Chapter 42

Viper


While the skaters are getting ready the zamboni clears the ice. I have Casper in my ear saying that Sabine has just changed into her second costume and they are going over some last minute details. The announcer says the first set of skaters is ready for the ice. I watch what Sabine is up against.Casper told me Sabine doesn’t watch the other skaters or their scores. She did once when she was first starting out and it threw her off. She ended up placing fourth that time. Now she focuses on herself and not let what the other skaters are doing bother her.

The skaters are good. Even a little boring. Their program is dull. Very mechanical and no flare. Nothing to set them apart. And their score shows it. They need a combined score of one hundred and forty five to be in the top. This pair got one hundred and ten. The next set wasn’t much better. They got a score of one hundred and twenty. The third set the guy dropped the girl during a lift. They lost points for that and ended up with one hundred and five. The set just before Sabine was good. Really good. They got one hundred thirty five.

Sabine and Isaac are on the ice now. The lights are dimmed. Their costumes are now white. Most of Sabine’s is that material that looks like skin that I don’t like and a short flowing skirt. As much as I hate to admit it, she looks stunning. With her flawless makeup and hair pulled up high on her head the streaks of blue and purple shining my girl is glowing. They are skating to Ed Sheeran’s “ Thinking Out Loud.” Skating, sure. They are dancing on skates. “ A beautiful performance by Pixie. The side-by side triple axels were perfectly timed.” The announcer said. I watch Issac grab Sabine’s boot as she skates backwards. I know what is coming next. I brace my hands on the wall and lean in. Isac spins her in a circle making her Sabine go up and down. Her face is so close to the ice I’m worried she is going to hit it.

Issac launches her in the air and instead of going into the wall Sabine spins three times before Issac actually catches her. They landed it. I shout out “ Yea.” “ I can’t believe what I just saw. That was amazing. Pixie has never done pair’s skating and they just nailed an impossible move not many people would even try.” an announcer said. The last minute went by in a flash and Sabine was suddenly in front of me smiling. No, she was beaming.

They settle in and wait for the scores. Sabine and Issac end up getting a perfect score of one hundred and forty five. They have earned enough to put them at the top. I race over, pick Sabine up and spin her around. Sabine laughs and wraps her arms around my neck. “ We did it Ethan. Did you see?” she asks. “ Baby, I did see and I’m so proud of you.” I said before I slammed my lips on hers. Let this entire arena see that Sabine is mine. I carefully place Sabine on her feet. They have a winner’s podium to get to.

Pixie


I can’t believe Issac and I came in first in the pair’s competition. This was my first time being a team and I really didn’t think we would place. At least not that high. But the credit goes to Issac and Nixon. Issac put in the work. He had to learn a new routine and new partner in a short period of time. Nixon stood by and watched the training videos over and over to see where we were making mistakes. We went over the routine until we were so sore it hurt to move. But in the end it all worked out. Issac and his husband and several others went out to celebrate the victory. Since I had to compete today I chose to go home with my husband and relax. I had intended to do more than relax but after the bubble bath Viper shared with me I didn’t have the energy for anything more. And honestly it sucked because I absoultly wanted more. And judging by what was poking me in the back during our bath, so did Viper.

I’m fourth for the ice today. Which is fine by me. I don’t like being first and I’m not fond of being last. I like towards the middle. I get my warm ups in and can talk to Nixon for last minute instructions or tips. I know Viper is off to the side but he won’t come near me. He respects that I need to focus and when he is around I can’t. And it makes me love him even more. He knew nothing about the skating world but embraced it because it was part of me. He didn’t make jokes about skating not being a real sport. Or that only gays skate. When Jax decided to figure skate instead of playing hockey he didn’t put his nephew down are try to talk him out of it. He supported him.

I saw the pride in his eyes as he watched Jax skate at intermission yesterday. Hell the whole club was there cheering little Jax on. I’m used to the Devils supporting me but it felt good to see the Renegades supporting Jax like that. And it wasn’t them just being here. They were shouting and cheering for Jax. Not something that is usually done in skating but I loved it. I can’t wait to see their reactions when he skates tonight. There are two short intermission shows tonight. The boys will show off what they have learned and so will my girls. I am so proud of those kids. They have worked their butts off to get where they are. They train almost as much as I do. I will be watching from the side lines.

But that is for me to deal with later. I have to get ready for my short program. I need to focus on that and let everything else fade away. The clubs, my marriage, my parents that I still haven’t talked to and the stalker shit. All of it has to go. I close my eyes and visualize my jumps and spins. That is all that matters right now.