“Ladies, let’s try to control ourselves.” Dexler drags himself away from his golf cart and stands directly behind us. It sounds gruff, but there’s a smile on his face as he watches the activityon the TV.
“There she is,” Reagan says, pulling Marley through the room behind her. “Cyrus’ last run was amazing. Make sure and tell him good job for us.”
I nod my head and say things, pretending like I actually watched the race rather than sat with my head between my knees and my eyes closed.
“We came to see McKenna during the break. The story going around the lodge is that Isaac had Cyrusarrested.” Reagan waits for McKenna and me to sit back on the couch and then she perches herself on the armrest.
“Yeah, give us the gossip.” Marley sits on the other side. “Something needs to be done about that man.”
McKenna flits her eyes between the three of us. “Guys, you know I can’t tell you.”
“No,” Reagan says. “You can’t tell other people, but you can trust us. We’re trustworthy, rightgirls?” She nods her head, her eyes wide, daring us to disagree.
Marley and I both confirm we’re the most trustworthy people in the world.
“All I can say is that Isaac is under investigation for fraud.”
Fraud?
Memories of what Asbell said on the phone about paperwork comes to mind. I wonder if Isaac tried to forge paperwork with someone else’s signature on it?
“Come on. You have to give usmore than that,” Reagan pleads.
“Look at that. On the TV.” McKenna points of the television set, but nobody’s buying it.
“McKenna…” Reagan tilts her head, not even looking the right direction.
“No, I’m serious. Look.” McKenna points using her whole hand this time.
Marley stands from the couch. “What the heck?”
It’s finally enough to get me to look too. On the television screen, a large redbar flashes across the bottom. “The finals for the parallel giant slalom have been delayed thirty minutes” flashes in white lettering.
“What the heck?” I stand next to Marley.
It’s too hard to hear the announcer speaking over the noise level in the room. Finally, someone hands Dexler, who I had forgotten was standing behind us, the remote to the television. He turns up the volume until it’salmost too loud.
“It looks as if the officials are bringing in a completely new gate.” A male reporter standing in front of the starting area shouts into his microphone to the person sitting behind the large anchor desk.
“Thank you, Paul. If you’re just tuning in, it appears the trigger mechanism has been lodged open during the last semifinal race. Officials are working now to bring in the newgate and have the appropriate test done before they continue with the final runs in the parallel giant slalom race. Estimated time to completion is thirty minutes and then we’ll be right back here to bring you the excitement of the finals.” The television screen cuts to a commercial.
“I guess we have some tim,” Marley says taking her spot back up on the couch. “Does anybody want a soda or somebacon?”
I turn and see the three of them, women brought together by the Golds. We’re here for different reasons and come from different walks of life, but these are the Winter Games. They brought us together and gave us a shared bond. It really is truly amazing. I don’t drink pop or eat bacon. At least if my mother is in the same country. She’d notice with her crazy mom radar and hunt me down,but sitting here and spending an afternoon chatting would be fun. I don’t get near enough girl time in my life.
But Cyrus has a thirty-minute break and when you’re sitting in a small control room waiting to compete in the biggest race of your life, thirty minutes sounds like thirty years. I’d much rather be with him.
“I’m going out to see if they’ll let me into the control room,” I say as Ibutton up my coat. “I’ll see you ladies later.”
“Good luck,” they say in unison. I’m not sure if it’s so I can make it to the control room or good luck for Cyrus, but either way it’s nice. I need to hang out with them more. I could use some more girlfriends.
The control room looms at the top of the hill. It’s a small area where electricians check the equipment, news reporters hang out when it’scold, and in situations like this they house a few athletes while they wait. There’s not an easy way to get there from where I am currently, but I push open the exit door and start my way up the hill.
I find him staring out the large glass door at the entrance when I reach the top of the mountain. He opens the door and meets me the last few feet.
We hug. “I’m so proud of you, Cyrus. You’ve gotthis.”
“When I win gold you have to move in with me. Promise?”
