The Reunion

"Snowing. I hope the rest of the family arrives safely," Mindy's mom said, looking out of the Resort's hotel window. Mindy was unpacking.

"I'm sure they will," Mindy replied.

"I do want to make a run or two on the slopes before we have to do the reunion meetup thing." Mom nodded, still looking out of the window.

About an hour later, mom and Mindy with her skis and boots in hand, walked into the lounge. Mindy stored her ski stuff at the wall stands.

"Hey, hey, look who's here?" Smiles and laughter ensued. Mindy and her mom mingled, ate some Topas, talked and talked.

"I am going to ski," Mindy whispered to her mom.

"Ok, be safe." She kissed her daughter on the cheek. Mindy worked a slalom course, left then right, between relatives and strangers, smiling. Finally, out the door with her skis and boots. The snow was falling, a bit more than before. Peace, finally, she thought.

"Mindy?" She looked up from the bench while snapping her boots.

"Yes?" Mindy stared at the male skier. Someone familiar.

"Alex, right? My California cousin?"

"Yup. I wondered if you and your mom would be here." He helped her off the bench. They hugged.

"Hey, we can ride the lift together." Alex nodded. They clomped toward the chair lift line, chatting. As they were getting in line, a guy ran over to them.

"Hi guys, mind if I ride the lift with you?"

"Mark, right? I didn't see you in the lounge. How's the family?"

"Great, thanks." Mark nudged his way closer to Mindy, to position himself between the two. Awkward smiles with eyes looking at eyes. Then Mark's mobile chirped. He looked at the screen and squished up his mouth.

"Work. Gotta take this. Ok, you guys get out of line and wait for me," Mark said as he held the phone to his ear, turned and walked away, talking. Alex looked at Mindy. They smiled.

"You with me?"

"You bet," Mindy said. She turned around, Mark was still on his phone. There was excitement which she couldn't explain.

"Let's go." The chair swung around on the giant cog and swooped them up and off to the summit. Alex turned to see Mark still talking.

"Made it." They laughed. The chair, clanking up the mountain on the rail with snowflakes falling, heavier than before.

The peaceful moment was suddenly disrupted by Alex's phone buzzing. It was Mark.

"I told you to wait for me," Mark said. Alex was perplexed. He looked at Mindy who was shaking her head. Why the fuss, he thought.

"What's the problem mark? Is Mindy going to turn into a snow monster? Did you want to come along to protect me," Alex asked? Mindy shook her head turning to look at the tree lined slope edges.

"What's wrong with you Mark? The altitude getting to you?" Silence from Mark.

"See you at the end of the run," Alex said as he disconnected the call then turned off his phone. Mindy turned off her phone as well.

"Monster," Mindy asked? Alex laughed.

"If I were of a suspicious nature, I would say Mark didn't want you and me to be alone."

"We are first cousins," Mindy said.

"Maybe you or me was adopted, so then we could date," Alex said.

"What an imagination." They continued to chat as the chair made its way to the top of the mountain. Just then, a gust of wind clipped a few of the chairs, invisibly pushing the chair about three feet from side to side. Alex and Mindy held onto the back of the chair and the arm rests. About a minute after the gust struck the chairs, all went quiet. What was left were three chairs moving from side to side eventually settling back.

"Now I know how a pendulum feels," Alex said. He turned to the chair behind him. He made a thumbs up. The couple did the same.

"Hey, that was a fun ride, and no extra charge," he yelled. Laughter ensued.

"Or maybe we will get a bill at the summit," the guy yelled back. There was more laughter. The couple in the chair ahead turned and made the thumbs up sign. Alex returned the sign. The chairs continued clanking up the slope with skiers swooshing below.

At the summit, each chair unloaded the skiers who then positioned to do a run. The couple behind Alex and Mindy skied over to them.

"Hi, we made it. Scott and Cary," Scott said.

"Mindy and Alex. That was exciting and a bit scary," Mindy said.

