Page 72 of Rise After Fall

Morris

“Morris, do you have a second?”

I look to see Langford approaching me.

“You guys just keep snowplowing like I showed you. Do a few more loops, and I’ll be right back,” I instruct the group of teenagers I have on the training hill.

“What’s up?”

“Zoey’s mom and dad flew in to spend the holiday weekend with her,” he says.

“That’s cool. I bet she was excited to see them.”

“She seemed pleasantly surprised.”

“Where are they?” I ask.

“I just saw them all heading to the hotel for lunch. Her dad asked if any restaurants in town would be serving Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday after the slopes close,” he explains.

“At six o’clock on Thanksgiving Day?”

He nods.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he asks.

“Call Mom and Leona,” I tell him.

“We can use one of the banquet halls here at the hotel,” Langford suggests.

I shake my head. “You know Mom will never go for that.”

He sighs. “Her house won’t fit all of us anymore, much less Zoey and her family.”

“No, but Garrett’s mansion will,” I say.

He grins.

“I’ll call Mom, and you call Garrett,” he says.

“You got it. Tell Mom she’ll probably need to add Ansley’s parents to the guest list too.”

“Will do.”

I return to my pupils and finish out the remainder of their two-hour lesson.

After I send them on their way, I retrieve my phone from my locker and dial Garrett’s number.

“Hey, baby bro,” he greets.

“Hey, Garrett. I expected to get your voice mail. Where are you this week?”

“I’m on my way to the airport to catch a flight to New York City.”

“That’s right; I forgot about you singing on a float in the parade this year.”

“You’d better be watching it.”

“Sorry, bro. I’ll be on the slopes, but I’m sure Mom will have it recorded and play it for us at dinner.”