When they entered the lodge dining room they took a table closer to
the back, soon, Alicia and Carson joined them.
"This place is great, huh?" Alicia asked, as Carson pulled out a chair
for her.
"Yeah," Shirley said, before taking a sip out of her glass of water.
"What's for dinner?" Bo asked suddenly, he patted his stomach, "I've
been hungry since we got off the bus!"
"You're always hungry." Alicia declared, rolling her eyes.
"I think it's mashed potatoes and turkey." Carson said.
"Christmas food..." Alicia nodded knowingly.
"Speaking of Christmas what's everyone here doing?" Bo asked.
"I'm going to be staying in Redington. Big Christmas. First one with Mom since she left." Shirley said happily.
"Nothing, same old, same old." Alicia sighed.
"Same here. We were supposed to go the the Ukraine, visit some relatives, but their coming to us." Bo said, seeming quite pleased, but disappointed at the prospect that he couldn't escape Redington for even a little while.
"Visitng my dad." Carson said dully, referring to his institutionalized father. Everyone quieted down for a moment.
"I can't wait to hit the slopes!" Carson exclaimed suddenly.
"Check out the snowbunnies!" Bo agreed, and laughed when Shirley slapped
him playfully.
"I can't wait to hit the slopes either..." Alicia gazed at Carson, who blushed.
Shirley contemplated this, to her it seemes Carson was acting like a schoolgirl with a crush, and Alicia was acting like the guy who liked her back. She chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Alicia asked.
"Oh nothing." Shirley said, she giggled.
"Tell me!" Alicia insisted.
"Well it's.. Oh! Look food!" Shirley said relieved as a plate was put
in front of her.
* * *
"I didn't know you danced." Shirley told Bo as they slow danced to music.
"I didn't know that lodge suppers had ballroom dancing afterwards..."
Bo declared, avoiding the question.
"Where did you learn to dance?" Shirley pressed on the topic. Bo blushed.
"Ballroom dancing. Age six to now. Mom's idea. I had no part in the decision, can we drop it?"
"So you've been dancing for that long?" Shirley was surprised.
"YES. Can we drop this now?" Bo was getting irritated.
"How come I didn't know?" Shirley asked as Bo spinned her.
"Because I figured you'd laugh hysterically. That and I thought you'd
figure it out sooner!" Bo said.
"Strange... I guess I was too busy. Bo?" Shirley frowned.
"If this is about my dancing I don't wanna hear it." Bo said. Shirley retreated in silence, but not for long.
"Well I just thought maybe you could teach me one of these days." Bo
smiled at her for a moment.
"I thought you were going to bug me about my dancing." He admitted.
"I'd never do that." Shirley declared, they waltzed by Alicia and Carson.
"Hey Bo?" Alicia's voice cut through the music, "Where did you learn
to dance like that?"
Bo sighed. It was going to be a long night.
* * *
Shirley, Alicia and Bo walked towards their cabins slowly.
"All in all it was a fun night." Alicia observed dreamily.
"Yeah it was." Shirley smirked at Bo, who gave her a warning glance.
"I don't believe that you take dance lessons Bo! It's too ridiculous!" Alicia said, as they neared the cabin, she did her own rendition of the cha-cha.
"Lift up your chin," Bo instructed her, "Suck in your stomach- Back
straight- You're leading the guy..."
Alicia did as she was told.
"You know maybe you should teach," Alicia said as she spinned herself, "Dance les- AAAAAAH!"
Alicia had chosen to spin on a slippery patch of ice, and fell, the
thunk of herself falling hard on the ice was sickening.
"Alicia!" Shirley and Bo rushed towards her, Alicia was laying listless
on the ice.
"Alicia!" Bo took off his jacket and put it under her head, Alicia came to.
"Oh I'm fine Bo-" Alicia tried to sit up and failed miserably.
"She might have a concussion," Shirley tried to remain calm, "Get Ms.
Strattman!"
Bo ran off, Shirley kneeled by Alicia.
"Are you okay?" Shirley inquired, she looked around, "This patch of
ice- It wasn't here before."
Shirley calculated the possibilities and came to no conclusion, Ms.
Strattman, the First Aid Nurse, and a gaggle of students plus Bo came running
up.
"Alicia!" Ms. Strattman declared, she rushed to her, "Dear, are you alright?"
"She was out for a second." Bo informed her. The F.A. Nurse moved through
the crowd quickly, gave a quick check of Alicia.
"Try to stand up," He instructed Alicia. Alicia tried, and did this
time.
"How do you feel?" The nurse asked.
"Dizzy." Alicia said honestly. The nurse looked at Ms. Strattman.
"It could be a concussion. Or not, there's a hospital nearby I'll drive
her there." The nurse said, Ms. Strattman nodded, Alicia and the Nurse
left, the crowd thinned.
"How did it happen?" Ms. Strattman asked Shirley.
"Well Alicia slipped on that patch of ice." Shirley pointed to it.
Suddenly, the resort manager appeared behind Ms. Strattman. She was
a tall lanky blonde, with squinty eyes and buck teeth.
"HOW did this happen? I told Antonio to clear away the ice!" She said.
"Who's Antonio?" Shirley and Bo asked at the same time.
"He's the care taker and I specifically told him to clear away the ice! I knew I shouldn't have hired him...immigrants...not trustworthy...they give you the puppy dog look, promise you the world for a job and some money and then they near wreck you! I could have a lawsuit on my hands!" The blonde lady muttered and walked off. Ms. Strattman sighed and retreated after saying good night. Shirley shivered.
"Cold?" Bo asked.
"No. I'm disturbed." Shirley said, taking Bo's hand as the met at the
doors to the cabin.
"I could've told you that." Bo laughed.
"Disturbed in a... something's wrong disturbed......no. Not wrong- yet. A something's not right here disturbed." Shirley said.
"If I looked into your eyes Shirley, I'd see that look. I bet I would!" Bo said, realizing what was coming.
"What I don't understand is- Bo, if you were Antonio and you were an immigrant who really needed a job, would you risk it all by putting a patch of ice that could destroy your career?"
Bo frowned for a moment.
"Shirley, there's no mystery here. Antonia or whatever his name is,"
"Antonio." Shirley corrected him.
"Whatever. Antonio just missed this patch of ice and Alicia didn't. There's no mystery here." Bo announced.
"That's where you're wrong Bo Sawchuk. I'm assuming that there is only one caretaker for Crystal Lake Resort. And I'm assuming that we almost ran into him before we went to supper this evening. He was clearing away the ice, near this exact spot. He wouldn't miss it. That means that after he was done his job, someone else, or himself, had to have come and done this. Just a little water- It certainly is cold enough for it to freeze quickly. At least the time it takes to serve supper." Shirley explained.
"And what if there's not one caretaker?" Bo asked.
"Ah. I really would say there was, judging by that blonde woman complaining about lawsuits, she seems cheap. If you could cut down on less expenses, you wouldn't hire more than one caretaker. So you convince someone desperate for a job to take on more than he can handle. Coming from a different country he's not going to know how many hours he's supposes to work, etc., it's easy money to save." Shirley said.
"Unless Alicia sues." Bo countered.
"Alicia wouldn't sue, Bo. I'm sure right now she's at the hospital complaining about how the gowns don't match her nailpolish or something. Sueing would be the last thing on her mind." Shirley grinned. She opened her cabin door.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning. We could go cross country skiing." Shirley said.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Bo replied. Shirley bid him goodnight.
-End of part 2-