Back to Where We Started From (Miracle)

Chapter Eighty-Two

"I'm gonna keep it in Minnesota for the time being. Until I'm ready to take a road trip to California," she explained. Instantly Silky and Koho turned around, having overheard this.

"Should we keep the car in use while you're gone? A couple spins around the block now and then?" Silky offered with a devilish gleam in his eye.

"Herb is doing just that. And he'll have the keys," Julia told them with an eyeroll. "I wouldn't trust you behind the wheel of my car if my options were you or a drunk toddler."

"Coming from the woman who learned to drive like two months ago!" Silky shot back.

"She's too rich and famous to need to drive," Magic interjected with a laugh. Julia rolled her eyes, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Hey, she's still a better driver than you, Silky," Jack called from behind them. Julia turned to look over her shoulder at Jack, who grinned and shot her a wink. She suddenly couldn't remember why she had been unhappy with him. She tried to hide her smile as she turned back to face the front.

"He has to say that," Silky stage whispered to Koho, who nodded in agreement.

Julia wasn't sure what they had been so nervous about. They beat the Soviet's "B" team 5-3, and Jack scored a goal. Playing defense didn't leave him a ton of goal-scoring opportunities, and Julia couldn't help the small squeal that left her when he scored.

She tried not to hold a grudge, but she spent most of the game wondering what Robbie and Jack had been talking about. She didn't bring it up when she saw them after the game, but when Jack came knocking on her door that night, she knew it would come up.

"Hi," she greeted after opening the door. The faint knocking at this time of night was always guaranteed to be Jack.

"Hey, sweetheart," he responded, pulling her in for a kiss. They were both painfully aware that this would be their last night to spend alone. The next morning they would go back to Minnesota, and the following day was Christmas Eve. Jack thanked his lucky stars that they were staying in Lake Placid for one more night. He engulfed her in a hug, neither one of them moving.

"I really wish it wasn't December 22nd," Julia whispered against his chest. As she said this, her eyes filled with tears.

"Me, too," Jack agreed, kissing the top of her head. He took a moment to be sad, before pulling away to look at her. "But we've still got a few days left."

Julia nodded, wiping at her wet cheeks. She took a deep breath, trying to focus on other things. She suddenly remembered earlier that day.

"What were you and Robbie talking about earlier?"

"I was asking Robbie why he didn't think I should meet Sylvia," Jack admitted nonchalantly. Julia wasn't surprised, and she gave Jack a look that was clearly meant to encourage him to continue. "You know Mac is just worried about you."

"I know," Julia agreed reluctantly. Jack kept his eyes on her face, watching her work through several emotions in a matter of seconds. "I just don't know what to do. Is it crazy to introduce you to my mom?"

Jack hesitated. He had heard Robbie out, and he knew how Julia felt. He wished their was a clear answer.

"I think the several seconds of silence answers that," Julia sighed.

"We can still go to lunch, Jules. If you want me to meet her, I'm happy to do it," Jack told her gently. She looked up at him, giving him a smile.

"Even after I pitched a fit about meeting your family?" She asked with a giggle. He laughed at her, nodding his head.

"Yes, even after you pitched a fit about meeting my family," he assured her with a smile.

The next morning hit Julia like a train. She held back tears the whole time she packed. Robbie had brought her a coffee and sat on her bed while she packed. Neither one of them brought up anything about the day before or her mom. With less than forty-eight hours until she left, there was an unspoken agreement to let bygones be bygones.

"I don't even know why I'm so upset. I don't even leave until tomorrow night," she huffed as she threw more clothes into her suitcase without folding them. Robbie watched her and cringed as she balled up clothes haphazardly.

"Maybe just be sad today and tomorrow won't be so bad," Robbie suggested. He watched her throw a pair of boots on top of her clothes and groaned. "How do you live on the road for half of the time and you're still so terrible at packing?"

"I usually bribe someone to pack for me," she told him with a smirk.

"You're ridiculous," Robbie sighed. "How many bags are you taking with you to your moms?"

"I have three suitcases! But one of them is mostly presents," she explained, squishing the pile of stuff further into her suitcase.

"Did you end up getting your mom a present?" Robbie asked, intentionally sounding casual.

"A nice cashmere scarf. I don't really know what she likes," she admitted. She closed her suitcase, trying unsuccessfully to zip it. "I got Shelly a Barbie Dream House."

"Big sister of the year," Robbie nodded with a grin. An urgent sounding knock at the door interrupted them, and Julia looked up from where she was kneeling on her suitcase. She nodded to Robbie, signaling for him to open the door. He got up, threw open the door, and was totally unfazed to see Jack.

"Mackey, I gotta show you something," Jack said with a mischievous grin. Robbie looked at Julia, clearly confused, but Julia just shrugged. "Bring a coat."

After the three of them were well prepared for the cold, Jack led them downstairs and out of the hotel.

"What do you have to show him that's outside of the hotel?" Julia asked, scrunching her nose against the cold wind. Jack wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to them as they walked.

"It's worth the cold, don't worry," Jack promised as they walked. They were walking toward Lake Placid when Julia suddenly remembered—the Christmas tree. Silky had promised Robbie would find it before they left, and they were scheduled to leave in less than half an hour. Robbie had kept her updated with the minuscule investigating he had done, which mostly consisted of vague clues left in the locker room. He still seemed oblivious to where they were headed.

As they approached the lake, Julia could see most of the team had gathered nearby, but they tried to appear aloof, talking amongst themselves. Robbie spotted the tree a second after Julia did.

There, floating in the middle of Lake Placid, was the decorated Christmas tree in all of its glory.

"Is that-are you guys serious?!" Robbie yelled, looking around at his teammates. Julia and Jack tried their hardest to stifle their laughter. "My tree is in the middle of the lake!"

At this point, no one could contain their laughter. Poor Robbie had gone red in the face looking angrily at his newly-aquatic tree. He turned to Jack.

"Did you do this?"

"No, I swear! I was just the only one nice enough to tell you where it was," Jack chuckled. Robbie looked at Jack suspiciously.

"Well, someone has to know who did it," Robbie pointed out. Jack and Julie looked at each other, their cheeks turning almost as red as Robbie's face.

"No idea," Julia managed to get out between giggles.

"I'm walking back to Minnesota! I don't wanna ride the bus with any of you," Robbie declared loudly. Everyone was descending into absolute laughing fits around him. "I worked my butt off on that tree!"

As they walked back toward the hotel, Robbie continued to rant as his teammates laughed. No one confessed to the tree hijacking, and Julia doubted they ever would. These were the memories that she was sure would stick with her forever, no matter how far away she was from her friends.