by Isla Gordon
Bear glanced back at Alice before facing the door again, warning the strangers, Get away!, but the voices didn’t break, they just continued past and then Alice heard the sound of locks and boots being stamped at the neighbouring chalet.
She crouched down and got Bear’s attention, who turned, tail wagging, now he’d rid the world of danger, and licked at Alice’s face. ‘They were going next door, nothing to worry about,’ she said, when she could get her words out without the risk of being kissed. ‘But thanks for saving me.’
Alice returned to the sofa and tried to focus on her book, but her eyes kept being pulled to the side window. Something was different out there on the mountain, but she couldn’t put her finger on what. She read the same sentence three more times before she realised it was movement. The ski lift: it had been activated. She couldn’t see anyone on the slopes yet, so she guessed it was a pre-season lift warm-up, if they did such a thing.
She watched it, mesmerised by the slow, methodical movement. From here it looked like it would make no noise at all, like it was just existing in its own space, up and down.
There was a loud knock on the door and Alice started, not quite knowing what to do with herself. Who would be visiting her? What was ‘hello’ in Swiss German? Why hadn’t she wiped off yesterday’s crusty mascara yet?
Bear, who didn’t seem to regard this knock as a threat, was already waiting by the door, and when she went to open it his nose pushed its way through before she had a chance to grab him.
‘Bear!’ she cried, just as the man behind the door whooped at the sight of a big Bernese Mountain Dog bouncing out and into the snow. The man turned as Bear circled him, tail going at the rate of knots, jumping up to hug him.
‘Down, Bear, down, come back in here, I’m so sorry,’ she was saying, but the man was laughing loudly and hugging and petting her dog like they were old friends.
Bear eventually jumped down and legged it back into the house, wanting to show it off to the mystery visitor.
The man brushed the snow off his coat that Bear had kindly just painted him with. ‘Vanessa, du hesch e Hund? Oh!’ He looked up and saw that she was not Vanessa. ‘Sorry, ich heisse Marco . . . are you English?’
‘Yes, do I look English?’
‘Yes.’ He laughed. Marco was tall, maybe a touch older than her, with a smiley, open face and sandy hair a similar colour to his lightly sun-kissed cheeks. He was wearing a thick ski jacket and salopettes, and his accent when he spoke English reminded her of Vanessa’s – sing-song and welcoming as he effortlessly pronounced his words. ‘I am Marco, I’m so sorry for disturbing you and this amazing dog.’ He ruffled Bear’s ears, who’d returned to the door to find out why his new best friend hadn’t come inside to play yet. ‘I was just coming to say hi to Vanessa; she doesn’t live here any more?’
‘No, she does, I’m a friend of hers and I’m house-sitting for her over the winter. She has a job as a tour guide, going all over Switzerland. She’ll be back for a few days in a couple of weeks.’
‘Oh, that’s cool. You are here all winter? I just arrived next door! We are new neighbours!’
Bear squeezed his way in between Marco’s legs and just stood there, his front facing out into Mürren and his bum in the house, and the act suddenly made Alice aware she was letting all the heat escape.
‘Would you like to come in and have a cup of tea?’ She couldn’t have sounded more British if she’d tried, but inviting someone in just for the social aspect was a bit alien to her these days.
‘Sure, I’m not interrupting you, no? Wow, I forgot how nice this view is, huh?’ He beamed at the living-room window.
‘I’m Alice, by the way, and this is Bear,’ she said, making her way to the kitchen, wondering just how close Marco and Vanessa had been. ‘Do you actually drink tea, or would you prefer a coffee? I think I saw some instant coffee in here.’
‘Tea sounds fun, thank you. So you’re really here for the whole season. When did you arrive in Mürren?’
‘A week ago. Apart from some new friends in the Coop and the Guesthouse, you’re nearly the first sign of life.’
‘It’s quiet out of season, right? My housemates are ski instructors and I’m a paramedic on the mountain rescue helicopters. We’re usually some of the first people here, not including the residents, like Vanessa.’
‘You do mountain rescue?’ Alice asked as she pottered about the kitchen, her thoughts brewing just like the tea.