"Yes, it was. So nice that big brother is taking sis out to ski," Cary said.

"We are cousins, first cousins," Mindy said.

"Really? You two share strong family traits," Scott said. Alex and Mindy looked at each other.

"No worries. Hey, let's meet up at the lounge after this run. You are 21, right," Cary said, smiling?

"We are 23." They laughed.

"Ok, see you at the base. Maybe we could get in another run before it gets dark. I like to get in as many runs for my ticket price as I can," Scott said. Cary nodded.

"Sounds like a plan," Alex said. Mindy nodded.

"Great." Scott and Cary waved and off they swooshed, down the slope. Alex and Mindy followed moments later.

At the base, Mark was nowhere to be found. Scott and Cary met them. Cary pointed to the chair lift. They all skied over to the shorter line. The four were then scooped up and headed to the summit, laughing and chatting all the way. No gust of wind this time. The four some talked and talked.

"Meetup at the lounge," Scott said as they hopped off the chair.

"Yup." The group swooshed on down the slope. A flawless snowy run. Again, no Mark at the base. The group clomped to the bench, removed their bulky ski boots and carrying their equipment, they walked to the lounge. It was rather crowded, of course. Cary spotted a high top, gave Scott her skis and boots and rushed to claim the table. The rest put the skis and boots at the wall stand.

The ladies ordered Prosecco while the guys ordered a craft beer. Happy Hour snacks were ordered and munched on. Still snowing outside. After a while, the bill arrived.

"I got this," Scott said.

"Ok, I will leave the tip," Alex said.

"Deal. You two are fun. We need to keep in touch and come skiing again," Cary said, "we will bring our adult children. We have identical twin boys, 25 and two daughters, 24 and 22." Mobile numbers were exchanged, along with hugs and handshakes.

"Where were you," Mark said as he ran up to the table? Scott and Cary waved and left.

"I waited at the base for you."

"We didn't see you and we looked around. I didn't realize we needed a keeper."

"Your mother was asking about your where abouts Alex," Mark said. Alex smiled.

"Not to protective, hey," Alex said as he winked at Mindy.

"Well," Mark's tone relaxed a bit, "the meetup in in an hour."

"I'll be there. Mindy? Will you be there?"

"Yes, I will Alex, thank you for asking." They laughed as they walked away from Mark to get their ski stuff.

The reunion was loud, laughing, yelling, a few screams, food, drinks, desserts. Really yummy stuff.

"You have to get this casserole recipe mom," Mindy asked her mother.

"You know, I think I have it already, somewhere in the cooking book. Remind me and I will dig it out. It is rather good."

"Yes, and healthy. I could make this and have it as a quick dinner when I am working late."

"You got it," mom said.

Next day and getting in more skiing for those who do. Get the most now. It was sunny, clear, crisp with a hint of a storm brewing at the horizon. The snow sparkled in the sunlight. Perfect day.

"Sunday already," Mindy said to her mom.

"I know. Did you do a last-minute check of the room?"

"Yup, maybe one more, my OCD won't let me down." Mindy laughed to herself. Her mother continued to pack.

Relatives gathered at the check-out desk. Hugs, kisses, handshakes went around the group with promises of keeping in touch. Mindy gave her credit card to the desk clerk to settle the room service bill. With the receipt, the clerk handed her a card. Mindy read it, call me, Alex, 858-141-1441. Mindy smiled at the card. Then smiled at the desk clerk. She put the card in her purse.

A week flew by. Alex and Mindy were texting back and forth daily discussing their jobs and home life. He texted her about getting that DNA test and sending him the results. She finally agreed. It will be fun. Can't deny DNA!

The test results arrived. Mindy took a photo and sent it off to Alex. About ten minutes later, Mindy's mobile chirped.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"So, what are the results? We are not blood related so we can date," Mindy said laughing. A pause followed.

"Not quite. We are fraternal twins." Mindy stood, staring out her bedroom window.

"The fun begins," Alex said.