When the opening piano notes of “Wait For It” by Hamilton played, my hand moved on its own and snatched Josie’s, not taking my eyes off of Emmie for even a second. I held Josie’s smaller palm in mine, squeezing in anticipation.
Watching Emmie skate was…indescribable. It was like watching someone be exactly who they were meant to be. Emmie was meant to skate. She was meant to be out there, ruling the ice like a queen on her throne.
I tightened my hold on Josie’s hand when Emmie skated backward, ready for her first jump of the routine. One second, she was on the ice, the next, she was flying and twisting in the air three times. She landed each with precision, not a single wobble in sight.
“That’s new,” Coach remarked. He was right. She never did a triple axel right out of the gate.
I couldn’t look away as she glided down the ice, almost as if her skates weren’t even touching it. Every flick of her wrist and sweep of her arm was perfectly in time with the music. It was like the music itself was speaking through her. It was mesmerizing.
I was spellbound as she went from move to move. Every jump, she landed with control. Every spin was like gravity didn’t even exist. And somehow, with all that pressure on her shoulders, she made it look effortless. Showed every person in this stadium that she belonged here.
The music shifted, the peak of the song about to hit, and the crowd around us seemed to hold their breath. Mine was stuck in my chest as I watched.
As Emmie skated into her last spin that defied all sort of physics, I moved to the edge of my seat. This was it.
The final notes of her music rang through the arena as Emmie fell to her knees, gliding across the rink, head thrown back, fingers barely grazing the cold ice. It was a new move I hadn’t seen her do before.
Just as the last note played, Emmie came to a stop, still on her knees with her eyes directed upward.
Utter stillness followed. Like every single person in here needed a second to comprehend what they just witnessed. Then the place erupted. The sound hit like a wave, cheering and screaming, as I stared at the woman in the center of the ice.
Emmie straightened slowly, blinking like she was coming back to herself. Her cheeks were flushed. One hand flew to her mouth as if the reality of what she’d just done started to sink in.
The crowd knew it. I knew it. She knew it.
There was no way that wouldn’t secure her the gold medal.
I was on my feet, shouting as loud as the girls around me, unable to hold back the tears that ran down my face. I turned to my left to find Coach with teary eyes as he stared at his daughter.
Emmie turned in a slow circle, taking in the roaring crowd, eyes glassy as her shoulders shook. Off to the side by the boards, I could see Marcy clapping and crying. No matter what, every single person in Emmie’s life was proud of her at this moment.
When Emmie looked up, eyes finding mine, I was a goner. I tapped my chest three times again. Fresh tears fell as she mouthed the words back. I didn’t need to hear them.I love you.
Emmie moved to get off the ice, only to pause when a voice came through the overhead speakers. It was thequickest the judges came back with scores this entire time. I only caught two words.
My whole body went still.
First place.
Gold.
42
MATEO
Two Years Later….
“We’re here!” I called out, closing the front door of my mom’s house behind Emmie and me.
The familiar surroundings of my childhood home instantly greeted us. The same photos were on the wall of us all growing up, along with new additions with the kids.
The hardwood floors were still the same, similar scuffs and divots from when I was a teenager. The nostalgia of it made me smile. I always wondered why mom and Steven stayed in this house instead of buying a new one when they got married, but I was glad they did. This was home, even if I didn’t live here anymore.
I unclipped Tucker’s leash, letting him loose as he took off down the hallway, nails clicking on the flooring. It took all of three seconds before I heard the squealing of kids calling out Tucker’s name.
“I think we know who the favorite is,” Emmie remarked. With a tug on my hand, she led us down the hallway that went to the kitchen and family room at the back of the house. Loud voices directed us where to go.
The two of us stepped through the archway into the space and instantly had two bodies barreling toward us.
