Climb | ✔

Chapter 17 | Pinky

It was Winter's third shift at Sharpton Rocks since the New Year, and she came to love the work.

Having Pete as a boss meant she could laugh with him all day and never hesitate to admit she didn't know something. He had a way with him that encouraged merriment and camaraderie amongst his staff and gym goers, so even with the inundation of new gym members, Winter's shifts went by smoothly.

The only point of issue for her was Murdoch. While they were civil in all regards, the strain of her resentment from their last interaction took its toll and brought them back to square one. They only talked to each other when absolutely necessary, and sometimes not even then.

Like now, for instance, as they began their closing procedures, they did not so much as blink at each other as they split off to do their tasks. Winter began cleaning the restrooms while Murdoch washed the floors. It was the reverse from last week, where they decided they would rotate duties. This prevented them for ever having to talk during closing again, so long as they remembered whose turn it was to do what. It was a great relief to them both.

After mopping the bathroom floors clean, Winter was ready to clock out. Since getting her permit, Rose used every chance she could to make her drive. By the time Winter gathered all her belongings, Rose was waiting in the passenger seat of her Jeep.

"How was work?" Rose asked as she sipped from her tumbler of coffee.

"Good," Winter said shortly.

To say Winter was off since Christmas Eve dinner at the Hayes' was an understatement. However, her aunt knew better than to press her about the whole thing.

What Rose did not know, however, was that Winter had taken it upon herself to closely monitor every time a phone came through for Rose. The call she intercepted from her mother still hung over her, even more so now since the Christmas catastrophe.

After dinner, Rose's phone rang. Winter's ears perked up from her place at the couch. She turned a page of The Odyssey and pretended to read while she listened in.

"Hello?" Rose answered it. "Hold on, speak a little more slowly," she said suddenly. Winter looked away from her book and watched in quiet concern as her aunt's face dropped into a look of horror.

"Oh, God, Babs. I'm coming right away," she said.

There was a small exchange where the words 'hospital' and 'stroke' were mentioned as Rose rushed into her coat and boots. She ended the call and looked at Winter.

"I'm heading over to the hospital," she said as she hastily worked one of her boots onto her foot, grunting with effort as she pulled the tight material over her heel.

"What happened?" asked Winter, concern breaking through her usually calm demeanor.

"Pete fell," she said in a panicky way as she forced her other foot into her boot. "They think it was a stroke. Babs and Murdoch are at the hospital already."

"Can I come?" Winter asked, but she was already getting dressed to leave. Rose looked at her with a sad sense of sweetness and nodded. Then she left to go warm up and start the car.

Winter rushed out just after her aunt, locking the storefront up and meeting her on the side of the street. She practically threw herself into the passenger seat with how fast she was moving.

By the time they reached the hospital and located the correct waiting room, Babs was at the tail end of her hysterics. Rose made quick work of comforting her into a chair and talking her through what happened. Murdoch was one seat over, looking straight ahead at nothing in particular, completely impassive. Winter decided to quietly sit next to him in a weak show of solidarity.