This is the last chapter I have written, but I hope these couple chapters can hold you over for a month or two while I take a break. Of course I'd love to hear what you think, and as always I own nothing.
By noon we were well enough to hit the ski resort though we were definitely moving slower than the last two days in an attempt to avoid hitting the ground. I was getting to old to be staying out until three am drinking and then trying to be active the next day. At least our slow paces and easy hills could be chalked up to skiing with the girls. It was infuriating that Patrick still hadn't fallen and by the end of the day I was tempted to push him over. Of course that would require keeping pace with him going down hill.
Afterwards like the two days before we met up in the bar after picking up the little kids from daycare. However unlike the days before Patrick and Cho were the only ones who ordered a beer. The kids still got their hot chocolate but Grace, Wayne, and I settled with glasses of water.
"You guys all might want to get a nap in when we get back we got fireworks to stay up and watch tonight."
"How could I forget?"
"Fireworks!" Alyssa looked up from her hot chocolate.
"Yep after dinner you guys are going to take a short nap and then we are all going to watch fireworks at midnight."
"We get to stay up til midnight." Emily jumped up.
"You get to be awake at midnight you have to take a nap before midnight." I yawned, "And you know what I'm going to take a nap to."
"Why are you going to take a nap?"
"Because I stayed up way past my bed time last night."
"Did you get in trouble? You get mad at us when we do go to bed at bedtime."
"I guess you could say I got in trouble this morning."
"Everybody ready to head back to the house?" Patrick interrupted throwing some money down for a tip. "We want to get everyone tucked in for nap time."
"I forgot you don't need sleep." I rolled my eyes before helping William into his coat and following everyone to the door.
"Nonsense I sleep on occasion."
At the house Patrick went straight to cooking dinner while the rest of us put out our wet snow gear to dry for use the next day. Dinner was followed by smores in the living room fireplace before the kids crashed with me in the master bedroom.
It was about ten thirty when I pulled myself out of bed, being careful not to wake any of my sleeping children. Out in the living room Annie, Cho, and Patrick were playing cards on the coffee table.
"How you feeling sleepy head?" Patrick looked up from his hand.
"You better not be playing for money."
"Of course not, do you think either of them want to get involved in that."
"Just chips." Annie nodded to the table.
"You want to be dealt in?" Cho folded.
"Sure next hand."
Soon Rigsby and Van Pelt joined us in our game, each hand was made more interesting than the last. In one hand Annie was allowed to see Jane's hand but he wasn't, another time Annie got to see Jane's hand and Jane could only feel her pulse. Then no one got to see Jane's hand it was set face down in the center of the table, and each time he won. Honestly I was stuck between irritated and impressed.
"Watch ya playing?" Emily stumbled out and stood and watched.
"Poker." Annie didn't look away from her hand.
"What's poker?"
"It's a card game for big kids, how about you come over here and we start a round of go fish." I folded and brought her onto my lap.
"Why can't I plat poker?"
"It's a big kid game, I'm sure Patrick will teach you when your old enough."
"You bet I will." He revealed his cards, "Until then I'd much rather play a good game of go fish. Any one else want to play?"
"You can always count me in for Go Fish." Rigsby nodded.
"It's been awhile you might need to take it easy on me." Cho smiled at the girl.
"We'll see." She giggled and squirmed into a seat between Patrick and I. After a hand or two William joined us, and then Ben. Cass woke up and played on her blanket. It was nearly eleven forty-five before we decided to go wake up Alyssa. With her up we all made our way up to the loft where we would have the best view being as it had a giant window looking directly out over the lake. We stayed up for another half hour watching the prettiest fireworks I had ever seen. The kids sat in a near silence watching in awe no one mentioned that the last time they had seen fireworks was with their parents no one was thinking a single sad thought in that moment.