I Woke Up in a Car

The sun was shining, the air was crisp, the sound of the piano pulsed through the speakers of my headphones as I sat on the back porch, coffee in hand. I couldn't help but stare at the mountains around us, covered in snow. Just me, the mountain, and my racing thoughts. I was thinking about everything lately, the way Eric was so upset when I left, how overjoyed the rest of the management team seemed to be to have a girl among the mostly male staff, how John looked so deeply let down.

It was something that nothing that my time on the road could have prepared me for, definitely a situation I found that, I did not know how to handle. Then again, I wasn't sure I knew of anyone who could handle such a situation. I decided that, at this time, the boys would remain on the back-burner, so to speak, and I would concentrate on the work at hand.

I sighed and brought the cup to my lips as I heard the slider open. I turned to see Adam coming out as well, a pack of cigarettes and a coffee in his hand as well. He looked surprised to see me. "You're up ahead of anyone and everyone else." Adam said with a soft smile.

I shrugged and turned to look at the cup and then up at the mountain, "I suppose. I don't sleep well some nights. Too many things pulsing through my brain." I said quietly drinking away.

Adam lit the cigarette. I didn't peg him for a smoker but I figured everyone had their vices, "Do you want to talk about it?" Adam asked, settling in to a chair facing me and the table, his back to the snow-capped mountain.

I shrugged, "It's the just the mundane family bullshit." I said, "I'm here to focus on work." I re-iterated. It sounded better when I said it to myself, but it sounded more like I was trying to convince myself that I was here to focus on work.

Adam nodded, "That's a good attitude to have. Just remember that all work and no play makes a dull girl." Adam chuckled and flicked his ash, drinking his own steaming cup of coffee.

It was nice to just sit in the silence. Someone who wasn't keen on prying information out of me, or to give me unsolicited advice. The music still played though quieter and in conjunction with the fluttering of birds, rustling of leaves. After our coffees were empty we headed back in the house and got to work.

Adam set me up on a laptop which had been sent ahead for me since I didn't have one (Admittedly Adam said they were shocked when they were told I didn't have one), showed me my official burton e-mail, how to sync to my phone to and from the computer. It was a head-spinning morning and by the time we were done, most the crew was just waking, just getting their coffees and breakfast was being made.

I headed upstairs and decided I would take a shower. I left my phone on the bedside table as I figured I would take a brief shower. However upon entering I quickly discovered that when you share a house, even a rental, with so many bodies, if you aren't first in the shower, you get no hot water. A cold shower it was.

I was just exiting the shower, clothed and all, in the midst of returning to the room I was sharing with John when I heard him on the phone, his voice the same quiet, soft voice as the day before.

"Yeah man, she's taken." He paused, "No, my brother." another pause, "Yeah. No—" He said. "Yeah, he gave her his axe and everything. I mean, she wears it as religiously as he does." John said on the end of the phone. I couldn't help but pick up Eric's necklace from behind my shirt where I kept it tucked away. "No, I'm not going to wait for her, I just.. Wish I had taken the shot when I had it."

John ended the call shortly thereafter. His voice had sounded littered with hurt, with regret. I found it incredibly hard to believe that someone could regret going after someone like me. I was absolutely nothing special. Hell, I still had my own moments where I wondered what Eric, or anyone, actually saw in me. I tried to put on a brave face as I entered the room however, acting as though I hadn't heard John just having what sounded like the most heartbreaking phone call of his life.

I hung up the towel on the back of the door, "Hey." I said, watching him sit up a little.
John tried to put on his best face, "Hey. How was the shower?" He asked.

I shrugged, "Cold. I guess I should have been in first thing this morning." I said with a slight shrug. I could tell that John was still rather upset. Maybe things would change up on the mountain. "You alright?" I asked, looking at the older man.

John looked taken aback that I would even ask that question, but he played it off extremely well, "Yeah, well, Yeah. I will be. Just a rough start to the day. That's all."

I nodded, "Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts but be fast. Breakfast and then gearing up for the mountain. It's going to be a long day." I reminded him.

John laughed his blue eyes not as bright as they had been yesterday, "A long day for you maybe. You're not the one used to running around with a crew like ours." John said.

I nodded, "So you think." I said, turning and leaving John in the room, heading down to see about breakfast.

I wasn't sure how John would handle me being here. So far things seemed to be off to a rougher start for him than for me. Which, I suppose I understood. I know he said that he had only kissed me so that Eric would make his move. But I couldn't help to think that maybe, just maybe, John had seemed so sincere in everything he had done before, that it wasn't all so Eric would make his move. What didn't make sense to me is why he would let his little brother just outright take something from underneath him.

Maybe, actually no, I'm sure, I was overanalyzing everything but, well, nothing else seemed to make sense. Then again, this whole trip was one giant curve from where I thought I would be. The only thing that made sense right now was work and that barely made sense.

After breakfast everyone geared up to leave. Adam and I headed out ahead of everyone and headed to a local shop, BC Surf and Sport. They had a huge selection of Burton gear and knew Adam by name. I was a little shocked. Adam told me to go nuts. He helped me figure out what I needed which ended up being everything. By the time we left the shop and headed to the actual mountain, we'd spent nearly $1,000 on just clothes. He asked if I had needed a board, I told him I didn't know how to ride. He was shocked. Apparently to work for the company it was almost a requirement that you knew how to snowboard.

Nearly three hours later we arrived at the hill where Burton was conducting R&D. Everyone else was already there and I felt awkward having been the first to leave and last to arrive though Adam assured me that it was alright. We walked in and the riders were just getting their prototype boards ready to ride. Some were being waxed, others were having bindings put on, some guys were testing out boots, some were gearing up in new clothes. Everyone seemed to be doing their own things.

It wasn't until everyone else was out on the hill, standing about, waiting for the riders to do their runs, photographers to set-up shots that I got a text from John who was up on the chairlift, heading to the top of the mountain, "After these next few days, I'm going back home to Verdi."

I looked at my phone, slightly perplexed, "Yeah, I know. Dr. Appointment for your knee and general check-up. We'll be there. Don't worry." I texted in return. It had become my job to know every aspect of John's life, also to make sure he didn't blow out his knee again doing something, whether it be actual work or something stupid.