Him & I

Just the Two of Us

We look for love, no time for tears
Wasted water's all that is
And it don't make no flowers grow
Good things come to those who wait
Not for those who wait too late
We gotta go for all we know
Just the two of us
We can make it if we try

----Just the Two of Us, Grover Washington, Jr.

Cait drove Grayson to the airport, reminding herself that she would see him in twenty-four hours.  She told him how much she appreciated him being with her.  And that she couldn't wait to get back home.

They'd had a lot going on in the past couple of months.  It was time to get back to the two of them.  Grayson's schedule was easing up.  He had a lot less road games, plus the All Star break coming up.  They needed some time to just start getting back to normal. Or at least whatever passed for normal when it came to the two of them.

*****

Mike Day gratefully accepted the offer of coffee and took a seat across from Cait in the trophy room.  Jack had intentionally put him in that room when he arrived, wanting Day to remember all that his daughter had accomplished.  He didn't know what Mike was about to say to her, but Jack always believed in starting from a position of strength.

And Day had walked to the case, had been carefully examining the five medals there, when Cait entered the room.

Jack left to ask Chitana to make the coffee, trusting that Cait could handle this.

*****

"I've heard some wonderful things about your program at Park City," Day started out. 

"Thank you," Cait said simply.  "But I can't take all of the credit for that.  Phil was an immense help.  And so was Jared, honestly."

"We agreed to it as a pilot, but we'd like to consider expanding it," he said, studying her carefully.  "I don't expect you to finance the whole thing.  USA Skiing would assume your 501(c)(3) and transition to a charitable foundation that would raise money for it.  If you're willing to allow us to take over the concept and expand it."

Cait considered that for a minute.  "I'd like to see the program grow," she said slowly.  "But I also want it to be consistent.  We've developed some core principles that need to be incorporated.  It's about a lot more than teaching them to ski, Mike.  There would need to be someone who oversees all of it."

"And you can certainly do that," he offered.  "If you want. We'd still want you to be involved."

"My father always taught me that it's critical to hire the right person for every job," she smiled.  "While I don't mind staying involved, I'm not the right person for that job.  But I know someone who is.  Meghan Keller.  She's an instructor at Park City, but we made her the head instructor for Bring the Mountain.  She also has a degree in early childhood education.  She would really be better suited than me."

Day pulled out a card and wrote the name down, then studied Cait carefully again.  "What about you?" he asked. 

"What about me?" Cait returned quizzically.

"Cait, I know that I pressured you last year.  That was probably a mistake," he admitted.  "You certainly don't give in to pressure, which I actually admire.  But are you going to consider skiing again?  Even part time?"

"Part time?" Cait raised an eyebrow at him.  "You didn't want me to do that.  You were incensed that I wasn't going to ski the full season last year."

"I think I've accepted that we'll never get you back full time," Day conceded.  "But the door is open.  If you'd like to ski, even a few events, we can work it out. The Games are three years away. You could just stay ready."