gloves while skiers flew past him. Somehow, he made it to the bottom.
He stood by the chairlift and waited for Julie.
Skiing is not intuitive, at least not for me. There’s no question about that.
He waited over an hour as he looked at the trail of empty chairs chugging their way down, but no Julie. Voices behind him caught his attention. He turned and saw a group of people gathering and pointing up at the mountain as the ski patrol slowly and cautiously edged its way down, guiding a toboggan with someone strapped in it.
Julie?
Soon the toboggan was in front of him with Julie wrapped tightly in it, exposing only her face, showing her frozen red cheeks and watery eyes.
“Did you get down all right?” she asked, her lips trembling.
“Julie, why would you ask me that. Just look at you. Why did you try it?” He took off his gloves and warmed her cheeks with the back of his hand.
“You did. I thought maybe I could too.”
Rick couldn’t help but blame himself.
***
They drove back to Greenwich Village after visiting a local orthopedist. Julie’s right ankle was broken, but not her spirit. She had a cast up to her knee, walked with crutches for the next six weeks, and never complained once.
They spent that time doing schoolwork and going to movies, restaurants, and music clubs. They always got preferential treatment when they waited in lines because Julie was on crutches, her right leg a few inches off the floor. She looked so helpless.
They went to an opera one night, another first for both of them. It was La Boehme, a tearful story of love. Somehow, it was just what they needed, an opportunity to identify with the mixture of love and pain shared by others.
Julie spotted the tenderness that the lovers felt in La Boehme before Rick did. She squeezed his hand at the exact moment Rodolfo took Mimi’s hand and said, ‘How cold your hand. Let me warm it into life.’
After the opera, they went to Bobo’s restaurant in Chinatown. It was a small place with only ten tables, slightly larger than a hole in the wall, at 23 Pell Street.
A lot of aspiring actors, actresses, and singers were servers and they had the look of show business about them. They were either attractive or distinctive looking, with perfect teeth, creatively styled hair, and up-front personalities. Julie and Rick sat next to each other, their bodies touching while they shared dumplings with vegetables and steaming hot green tea.
She is so beautiful. Our life together is just perfect. I’ll love her forever and never let her go.
Rick asked Julie to move in with him and she agreed.
Chapter 7
It was spring, but the chill of winter lingered on and the damp, cold, rainy weather made Julie’s ankle ache. The cast had been removed, but there was swelling and she walked with a cane.
They decided to drive a few hours north to Belleayre to breathe in the clean, dry mountain air. They planned to explore the area, stay at a lodge, and relax by the fire, sipping steaming hot chocolates, for their overnight getaway.
They left the city, leaving the high risers and congestion behind as they drove toward the serenity of the mountains. Once again, Rick was awed by how pretty and sweet Julie was as she sat beside him and thought of how lucky he was to have her in his life.
He often caught guys at school giving her the ‘once over,’ but Julie had chosen him, Rick Newman.
Julie was quiet, as if lost in thought, but suddenly blurted, “Rick, we have to talk.” Her voice was shaky and she seemed troubled. Rick’s first thought was that she wanted to break up with him, and he felt a terrifying pang in his chest. He was not prepared for her next words.
“I’m pregnant.”
Julie can’t be pregnant. I’m too young to be a father. It would ruin everything. Fuck! She’d have to have an abortion.
Rick drove to a quiet, wooded area and headed toward some skinny white birch trees and parked.
“Julie, are
He stood by the chairlift and waited for Julie.
Skiing is not intuitive, at least not for me. There’s no question about that.
He waited over an hour as he looked at the trail of empty chairs chugging their way down, but no Julie. Voices behind him caught his attention. He turned and saw a group of people gathering and pointing up at the mountain as the ski patrol slowly and cautiously edged its way down, guiding a toboggan with someone strapped in it.
Julie?
Soon the toboggan was in front of him with Julie wrapped tightly in it, exposing only her face, showing her frozen red cheeks and watery eyes.
“Did you get down all right?” she asked, her lips trembling.
“Julie, why would you ask me that. Just look at you. Why did you try it?” He took off his gloves and warmed her cheeks with the back of his hand.
“You did. I thought maybe I could too.”
Rick couldn’t help but blame himself.
***
They drove back to Greenwich Village after visiting a local orthopedist. Julie’s right ankle was broken, but not her spirit. She had a cast up to her knee, walked with crutches for the next six weeks, and never complained once.
They spent that time doing schoolwork and going to movies, restaurants, and music clubs. They always got preferential treatment when they waited in lines because Julie was on crutches, her right leg a few inches off the floor. She looked so helpless.
They went to an opera one night, another first for both of them. It was La Boehme, a tearful story of love. Somehow, it was just what they needed, an opportunity to identify with the mixture of love and pain shared by others.
Julie spotted the tenderness that the lovers felt in La Boehme before Rick did. She squeezed his hand at the exact moment Rodolfo took Mimi’s hand and said, ‘How cold your hand. Let me warm it into life.’
After the opera, they went to Bobo’s restaurant in Chinatown. It was a small place with only ten tables, slightly larger than a hole in the wall, at 23 Pell Street.
A lot of aspiring actors, actresses, and singers were servers and they had the look of show business about them. They were either attractive or distinctive looking, with perfect teeth, creatively styled hair, and up-front personalities. Julie and Rick sat next to each other, their bodies touching while they shared dumplings with vegetables and steaming hot green tea.
She is so beautiful. Our life together is just perfect. I’ll love her forever and never let her go.
Rick asked Julie to move in with him and she agreed.
Chapter 7
It was spring, but the chill of winter lingered on and the damp, cold, rainy weather made Julie’s ankle ache. The cast had been removed, but there was swelling and she walked with a cane.
They decided to drive a few hours north to Belleayre to breathe in the clean, dry mountain air. They planned to explore the area, stay at a lodge, and relax by the fire, sipping steaming hot chocolates, for their overnight getaway.
They left the city, leaving the high risers and congestion behind as they drove toward the serenity of the mountains. Once again, Rick was awed by how pretty and sweet Julie was as she sat beside him and thought of how lucky he was to have her in his life.
He often caught guys at school giving her the ‘once over,’ but Julie had chosen him, Rick Newman.
Julie was quiet, as if lost in thought, but suddenly blurted, “Rick, we have to talk.” Her voice was shaky and she seemed troubled. Rick’s first thought was that she wanted to break up with him, and he felt a terrifying pang in his chest. He was not prepared for her next words.
“I’m pregnant.”
Julie can’t be pregnant. I’m too young to be a father. It would ruin everything. Fuck! She’d have to have an abortion.
Rick drove to a quiet, wooded area and headed toward some skinny white birch trees and parked.
“Julie, are
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