Frosty

Epilogue

Epilogue

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"When will y'all be arriving?" The sound of my mother's voice echoes through the car's speaker.

"I just passed the sign. We'll be there in less than two minutes," I answer driving down the familiar road leading to the lodge that I have come to love even more.

"Oh, I'm so excited to see you both!" My mother squeals through the speaker. "Kyla and I will be waiting in the lodge," the excitement in my mother's voice evident.

I look over at Harper who's sitting in the passenger seat chuckling at my mother. After Harper and I graduated high school, we both headed off to The Art Institute of Colorado to major in writing and photography. We were both so excited to be attending the same college. That was eight months after we had met which was three years ago.

"I'm pulling in now, mom. See you in a second," I hang up before parking. Harper and I both climb out of the car stretching our legs. I had driven the hour and a half here and Harper will be driving back when we leave.

"Ready," Harper asks intertwining our hands together. Harper and I remained great friends for the first two years at school, but we went on a few dates and here we are now. Harper is my boyfriend of a year and two months. Last November he had officially asked me to be his girlfriend, which I obviously accepted.

"Yep," I pop the 'p' as we walk into the lodge where our mothers our waiting not so patiently.

All I hear are squeals when we enter the lodge. Our mothers rush towards us giddily.

"You two are just too cute," my mother gushes as she envelops me into a hug while Kyla hugs Harper.

"Oh, come here, you," Kyla pulls me into a hug squeezing me tightly. "I've missed your sweet face."

Even though Harper and I live so close to Winter Park, we haven't had the time to drive up and see the family. My mom and dad visit the resort frequently now as they've become good friends with Kyla and Kevin.

"I've missed you, too, Kyla," I send her a genuine smile.

I shoot Harper a smile as my mom talks his ear off. Oh, my mom absolutely adores Harper. It's quite funny, actually.

"Hey, mom," I stop her speech which the rate she had been talking  was a million miles an hour. "I think you should let Harper and I grab our bags and we'll join you at the house."

"That's a wonderful idea, darling," my mother lights up in excitement. "Kyla and I just made cookies. This is great!" My mother claps excitedly causing my cheeks to burn in embarrassment. She's something else.

My mom and Kyla head off towards the house as Harper and I go to grab our bags. Harper thanks me for saving him from my mother. If I hadn't interjected, my mother would talk for hours. I had to save my poor boyfriend.

"I'm sorry, but she might just talk your ear off again this year," I giggle at the memory last year. My mother wouldn't leave the poor boy alone.

"As long as I have you to save me," he wraps his arm around me as we approach the car, "I'll be fine."

I giggle at his cheesy response before unlocking the car. We both grab our bags and head back into the warmth of the lodge and to the house. Stepping back into the familiar living room, memories flood my mind.

I nudge Harper's shoulders catching his attention. "Remember when we were dancing around the living room and you spilt hot chocolate on your mom's rug and you covered the spot with the coffee table," I giggle at the memory from last year. We were left alone and we decided to have a spontaneous dance party, but a mug of hot chocolate happened to be on the table when Harper did some weird move knocking it over onto the rug.

"Shhh," he hushes me. "She still doesn't know," he winks at me laughing along.

Harper carried his bag to his room and my bag to the guest room I had stayed in when I was first trapped at the lodge. My parents take the second bedroom that's located downstairs.

Later that night, everyone gathers in the family room to continue my family's pizza, pajama, and Elf watching tradition. But before we can start, there's one thing to be done–decorate the tree.

"Come, Blakley," Kyla pulls me over to a box of ornaments. "It's time to decorate the tree," Kyla calls everyone over to the boxes of decorations.

Xavier, Jake, Kyla, Kevin, Harper, mom, dad, and myself are left to decorate the large tree that is situated in front of a large window. Sam couldn't make it down this Christmas as medical school has him busier than ever. Although he's not here, I'm proud of my big brother and his accomplishment.

"Get on my shoulders," Harper commands bending down enough for my short self to sit on his shoulders. He stands up easily, and I'm almost even with the top of the tree.

"Blakley," Jake, Harper's brother, hands me an ornament to hang on the tree. I reach up hanging the little snowman on the tree.

With everyone helping decorate, it only takes about twenty minutes for us to finish the tree. Everyone settles either on a couch or the floor to watch Elf. Harper and I cuddle up on the love seat next to the tree.

Halfway through the movie, I nudge Harper's shoulder and nod towards the window. Harper and I laugh at the sight: a blizzard just like three years earlier.

We receive confused looks as we both stutter while laughing, "well, this Christmas will be frosty."

author's note

Pictured: Harper and Blakley. ❤️
It's over. :'( it's actually over. No more Harper and Blakley. D:

Tell me what you thought about the story. Also, would you like to see more of Harper and Blakley?

Christmas Countdown: tomorrow! :o

With love,

.j