his thick arms folded across his chest.

"With the girls, we're not taking that kind of risk." Edward immediately added. "Carlisle said it's a bad one – he advised against any kind of travel right now."

"Still doing whatever daddy tells you to?" Laurent asked with a sneer.

"When he's right, yes. If you want to be a douchebag and get a fine – go right ahead. But you'll be going alone."

Laurent laughed. "You should know by now how quickly things change, Edward. But if you'd rather hang around here to wine and dine," he paused and looked up at me and Rose, addressing us for the first time since we'd entered, "then by all means, stay. My men and I have better things to do."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"The helicopter won't be coming in for at least another full day. Laurent thinks this trail," Emmett said, slamming his finger down on the map, "will be doable by morning. We think he's an idiot."

"There's no use sitting around and fighting about it til morning. I want to go to bed." Rose grumbled, letting out a dramatic yawn. As sweet as she could be by day, when she was tired she got grouchy and everybody around her knew it.

"I agree." I added, backing her up. I was too tired to deal with the back and forth any longer. The little time we'd spent in Laurent's company for the day was more than enough. "I'm exhausted. Let's find Mr. Banner and figure out beds."

A few minutes later, Edward came back from the kitchen with Mr. Banner following closely behind him. The elderly man was fumbling with a set of keys.

"Come on out front, Cullen crew – grab your things. Except for you, Jacob – I have a room here in the main house with a single bed that you can use."

Jacob thanked him and grabbed a key, while the rest of us gathered on the front steps.

"I thought you girls could share a cabin with a double bed tonight." Mr. Banner said, pulling a key from the ring and handing it to Rose. "And I hope you two don't mind bunking together - being brothers and all." He looked over at the Edward and Emmett warily. "I can't really throw any of them in the same bed together – you know how they are."

"No worries - that's perfect, Bob. Not a problem at all." Emmett answered, a little too enthusiastically. He took the last key and gripped it tight in the palm of his hand.

We said goodnight and waited for Bob to head back inside.

"So – you want my key or Rosie's?" Emmett asked Edward with a smirk.

Edward hesitated a moment before shoving his palm out towards his brother. "If Banner finds out about this, dad will kill us. Meet me in our cabin before sunrise."

A/N Thanks so much for reading, reviewing and rec'ing! You guys are lovely (and hilarious). I hope to get at least a couple more chapters out before Christmas – stay tuned! Thanks again! xoxo