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“I have a lot of fond memories of us camping when we were first dating, and that was where you were the most comfortable being yourself, away from other people. The shift from Boston to New York was definitely an adjustment when we moved. It was fun to fantasize about driving upstate to camp and smoke meats, forget about the rest of the world for a little bit, but we didn’t have a car, and we were too busy with our new jobs those first few years to actually get away. Not that I would change where we live, I love it. But it’s still nice to do things like this and mix things up for a little bit.”
“I’m happy to be back,” Scotty confirms. “And this is for you.”
Scotty hands the Monopoly ornament to Joey, and Joey smiles.
“Monopoly always reminds me of you. We spent so many nights watching sports or playing games in your apartment.”
“It’s perfect. And it’s been so long since I’ve actually played it. We should see if they have the game anywhere and play while we’re here.”
“That’s a great idea, love. I bet they have it,” I agree. “But let me give Scotty the last one first.”
I hand Scotty the old TV ornament, and his eyes flick up to mine in surprise. The corner of his lips pulls down like he’s trying not to get too emotional. I don’t want him to ever hold back anything, though, so I wrap my arm around his shoulder in what I hope is a comforting way.
He looks up at me as he whispers, “You remembered?”
“Of course I did, sweetheart. We brought it over to your apartment to watch that first Christmas after your parents passed in the same year because it’s what you always watched with them while opening presents. How could we forget that?”
“Wow, that’s a great one, Patrick,” Joey acknowledges when he sees it.
“That meant the world to me. That movie was a staple in my house, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to watch it without them,” Scotty muses. “God, I miss my parents.”
“Me too,” I agree. “Even though I am lucky enough they’re still alive, just hours away.”
“Not me,” Joey adds, and I chuckle.
“I’d be concerned if you did suddenly miss them after all this time. But come on, let’s search for a board game, then we can head over to the snowmobiling rental shop.”
We find a Christmas-themed Monopoly game and head back to the car. A more chill activity might be good after what we have planned next, but I’m not sure the game would actually be relaxing if we’re the ones playing. Either way, I can’t wait.
20
“Fuck yeah!” I shout as we start ascending the mountain, each of us on our own snowmobile.
The engine roars beneath me, vibrating through my body as the cold air slices across my face. Patrick is flooring it in front of me, and my side mirrors show Scotty isn’t far behind.
The trail ahead is packed snow winding through towering evergreens, their branches coated with fresh powder. Patrick takes the first curve with ease, leaning into it like he’s done this a thousand times. My husband has always been the more adventurous one of us, constantly pushing us to try new things, and it might be one of my favorite things about him.
I follow his path, feeling completely alive as I try to keep track of Scotty behind me. He’s keeping pace, his posture more cautious than Patrick’s, but growing more confident with each passing minute. The sight makes something warm bloom in my chest despite the freezing temperature.
“How you doing back there, Scotty?” I call out during a brief straightaway, though I’m not sure he can hear me over the engines.
His response is lost in the wind, but I see him raise one hand in a thumbs-up before quickly returning it to the handlebar. The gesture makes me grin.
Patrick slows slightly as we approach a steeper incline, glancing back to make sure we’re both still with him. When our eyes meet through our goggles, excitement is evident on his face. He’s in his element right now, leading us on this adventure and making sure we’re all together.
The climb gets more intense as we ascend higher, and my heartbeat picks up slightly. My thighs burn from holding on, my arms working to keep centered on the trail as we navigate the curves.
“This is incredible!” Scotty’s voice finally reaches me as we slow slightly, and I turn my head to see him pulling up closer on a wider straightaway.
“Right?” I shout back. “Patrick’s been wanting to do this for years.”
“I can see why.”
We continue climbing, the trees thinning out as we gain elevation. The view starts to open up with glimpses of the valley below, other mountains in the distance, the endless expanse of snowy trees and blue skies. It’s breathtaking.
Patrick leads us to a wider section of the trail and slows to a stop. I pull up beside him, and Scotty joins us a moment later. We turn the snowmobiles off, and suddenly the world is almost silent except for our heavy breathing.
“Wow,” Scotty exclaims, pulling off his goggles. His cheeks are flushed bright red, his blue eyes sparkling. “That was amazing.”
