Re-learning to ski was a slow and very careful process. Alex was a good and attentive student. He had to be with such a stern and strict instructor as Chi Beaudier. He was bone tired after three days but had turns, stops and carving down pat. Today he was navigating the slalom course on the green run. He looked up the mountain to the double black diamond runs and shook his head, maybe one day. In the bad old days, he'd have just thrown caution to the wind and done the impossible. Now, he looked forward too much to the massage at the end of the day and the hot cup of tea. He was definitely getting old.
Day five and he stood at the top of the blue run for a test of his skills mastered so far, but it was also a test of nerves and stamina. Chi stood like an imperious dictator, with her defy me and die attitude and Alex took several deep breaths and pushed off. This was more terrifying than the snowboarding run from certain death above Grenoble. With the wind in his face, Alex forgot all the list of things he should and should not do and relied on instinct. He had enough ground work to know precisely just how his legs reacted under stress. He loved the thrill of the turns, the small jumps and the slightly steeper slope. He whooped out of pure joy when turning to stop on the runout, feeling very alive.
Chi stopped behind Alex and said quite seriously, "If you could ski like that, why the lessons?"
"I could ski at black run... off piste level before my accident. I think I needed to feel everything out because I tried skating. I was good at that too, umm, before. Well, I ended up bruised, wet and miserable. It might have been different with some lessons, but the difference in both mu amputations means I'm a bit wonky on my pins, err legs. You gave me the confidence to try. God, Chi, at seventeen, last year, I was very staid, only doing things within my comfort zone. I did cycling and swimming. Karate was out, but I was happy not to rock the boat. My legs hurt bad after skiing. Both the strain on my prosthetics and the cold. I guess I'll ski in the future, but give me a tropical holiday any day."
"You just needed confidence, I get that. Another run?" Chi smiled at a successful student.
"Sure, why not. Race this time?" Alex checked his skis, and started to move back to the lift.
"Sure."
Lunch was a sandwich at the coffee shop at the base of the piste. Alex bought a plain salad, five muesli bars after checking the ingredients twice, not trusting cross contamination on the sandwiches and a large black filter coffee.
Alex sat and watched the other skiers, and noticed a familiar face with a shock of red hair. Across the crowded room both their eyes met and Tom McMorrin, waved and then pushed through the crowds.
"Hey, Alex. Good to see you." The two had met in Paris in September. Tom there had an ever-changing bevy of girls. Here two models were following him. "Girls, Kiki and Dionne... this is an old school chum, Alex."
"Nice to meet you."
Tom sat down. "Err... I know you're still sporty, but skiing. How dies that work with your peg legs?"
"Amazingly well. I've had one to one tuition all week. Two hours a day and I've just got my mojo back." Alex smiled at the fact he had been gifted back another piece of his life he had missed.
"So, how about a bit of Après-ski, back in my suite with the girls in my jacuzzi?" Tom winked.
"Right. I have problems getting in and out of jacuzzis, need a bit of man handling." Alex said in all honesty.
"I'm sure the girls and I can manage."
Tom at eighteen had financial independence courtesy of his grandmother, who had left him a sizable trust with monthly allowance, which was generous to give all he required. He was at college, studying to be a emergency medical technician. He had a nice apartment. His future was planned out, to quite be quite ordinary and unaffected by his mother's huge media conglomerate. That type of life was not for him, though he did not mind the perks of money and luxury holidays. He hung out with others at Uni, with other students just happy to spent their days enjoying life. After that school in France, Tom hated restrictions, rules and confinement. He had stopped acting like a wannabe rebel, but had chosen to go to local high school. Moving out to live with his aunt and her family. So, no more private schools, no bodyguards and no taking any crap from his mother about conforming to her ideals.
The four teenagers striped of their winter clothing and Tom helped Alex swing into the the Jacuzzi on the deck. Champagne ordered and music playing.
"Right girls, Alex is one of my dearest and greatest friends. I owe him my life, my liberty and my happiness. I really think it is my duty to try and give some of these things back to him. So Al, are we good, just chilling out and enjoying the afternoon?"
"Sounds like a plan, Tom." Alex was surprised by the easy nudity and the lets just chill.
With one glass of good champagne down, Alex was pleasantly tipsy as he listened to Kiki and Dionne laugh at Tom's wise cracks and good humour. Alex then asked " So are you guys at college with Tom?"
Kiki answered, "Final year student at Vancouver studying for a psychology major, planning on becoming a therapist."
Dionne giggled, "English ... Freshman at VCC."
"Right, I'm a first year at Churchill College, Cambridge reading Math."
Tom then added, "Alex is seriously bright. Still, what was it two external exclusions atyour school in London."
"Well, one for fighting and one for telling the student teacher to go back to school because they were pig-shit ignorant. Stupid bint did not know what a happy number was, I mean she was meant to be teaching AS level maths."
"Happy number? Hell Al, I don't know what that is?"
"But there you have it, you are not a maths teacher. That woman had allegedly passed a mathematics degree. Its about number sequences using powers ending in one. Its a fun game to pick a number to find out if its a happy number. Used to play it with Dad if I was bored."
"Dad as in Jon?"
"Yeah, now I have a step-dad, how cool is that."
"Most people have step dads and step and half siblings. Any other siblings likely?"
"Nahh, I think I scare Tony too much and with such regularity, one kid is enough, despite me saying he needs a little girl to spoil."
"Well I need to get out, I'm starting to shrivel up."
Kiki got out, and Alex tried and failed not to look at her outstanding assets and the fact she had no pubic hair.
Alex dressed and whispered to Kiki, "Does removing your pubic hair hurt?"
"Like a bitch. I prefer no fuzz. Well, unlike you I am not a natural blond, and the collars and cuffs should match at James Bond said" Kiki stated with a wry smile.
"You like Bond movies?" Alex was more than surprised that a girl would like the spy series, especially with its reputation of cheesy plots and lots of action.
"Adore them. My favourite is Timothy Dalton." The young woman them mock sighed, "He's dreamy."
"Umm, I like Sean Connery, especially from Russia with Love. I heard from Tony they're making a new one. I'll be glad to see it. I liked the four Brosnan ones." Alex had seen Die Another Day with Tom and Jon on a wet Saturday during the pairs supposed grounding. Jon was good at bending the rules, especially for his benefit.
The pair were dressed but Tom and Dionne were in the middle of a making out session. Alex fingered his hotel key card. "Fancy a room service dinner in my room. We can watch something on cable, maybe even Bond?"
"Sounds like a date. I'd love too."