"On their own?" Rosa gasped. "You've let them go off to the slopes by themselves?"
Meredith smiled. "Of course not. They're with Carl, the ski instructor we've hired for the week."
Rosa dropped her bag. "So, you've let my daughter and her friends go wandering off on the Alps with a man we've never met before?"
Meredith laughed a little awkwardly. "I didn't think it would…" She turned to Billy for support. "They're…"
"Teenagers, Mum," Billy said. "And regardless, I think it would have been appropriate to ask Rosa first."
"Well…I'm sorry, Rosa. Truly. I thought it would be a fun thing to do and keep them active and busy for a few hours. I didn't mean to undermine you."
"Maybe one of us should move up here," Rosa said to Billy.
Meredith took a step closer. "Rosa, there's no room. The girls have all unpacked. It would be a huge upheaval to shift the rooms around."
"It's fine. I can bunk in with Imogen."
"Not sure Imogen will like that," Billy said softly. "She's almost sixteen and already thinks she's a grown-up. Having her mum sleep in with her on a birthday week away with her friends?"
Rosa exhaled. "I'll sleep on the sofa then."
It was Schultz who spoke next. "Rosa, we made a mistake. From now on, we won't misstep again. But Billy is right. Imogen is…she likes her independence a little, ja? She's safe here. I know Carl personally for thirty years. He's a good guy…good instructor."
"I'm sure he is…" Rosa sighed. "I'd just like to be informed about where and what my daughter is doing. I'm responsible for those girls…especially Robbie, after everything she's been through already."
"Yes, I didn't think. I'm sorry," Meredith said. "They'll be back soon."
"It's snowing."
"It tends to do that a lot." Schultz chuckled.
Rosa smiled. "I know. I just…"
"This is the first time Imogen is doing her own thing, and it's scary?" Billy asked, offering a genuine smile in Rosa's direction.
"I guess so, yes," Rosa said.
Meredith encouraged them both to move into the lounge area. "Why don't we sit down and I'll get us all some mulled wine?"
Chapter eight
Dinner was a raucous affair. Imogen arrived back with Robbie and Janka in tow, all in high spirits.
"The snow is just unreal up there," Janka said as they all jostled and joked to be the one that told the best story of hurtling down the mountain.
Most of it terrified Rosa, but the look on Imogen's face was all it took to relax just a little.
"They are all very good skiers," Carl said, smiling broadly at the girls.
"I guess that school trip was worth it then." Billy nudged Rosa.
"Well, it ought to be, what it cost us." Rosa chuckled, feeling a little looser now the wine had been flowing.
Billy watched out of the window, the snow coming down heavier now than before. She checked her watch. It was getting late.
"Maybe we should get going," she suggested, turning to Rosa.
"No, not yet." She smiled, watching Imogen and Robbie dancing whilst Janka videoed them for TikTok.