‘Yes, I do it all year around but during peak season we can do up to twenty-five rescues a day, so they call on extra staff to be positioned in the mountain resorts. I always come to Mürren because this is where my brother and his wife – two of my housemates – always come to teach. We always rent the chalet next door, it’s home for half the year. I love it here.’
Twenty-five rescues a day? What must it be like to know you’re having such an influence on people’s lives? She wanted to know everything, she wanted to tell him about Jill and ask him if there was anything she could have done, but now wasn’t the time. ‘I love it here, too,’ she answered, simply.
‘Hey, you should come for dinner tonight over at ours!’
‘Oh no, you’ve just arrived, I’m sure you don’t need me getting in the way. Besides, I can’t leave Bear.’
‘No, you bring Bear, he will be a big hit, everyone will love him. In fact, send Bear over, you can stay home!’ he boomed and she found herself laughing along. Marco was warm and easy-going in a way she always used to be when trying to connect with new people. ‘I am just making a joke. Come on, you are the new Vanessa, it would be amazing to have you there and we can all get to know each other. Please come. It’s only going to be pasta or pizza or something but we’ll have wine. Or tea if you prefer.’
Alice handed him a mug and he sat down on the sofa after asking, ‘May I sit here?’ politely. Bear sat beside him, his new pal.
‘Okay, thank you, that would be very nice,’ Alice agreed, already wondering how early she could come back here. Marco seemed very nice, and she wanted to get to know him, but a whole group of ski instructors? It just seemed like it might be a party crowd and she really hoped her quiet mountain retreat wasn’t going to end up as loud as London.
And then he said, with warmth and genuineness, ‘It’s so nice to meet people from other countries. Thank you for choosing Switzerland!’ and she felt like the biggest party pooper for thinking such grumpy-old-woman thoughts.
‘Thank you for having me,’ she said, laughing.
‘What do you do in England? Or are you working out here? If you don’t mind me asking.’
‘I’m a cartoonist, mainly. I draw political, satirical, feminist or just funny illustrations for magazines and online publications and stuff.’
‘Wow, that’s a good job! Have you published in anything I would know over here in Switzerland?’
‘I did have a cartoon printed in the New Yorker once, that was probably my crowning glory.’ She felt the little surge of pride for herself that always came with that memory.
Marco whooped. ‘The New Yorker, that is incredible, that is such a big deal, your mum and dad must have been like, wow, everybody look at our daughter.’ He said all of this without a hint of sarcasm or effort to play cool his enthusiasm.
‘They were pretty pleased. My dad carried a copy around with him and kept showing people for a while.’
‘Do you have a copy here?’
‘No.’ Well, actually, she did, but it was among all her other art supplies, tucked away on the shelf. She glanced at it. Maybe at some point she would show him.
‘I hope I can see some of your cartoons while you’re here,’ Marco continued. ‘Do you ever draw your dog?’
‘I haven’t yet, actually, but he would make a good subject!’
‘In the snow you would only need three colours – white, black and orange.’
Alice laughed, and Marco ruffled Bear’s ears again, causing him to loll his head back appreciatively. ‘You
know, my brother and I used to have these dogs when we were growing up. I remember most a big lady Berner we had called Martha.’
‘Good name!’
‘Oh yes, she used to follow us around every room but if we tried to follow her anywhere she would stop dead and refuse to move. Like, don’t follow me, go away! We loved Martha . . . Did you know these white spots on the back of their necks are called “Swiss Kisses”?’ he looked at Alice.
‘No I didn’t, but that’s cute. I’m always burying my face into that bit and kissing it, whether he likes it or not.’
‘I bet he loves it.’ Marco scrunched softly behind Bear’s ears for a moment, who closed his eyes in bliss. ‘I know you were all cosy and relaxed over here, but can we pop next door so I can show my brother your dog? Please?’ Marco looked so hopeful, and Bear wasn’t about to leave his side, so Alice agreed and they stepped out into the snow and trudged the few steps further up the hill.
