My mom and I arrive in LA where my dad and brother throw a welcome home party for me. All of my friends from the ice rink, school and the neighborhood are gathered in my parents' home. Everyone's so excited for me. I feel their joy and I let that carry me through the evening, ignoring the loss I'm feeling after saying goodbye to Cory. I know I shouldn't let my relationship cloud the results of my victory. But it hurts nonetheless.
"So Lainey, what's next?" I snap back to reality and I look at my dad's friend for a few seconds. I try to formulate a response but for some reason, I don't know what to say. What is next for me? I wonder myself.
My mom steps in, "She's going to join Stars on Ice this spring. She'll get to skate with some of her idols. It's going to be so exciting for her? Right Lainey?" Right mom, I think as she squeezes my shoulders and my hip twinges, reminding me that my skating future may not be what any of us expect. I smile and try to show some enthusiasm. I honestly don't know what to think, but I'm sure mom has it all figured out for me. She would probably give me her leg if mine is unusable. "And tomorrow, she's helming the Disneyland parade and we have a number of meetings with sponsors, like Nike, Visa, United Airlines, and COVERGIRL. They're all interested in Lainey. We're even talking to a publisher about a biography. And maybe even some acting jobs. She's going to be so busy."
I wish I were as happy as my mom. Instead I just feel overwhelmed and guilty that I haven't been honest with her or Sharon about how much pain I'm in.
"It sure sounds like you'll be busy. Congratulations on all of your success. My wife and I and our kids have tracked your progress all these years. We're so glad to see your hard work pay off. Now what about the next Olympics? Are you going to spend the next four years trying to go back?" he asks. "Or will you be too old?"
The next Olympics? Too old? I can't even process that thought at this moment. And I'm not about to discuss it with a man I hardly know. I feel my anxiety rising; I have to get out of here. I make up some excuse that I have to use the bathroom and I let my mom handle the inquiring minds in the room. I float through the party trying to get to the bathroom. I can't get very far without someone stopping and congratulating me. Soon, it doesn't even feel like I'm the one shaking hands and saying thank you. A new Lainey has taken hold. But inside, I'm the same old Lainey wondering what all the fuss is about. But everyone here seems to be seeing and treating me differently now. It's like I'm a new person. How can I be the old Lainey again?
I find my skating friends and stop to catch my breath. They'll understand what I'm going through. Only they're talking about Worlds in March, which adds to my stress. I feel my heart racing. Deep down, I know I'm not physically or mentally up for it, but I'm having a hard time admitting it. I really should talk to Sharon about possibly pulling out. My hip hurts just standing here talking to my friends. That's not a good sign.
My best friend Michelle puts her arm around me. "Lainey's going to get sucked into all that cash with Stars on Ice and go pro. Just watch."
"You totally should," my other friend Julie suggests. "I hear you can make millions going pro. Who doesn't want to make millions?"
"I haven't decided what I'm going to do," I say.
"You don't have to decide tonight," Kelly, my other skating buddy, chimes in. "I quit competing two years ago and I don't miss it. I don't have to get up at 3 am to get to the rink by 4 anymore. It's amazing to sleep in til 9 or 10. I love skating even more now that I do it for fun and not for my career."
"That sounds nice," I agree.
"But don't you want to do it again? You worked so hard for so many years. What's four more years?" Julie asks.
YOU ARE READING
Olympic Conquest
Romance"You already are the person I want you to be. I see so much more in you that you won't allow yourself to see." Lainey is on her way to her first and probably only Olympics. At twenty-two, she has finally made the U.S. Figure Skating Team after yea...