I pull up at the boards and grab my water.
She’s still up there.
I’m wound so tight I can feel it in my breathing.
“Hey,” says Chen. “Your transitions were off.”
“I know.”
“First time in a while.”
“Chen.”
“Just saying.” He picks up his water. “Scouts on Saturday.”
“I actually hate you.”
“No, you don’t, but you know I’ll tell you when you have to pull it together.” He skates away.
ELIDA
Finally, the group session ends and the rink empties. Time for the individual session.
Calloway’s footsteps fade down the corridor and then it’s only Russo at the far blue line, not looking at me, stick in hand even though I haven’t said he can keep it yet.
“No sticks.”
He sets it down.
I push off toward the center and he follows and we start with the edge progression, the same sequence we’ve been building on, and for the first few minutes it’s work, albeit I can tell he’s distracted.
Then he says, very casually, “So did you manage to pass on our training notes to Skelly? While you were catching up.”
I stop.
He keeps skating. He loops back and stops in front of me.
“Just curious.”
“Are we really doing this again?”
“I’m just asking.”
“You’re really not.”
“Maybe this is a bad idea. The private sessions. I can find someone else to run this work with you. One of the other coaches could-”
“No.” He says it immediately. His voice is quieter. “No. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up. But… I need the help. Please.”
Thatpleasecosts him something. I can hear it.
“Okay. Then let’s work.”
We go back to it. And it’s better - he’s more present and the difference is immediate. I move around him and give corrections. He accepts them and works to fix what I suggest.
After twenty minutes I ask, “how are you feeling about the game on Saturday?”
“Fine,” he says.
