Chapter 32
On the fourteenth of December, Alice was busy on the internet researching Swiss festivities for her illustrations when she saw something that caught her eye. How far was Zurich from here? A couple of hours?
Vanessa’s tours started and ended in Zurich. She often had a free evening when one ended and before the next one began, but it wasn’t worth her coming all the way back to Mürren. If Alice could combine what she’d just spotted with a visit to Vanessa, then why not?
Five minutes later, following a quick text conversation with her tour guide friend who was currently sitting at the front of the bus on her way into the deliciously named town of Gruyères, Alice was crunching to the neighbouring chalet and rapping on the door.
‘Bear and I are going on a road trip tomorrow afternoon. Does anyone want to go to Zurich with us? We’re going to see the Singing Christmas Tree.’
Marco, Noah and David all cheered heartily, and Lola laughed. ‘Thewhat?’
‘Have I never taken you to see the Singing Christmas Tree?’ Noah asked her.
‘No, I would remember that.’
‘It’s a Swiss Christmas tradition,’ Alice answered. ‘Apparently. It’s a big Christmas tree-shaped structure that choirs stand on in rows and sing festive carols and songs. And there’s a Christmas market there as well. It looks really special all lit up with twinkly lights and glowing stars.’
‘It sounds mad but amazing. I’m in,’ said Lola. ‘Are you staying over? Zurich’s a couple of hours away.’
‘Yeah. I didn’t want to drive back late in the dark. Vanessa’s got the night off tomorrow and the Airbnb she stays in between tours is dog-friendly. I was going to see if we could both stay with her, so I can see if you guys can all crash there too?’
‘Find out the address; maybe we can get an Airbnb in the same building. Or at leastwecan.’ Lola motioned to herself and Noah. ‘It would be nice to not have these two under the same roof for twenty-four hours.’
‘I have a regular group lesson at eleven o’clock in the morning on the Friday, but Thursday afternoons are private bookings so I will block it out as unavailable,’ said David. He looked up at Marco from his phone calendar. ‘I have nothing in tomorrow after 12.30. If that’s okay with you?’
‘I have a day off tomorrow and then am on the late shift on Friday,’ Marco replied. ‘Besides, how could I deny you a night under tinsel stars with Vanessa?’
‘Okay, let’s do this then.’ She’d made a plan! ‘Do any of you have a car we could take? I can take one, maybe two people in mine with us. Or I can try and take all of you if we can persuade Bear to sit in the boot.’
‘We can take our car,’ Noah answered. ‘I don’t think that dog will fit in the boot.’
Alice was relieved. She’d never tried putting Bear in the boot before, but she knewshewouldn’t fancy a two-hour journey in there. ‘So we can all go! This is really lovely.’ And she meant it.
By the time the morning rolled around, the plans were all set. They’d take two cars, Noah and Lola’s, and Alice and Bear’s, and Marco and David would join one car each. They’d leave after lunch, arrive in Zurich mid-afternoon, meet Vanessa at her Airbnb and check Noah and Lola into theirs, in the same building, then head out to experience the famed Singing Tree and theWeihnachtsmärkt– the Christmas market.
Bear was on his best behaviour all the way down the cableway to the car park at Stechelberg – sitting when told, not pulling on his lead, giving a paw whether people knew they needed it or not, and sticking very closely beside Marco.
‘You are my shadow today, right?’ Marco said, stroking him behind the ears, and Bear gazed at him in adoration, leaning into his hand.
‘I think you better go in the car with Alice today,’ remarked David, heading for the other car beside Lola. ‘I don’t think Bear will let you out of his sight.’
‘It’s me and you, buddy!’ Marco grinned at Bear as the three of them crunched carefully over the icy tarmac to Alice’s car.
The car was covered in a layer of snow and ice and Alice had to wriggle the handle for a minute or two before the back door would open and she could guide Bear inside and clip him in to his hammock.
‘You jump in, I’m just going to scrape the ice off,’ she told Marco.
‘No way, I will help!’ he cried, and as she made a start with the ice scraper, he used his credit card to push great sweeps of powder from the windows.
Alice stole a glance at Marco from the other side of the car, at his muscles working hard and his arms flecked with snowflakes.
It was tough going – the ice was thick and hard – and by the time the two met over the front windscreen, they both had sweating foreheads, despite the frosted fingertips. Eventually Alice hopped in the driver’s seat, with Marco next to her in the passenger side.
‘Brr, feels like we’ve climbed into a fridge!’ she remarked, turning on the engine and upping the front heaters. She was pleased to find the car started, having not driven it in over a month. Then again, it had often sat for long periods on its lonesome in London. ‘Thanks for your help. Let’s just wait a few minutes for the car to get herself ready.’
Alice was rubbing her hands together, her finger joints cramped and cold, when Marco reached over and cupped her hands in his. ‘It’s okay, trust me, I am a paramedic,’ he joked.
‘Is this what you do to patients up mountains?’ she asked.