‘Everybody, look!’ Marco called to the house as he flung open his chalet’s door and pushed Bear’s bottom inside. Bear took off, excited by the squeals of delight from within, his paws slip-sliding on the wood and his ears bouncing. And just as thrilled as he was to meet these new people, they seemed equally thrilled to meet him. Three people of a similar age to Alice descended into the living space like moths to a flame. In no time, Bear was in the middle of the circle, waggy-tailed, making sure everyone got a heavy lean here and a paw to hold there, and a big shining smile for each of them.
‘Come in, come in, it’s your turn next.’ Marco grinned at Alice. He held her mittened hand for her as she balanced just inside the front door, tapping her heels against the frame to try and remove the bulk of the snow from her boots before she came inside. This simple gesture of help, where nothing was meant but kindness, saw another optical fibre flicker to life.
When Alice was fully inside, the sound of the chalet door closing caused Bear to break free from the group and bound back to her, squashing his head into her legs for a moment, before hurling himself around and back to the others. Look at all my new friends! he seemed to be saying.
‘Hello,’ Alice waved, unsure whether to attempt any Swiss German, but her mind going blank. ‘Sorry about my crazy dog, he’s still a puppy and he loves meeting people.’
There was a chorus of ‘hellos’ and ‘this dog is so cool!’s and then Marco said, ‘This is Alice and Bear; they have done in Vanessa and stolen her home.’
Alice laughed and explained, ‘We’re living in Vanessa’s house for the winter – she’s an old friend of mine – because she’s just got a new job leading people on cheese and chocolate tours of Switzerland.’
‘Sweet job, well done Vanessa!’ said the only woman of the group, with a New Zealand accent and ice-blonde braids, stepping forward with a final ruffle of Bear’s soft head. She stuck out her hand. ‘Hey, I’m Lola. Not a showgirl. Are you an instructor too?’
‘Oh no, I’ve actually never been skiing.’
‘Well, keep it that way, honey, and stick with me. Because boarding is best and skiing is . . . ’ She blew a raspberry and made a thumbs down motion, causing the other housemates to erupt into a volcano of good-natured insults to hurl at each other. Lola’s laugh was contagious, and Alice was mesmerised by how in sync this whole group was. Were they all family?
‘Anyway, anyway,’ Lola continued, shushing the group. Bear sat in front of her and looked up, causing her to laugh. ‘It’s nice to meet you. You’re living here for the whole season?’
‘Yep.’ Alice inhaled. Yes, she was, though it was hard to wrap her head around the fact that she actually lived here now, albeit temporarily.
‘That’s great, looking forward to getting to know you. If you need anything, just say the word, we’ve all been coming here for years now.’
‘We’ve basically never grown up.’ A man, similar in height to Marco but of a stockier build, and with the same open face, leant over and kissed both her cheeks before slinging an arm around Lola. ‘Hello Alice, I’m Noah.’
‘Noah is my big brother,’ Marco said with a sweet pride. ‘And Lola is his wife, so she is my sister now, sort of.’
‘Ah, when did you get married?’ Alice asked. They were a good-looking couple. They looked like the type of couple that would have a cool Instagram and adopt huskies and do loads of adrenaline-pumping activities before having fantastic athletic sex, stopping only to go and get more beer. Maybe she should stop reading that book.
‘In the summer just gone,’ Lola replied. ‘Well, the winter. It was in New Zealand in July at this place called The Ledge near Queenstown, which is where we live for half the year.’
‘We basically follow the snow backwards and forwards from her country to mine.’
‘The wedding was insane,’ continued Lola.
Noah cut in. ‘Insane.’
‘At this place – The Ledge – you are literally on this flat rock near the top of a mountain, in the snow, with these beautiful views and you have to get there by helicopter. Thank Christ it was a nice day, eh?’
‘Imagine if it had rained, oh my God!’ Noah laughed.
‘It really was – wow!’ Marco interjected. ‘I was very lucky to be there as best man. Just two witnesses allowed.’
‘Well, we needed you there in case either of us fell off the cliff,’ said Lola.
‘I was not invited.’ The last man in the house stepped forward and greeted Alice. ‘I’m David.’
