Gingerly, Rosa accepted her fate and climbed into the cage on wheels. She yanked the seatbelt around her as tightly as she could before locking it into place, holding onto her bag as though her life depended on it, as they took off, rounding the first bend far too fast for her liking.
She hated it, but Billy was loving it.
"Will you please slow down?" she urged Billy.
"We're not going fast." Billy pointed to the small dash and the little pointer that was idling between eight and ten.
"It feels fast and dangerous," Rosa said, glancing down at the side of the road and the sheer drop if they were to go over the barrier.
"Just focus on seeing the girls and the dinner Mum's planning," Billy shouted, as a large lorry shuddered past and they were moved by the air, shifting them sideways.
"Argh!" Rosa screamed in panic. "I am never doing this again."
Billy grinned but said nothing.
It was the longest fifteen minutes of Rosa's life, but somehow they made it. Now all she needed to do was work out how to get out of the damn contraption.
"It's not funny, Billy," Rosa complained, one leg stuck between the opening for the door and the bar across the front.
"Put your leg back in and just raise up, then slide your leg through."
"I can't move it back. It's stuck." Rosa wriggled.
"Okay, don't panic." Billy bent lower and took hold of her knee and pushed. The movement caught Rosa by surprise as she realised it was the first time Billy had physically touched her anywhere other than her hand or arm, in years. "What?" Billy asked.
"Nothing. I can do it by myself."
Billy laughed. "No, you can't. Just stop fidgeting and let me help you."
"Is everything alright?" Meredith called out.
"Oh, great, now I have an audience to witness my total humiliation," Rosa sulked.
"Ignore it," Billy said, leaning in close enough they were almost cheek to cheek. “Yep, all good,” Billy called back.
The aroma of her perfume wafted gently and for a moment, Rosa was transported back in time—back to when they danced together in the kitchen, holding each other close, cheeks brushing as Billy would whisper sweet nothings into her ear.
"Can you just lift…"
"Sorry, what?" Rosa said, brought back to the present by her foot slamming back inside the vehicle.
"I said, can you just lift up—push yourself up."
Rosa did, her head knocking against a padded bar across the top. She gritted her teeth and pressed her lips together to stop from screaming at the indignity of it all.
"Okay, now lift your leg," Billy said, still holding Rosa's knee, one palm flat against the inside of her thigh. Billy helped the movement, and then Rosa was free. "There," Billy said, letting go and straightening up.
"Thank you." Rosa blushed before striding off towards Meredith, who had now been joined by Schultz.
"Rosa." Schultz stepped forward, his accent as strong as ever. "Welcome to Austria."
Meredith smiled warmly as Rosa accepted the embrace. "Thanks for the invitation."
"Of course, you are always welcome in our home," he said, taking her by the arm and leading her inside. "We have strudel," he added, as though that were the most important thing in his life.
"Lovely. Where are the girls?" Rosa asked once they were inside with the door closed to keep the cold air out.
"Oh, they've got passes to ski, so they took themselves off for a quick downhill before the sun sets," Meredith answered.
