Page 49 of The Two of Us

“Cat! You’re the absolute worst. I almost peed myself!”

She’s still laughing as she swipes a single tear from her cheek. “Oh Sally, you should have seen your face.”

She imitates whatever reaction she claims I made and I smack her playfully on the shoulder. I can never stay mad at her when she uses the nickname from our favorite movie.

“Are you two done?”

A tall figure in a black coat walks forward, his dark features standing in stark contrast to the crystalline snow on the ground. Ambrose lingers two feet away from me, not bothering with subtlety as his eyes slowly scan me.

“What’s he doing here?”

Ambrose raises an amused brow.

“I asked him to come. Practically made me beg. It’ll be like old times!” Cat cheers, elbowing him in his side.

Ambrose reaches for the hockey sticks under my arms as if his presence isn’t an anomaly. “I couldn’t leave you two out here to play alone. Knowing you ladies, only one of you would make it out of these woods.”

“How chivalrous of you,” I mumble under my breath. Only Ambrose would make hanging out with us sound like he’s volunteering his time to a charity event.

“What was that, Mouse?”

“Nothing.”

I swerve on my heels, heading toward the lake. As we break through the clearing, all my pent-up frustration dissipates. The ice on the lake is slick and untouched, proof that this place is our best-kept secret. The trees reflect off the glass-like surface, making everything look like a painting. Birds chirp in nearby trees and the sun peeking through the branches covers us in splintered light and warmth. I could stay in our little Eden forever.

We walk onto the ice without skates. We never use them. A long time ago, we realized that the risk of slipping and sliding on your shoes was a big part of the fun. I use a silk scarf gifted by my mom to tie my hair away from my face. She went on and on about how it’s designer and shouldn’t be worn frivolously. So naturally, I’m wearing it for outdoor horseplay. Ambrose watches me as I lift the curls from my neck and I tell myself the burning sensation in my ears is from the thirty-degree weather.

“How should we decide who takes which side?” Cat asks.

The left side of the lake puts a player at a disadvantage due to a slope under the water. It makes the ice slightly uneven and you have to constantly be aware of your balance and coordination. I hate the left side.

I rack my brain. “What about Rock, Paper, Scissors?”

Ambrose smirks. “Aw, she’s sentimental. How sweet is that?”

Cat jabs him in the rib and he grunts. “Don’t be a dick.”

Ambrose frowns. “Who taught you to talk like that?”

She shrugs. “Maitland.”

“And what else has Maitland taught you?”

Her grin is mischievous. “Oh, brother, I’m not sure you even want to kn—”

Ambrose clamps his hand over her mouth, muffling her laughs as his face turns red.

His eyes whip to me. “Mara. Pick something.”

I unsuccessfully hide my laugh behind a cough. “Okay. What about guessing a number one through ten?”

Cat nods in agreement.

“Alright. I have it. What are your guesses?” Ambrose asks.

I choose four, my lucky number, while Cat picks seven.

“The number was six. Cat, you get the right side.”

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