Frank turned his eyes back to the screen, and the white changed. The camera zoomed out, and there, standing right in front of a snow-covered mountain, was his boy, clad in skiwear, a big smile on his flushed happy face. Frank felt a sob block his throat. He looked just like his mother.
‘The Sommersbys are in France Dad!’ Luke shouted, and a woman laughed in the background. ‘I am skiing, the first thing on Mum’s list. Second, enter a competition. I entered the newbie challenge today! Hans says hello by the way.’
Frank muttered, ‘I’ll kill him’ slowly under his breath, and Marilyn grabbed him by the chops and landed a quick smacker on him. Frank spluttered, but not for long.
‘Keep going Luke, he’s moaning!’
Luke laughed, and looked intently at the camera. Making a ‘come here’ gesture with his hands, he said, ‘Come here woman.’ The camera shook for a second, Luke standing there with a huge grin on his features.
‘Come on!’
The camera moved from side to side again, saying no and he chuckled.
‘Chicken,’ he challenged the person holding the camera, and the camera shook with laughter.
‘He looks happy,’ Marilyn whispered in his ear, and Frank nodded, a tear falling down his cheek.
‘Come on, don’t keep me waiting!’ Luke said again. His face was lit up, Frank noticed. He’d never seen him looking so full of life.
The camera was still shaking.
‘Yes!’ he insisted.
The camera repeated the motion. Luke laughed, and put out his arms wide.
‘Come to me now, or lose me for ever!’ The camerawoman groaned, but the screen showed she was trudging through the snow towards him. She flicked the camera down once and they could see she was wearing a pair of skis and laughing her head off whilst telling Frank’s son exactly what she thought of him. Luke was laughing too, and taking the camera, he turned the image till the two of them were standing in the frame. Frank gasped, and Luke nodded his head slowly, his smile broadening as he saw this girl blush.
‘Yep Dad, you guessed it. I met a girl.’
‘Ice?’ Frank asked, and Rebecca laughed.
‘Ice Rebel, that’s me! Retired of course, apart from teaching your son how to ski with Hans. Hello Mr Sommersby!’ Luke was gazing down at her as if he couldn’t believe his luck, and Frank recognised the look. It matched the expression on his own wedding photo. The tears fell again, and Frank started to weep. The faces on the screen fell, and Luke turned the camera away, till it was just him. Frank could see that Rebecca was hugging him from behind. He had someone. He wasn’t alone, he was out there. He was doing it. Frank couldn’t stop crying.
‘Sorry Dad, too much? Marilyn, get Dante, get Dante. Shit.’
Marilyn went to run for Dante, but Frank’s hand moved. Slowly and shakily, whilst Marilyn watched in awe, he lifted the fingers of his strongest hand, fingers to his lips, and putting them on his heart, he blew his open hand at the screen. Luke started to cry then. Rebecca took the phone and held it in her hand, whilst Luke cried on her shoulder. Catching it, Frank watched as the Ice Rebel placed it over her heart and Luke’s.
‘Proud,’ Frank said, punching his hand against his heart now. ‘Proud … of you, son.’ Luke turned to the screen, Rebecca kissing his cheek as he wiped his tears away.
‘If I can do this, Dad,’ he motioned around him at the scenery, flashing his dad another view of their ski clad feet, close together, ‘you can too. Number two on the list, Dad. That’s one that never quite gets done. You remember it?’ Frank nodded, pressing his fingers as close to the screen as he could without touching it, toward his son’s determined face.
Number two: we must be daring.
‘Good. I get why you sent me away too, now. Number three on the list. We must protect the things we love.’ Frank’s face crumpled a little, but he nodded again, his fingers moving over the screen to be near to his only child, the song of his heart. Luke looked relieved, choked even, but then he pulled himself together and Frank saw a fire in him that he’d not seen before. Another genetic trait from his mother, no doubt. He wanted to see more. ‘Now do it. I’ll speak to you soon, okay? The tablet is for you, Marilyn picked it up from the shop for me. Ring me any time. Love you, Dad.’
Luke put his arm around Rebecca, and she melted into his side, smiling at Frank. The Ice Rebel, with his son. Who would have thought? At first, Frank had wondered whether his mind was playing tricks.
‘Bye Mr Sommersby, pleased to meet you!’
Frank waved at the screen, making Luke laugh. ‘He can’t believe it’s you,’ he teased her, and she poked him in the chest.
‘Shut up you,’ she admonished, rolling her eyes. Just like Luke did. The two of them were like peas in a pod. It made Frank’s heart swell in his chest.
‘Bye Dad.’ Luke smiled, and the screen went off. Frank sat and stared at it for a long moment, touching his fingers to the spot where his son’s face had just been.
‘Love you,’ Frank said, and turning to Marilyn, who was weeping like a washerwoman, he opened his mouth and said something he’d never said before. It took him a while, and a couple of words were tricky to get out, but Marilyn just waited patiently, her face lighting up with every new word he uttered.
‘Get me out of this bed, Marilyn, I need to get out of here.’
Marilyn did a jumping twirl on the spot and running to the door, she yelled for Dante as if she was on fire.
‘It worked,
