“Cold?” Lance placed an arm over her shoulder and tugged her to his side.
“Very.”
“It’s a good thing these gondola cabins are enclosed. It’s only going to get even colder up on the Summit.”
They waited in line behind a few other couples, stepping forward each time a new group was loaded and sent on their way up the hill. When it was their turn, a young high school kid grabbed the door handle on the cabin and ushered Lance and Sarah inside.
“Enjoy the ride. The gondola stops running at nine, so make sure you’re back before then.”
The doors slid shut with a hiss.
Sarah settled onto the bench and Lance slid in beside her, both facing the panoramic scenery stretched before them. The gondola slowly ascended the lift, creeping higher and higher until they were well above the ground, taller than all of the cabins and even the trees below. Despite her knowledge that they were securely fastened, the sway from the wind made Sarah grip onto Lance’s leg for stability, seeking reassurance while they seemed to float through the night sky.
“I still can’t figure out how these things work,” she admitted. “Or how we’re connected to the cables by just that little piece of metal.”
“It’s not something I recommend looking up.” Lance laughed. “I did once, and instead of learning about the mechanics of gondolas, I somehow went down a rabbit hole of freak ski lift and cable car accidents.”
Sarah raised a hand in playful protest. “Nope. Not what I want to hear when we’re dangling this high above the ground.”
“We’re safe,” he assured, giving the hand on his leg a pat. “The incident rate is like one in a million if I remember correctly. The odds are totally in our favor.”
That was comforting, Sarah supposed, but not a conversation she cared to engage in at this precise moment. Still, she couldn’t help but chuckle a little. Lance was nothing if not a consummate thrill seeker.
“Nana Jo texted me today,” she said, leaning her head onto Lance’s shoulder.
“Oh yeah? What about?”
“She was just asking how things were going with retreat planning. Said to come by because she found another stack of books in the hall closet that she would like to donate to the library,” Sarah said. “That woman is the biggest gift giver I know. She’s always handing her things down when she thinks someone else could benefit from them.”
Lance’s mouth lifted just on one side. “She’s always been that way, but I have noticed that in recent years, she seems to be doing a lot more of it. I don’t know. Something about that makes me kind of sad.”
Sarah lifted her head to search out Lance’s eyes. “Why’s that?”
He sighed. “It’s like she’s getting ready for the time when she won’t be around anymore. Preparing, in a way. I don’t know.”
“Is that so bad?” Sarah countered. “I mean, when it comes down to it, we can’t take any of this with us.”
“No, it’s not bad at all. It just makes my mind go somewhere I don’t want it to. I don’t want to think about a world where Nana Jo is no longer in it.”
Sarah settled her head back onto his shoulder. “I don’t want to think about that world, either.”
“I mean, I know she won’t be around forever, but if anyone could be invincible, it would be her.”
Nana Jo was larger than life, and so it made sense that she would feel almost immortal, in a way.
“Well, all I know is that even when she’s no longer here, everything about her love, her generosity, and her legacy will remain. Those things don’t die.”
Lance placed a kiss on the top of Sarah’s head. They sat in silence the rest of the ride up to The Peak. It was the most content she had felt in a long, long while. She didn’t feel the need to fill the quiet with small talk, and neither did Lance. They were compatible in their peaceful companionship, both simply savoring the moment.
The gondola car crawled up the last section of cable at a slower pace, momentarily lurching when the door of the still-moving cabin opened and another operator greeted them.
“Right this way,” the young woman held out a hand to assist them.
Sarah’s legs were unsteady as they met the snow. It took her a moment to regain her bearings, almost like exiting a dizzying ride at an amusement park.
In the distance, Sarah could see The Peak, its imposing roofline cloaked in white from that afternoon’s snowfall. The architectural design resembled a luxurious chalet, adorned with gabled windows and ornate woodwork. The path leading to it was cleared of snow, flanked by tall pines, and the walkway was thoughtfully salted for safe passage. Just to the left of the entrance stood a massive stone outdoor fireplace, surrounded by a small gathering of finely dressed patrons crowding around the glowing orange flames for warmth while they laughed and carried on.
“You hungry?” Lance’s hand gently met the small of her back, guiding Sarah forward.