‘We will renew our vows just for you,’ Noah said, patting him on the back.
‘Are you also related to . . . someone?’ Alice asked.
‘No, Marco and I are old friends. We served together in the military.’
‘How long were you in the army?’ She turned to Marco.
‘About a year,’ he replied in that easy-going voice. ‘It’s mandatory in Switzerland, everybody is conscripted. You don’t have that in England, do you?’
‘No, nothing like that. How did you find it?’
‘Alice, I’m so sorry to interrupt,’ David said. ‘Marco, we have to get going to HQ. Were you going to come with us to get the lift passes?’
‘Oh shit, you’re right!’ Marco replied, and Noah and Lola jumped to attention too. Alice noted how polite they were to talk to each other in English with her around. Or maybe it was for Lola’s sake. Either way, it was nice. Marco turned to Alice. ‘These guys have to go and check in with the ski school to say, “Hey, we’ve arrived, hello, put us on your payroll please, and give me a lift pass thank you.” I usually go with them just to make myself all ready for the season.’
‘Of course, go, go. Come on Bear. Bear, head out of the bin.’
‘You’ll join us for dinner tonight, right?’
The others all chorused in welcoming agreement.
‘I would need to bring him, though.’ She pointed at the puppy, who still hadn’t removed his head. ‘I haven’t really left him alone here yet for more than an hour.’ Here, or anywhere.
‘Yes of course, we’re all family now, this winter.’
Somewhere, Alice felt like Jill would have smiled at that.
Chapter 23
That evening, Alice took a while deciding what to wear. Not because she was trying to impress, but because she was out of the habit of going anywhere in the evenings except to take Bear for a wee.
‘I just don’t know if I have small talk in me,’ she said to the dog, who looked up at her from where he was sprawled on the floor. ‘I’ve only really chatted to you for a few months, and it’s very one sided.’
He yawned, like he was bored of her too, and she chuckled. ‘Okay, let’s go.’ She pulled on her coat, picked up a bottle of wine she’d bought at the Coop, and they made their way out into the night air.
The snow was thick underfoot, and hardened on the very top by the cold air and lack of fresh powder from the day. Her breath was pluming in front of her face, and she held Bear tightly as they walked back up towards the neighbouring house. Before she knocked on the
door she took a moment and looked back at the mountains in the gloom, the stars and moon hovering over them and casting pale light on their rugged surfaces.
She hoped tonight went well. She hoped they didn’t ask her too many questions, she’d much rather sit back and listen to them talk. She hoped she could come home early.
When David opened the door she was greeted with the warmth of an old friend. There was no stuffy, stilted small talk, no awkward tour of the house, no questioning ‘What can I do to help?’ Instead she was swept straight in through their living room to the open-plan kitchen, where the radio was playing, a glass of wine had already been poured for her, and a conversation about the Harry Potter movies was mid-flow.
‘Hey, Alice,’ cried Lola. ‘Could you chop up these onions for me? Drink up, drink up. Bear, you want a carrot? I’m just saying, in the later movies Draco was hot.’
‘We went with pasta!’ explained Marco, who appeared to be head chef for the evening, but everyone was helping out with their own jobs, cooking and chopping and sautéing and boiling. It felt very equal, and even Bear wanted to be in on the action so settled with his carrot right in the middle of the kitchen floor.
Noah edged around the dog, shifting his chopping board to the left with no bother. ‘But the character was an asshole. All that eyebrow-raising.’
‘He wasn’t an asshole, he was misunderstood,’ Lola countered.
‘Like you, Noah,’ added Marco, and chuckled.
‘What do you think, Alice? Draco Malfoy, yay or nay?’
‘Neville Longbottom for life,’ she answered, and everyone cheered. Alice laughed. This was so easy, to laugh and feel part of the friendship group, and be normal, but Jill was still dead.
The thought hit her like lightning, sobering her immediately, but she kept her mask in place. It was okay to have a night off from feeling crap, she told herself, finishing with the onions and gulping down her wine.
‘So when does the season actually start here?’ Alice asked. ‘I saw the lift running but nobody seemed to be on the slopes yet.’
