“So, tomorrow?” Zoey asked.
I nodded and swallowed the lump in my throat. “Bright and early. The truck is packed.”
She stomped her skate petulantly. “I can’t believe this is real, Quinn. I miss you already.”
“Don’t,” I cautioned. “Not yet, at least. Let’s have fun until we have no choice but to say goodbye. And you know you’re welcome to visit any time. We have an extra bedroom.”
“If I ever get a break in my schedule I will. Count on it.”
We turned to watch everyone out on the ice.
“Look at Mel and Josh,” Zoey said. She leaned closer to me. “Does she realize that her firstborn isnota skater?”
I laughed. “She does. She claims he got his lack of coordination from Danny. I think she’s happy she didn’t give birth to a prodigy. Although little Caleb might surprise us.”
I watched Mel chasing Josh around the ice. It was skating in its purest form, just a family enjoying the freedom of zipping around the rink, or in Josh’s case, falling but not caring.
We still hadn’t said goodbye. In fact, it almost felt like Mel was avoiding me.
I spotted Frank hovering just inside the Zam doors, watching the action with a big grin on his face.
“I need to go say bye to Mr. Zamboni. I’ll be back,” I said to Zoey.
The dim lighting around the edge of the ice allowed me to head over without being spotted. I’d spent the better part of the night answering and reanswering the same questions, which all included some variation about what I was going to do next (parents), if Ben and I were going to get married (young girls), if I brought my gold medal with me (young boys), how much money I made at the Games (tween boys), and if I knew that companies were now knocking off my costumes and selling them online (tween girls).
Frank didn’t hear me approaching so I studied him as I got closer. I hated that the “play through the pain” mentality of his hockey years had taken a toll on his body that he was paying for now.
“Hey, you,” I said as I got closer, so I didn’t startle him.
“Sweetheart!” Frank’s face lit up. “Get over here and give an old man a hug.”
I stepped into his embrace and was hit by a million sense memories from the scent of pipe lingering in his clothing. When we moved apart he was beaming at me, but his eyes looked watery.
“I’m going to miss you, lady,” he said as he wagged a finger at me.
“Same,” I said. I couldn’t offer much more, because I was dangerously close to crying as well. “Thanks for giving me perfect ice every day.”
“Oh, go on,” he pshawed at me. “Just doin’ my job!”
We caught up a little bit before I finally gave him one last hug,and I tried not to think about the fact that there was a chance it was the final hug I’d ever have with my favorite senior citizen.
I walked away wondering why the hell I was being so maudlin. I was moving to New York, not the moon.
“Quinn!”
I had to fight back tears yet again as I turned to find Mel staring at me.
“Hi.”
The worst goodbye. The one I’d been dreading.
We walked toward each other slowly.
“Now you listen to me.” She was already scolding me, something she never did about my performances but always did when I mentioned my perceived shortcomings. “We arenotgoing to cry, got it? What’s happening is a good thing. It’s growth. And it’s not like we won’t see each other. I’m going to be in your underwear more than ever as you get everything off the ground. And once you’re up and running, well, we both know what happens then. You’re going to regret asking me to be a part of it.”
“Never,” I replied, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from crying, because I’d spent the past four years in this rink listening to her instructions, and it had worked out pretty damn amazing for me. “You’re a pivotal part of what’s to come.”
“Good,” she bobbed her head once.
