Ice Queen

Chapter 57 ~ "I'm so lucky"

☆ Warning, some sexual content in this chapter. ☆ 

Sasha

Never before, in my entire life has a win felt this amazing. Nothing feels real, it's like everything's moving in slow motion. Everybody I loved had been here to see it, I almost didn't believe it when my brothers scooped me into a hug. I believed it less when Nate showed up.

I don't think I've even enjoyed a moment like this, kissing Nate after winning my national championship. Every year I've gotten close but I've never actually won. This meant I could really have a shot at the Olympics. 

"What did I tell you?" Nate whispers and I smile. "You knocked it out of the park."

I couldn't believe the fact he was really here, that he'd flown over here with my brothers just to see me. It was a moment that belonged in a Nicholas Sparks film, not in my life.

"Ahem." I hear someone clear their throat and I see Nik and Alex standing close-by. I get out of Nate's arms, feeling mildly embarrassed and walk over to them.

"Way to go, Sash." Alex says quietly and I get a hug from him. Nik then squishes in on the other side, effectively trapping me in a hug-sandwich. It was such a sweet moment I easily forgot I couldn't breathe. I just let them squeeze the life out of me, happy to see them.

"Thanks for making the trip worth-while." Nik teases and I give him a shove.

"Way to ruin the sentimental moment." I whine and he laughs.

Then I make my way back over to properly hug and thank Kate and Johnathan. This had all been thanks to them and I was so happy to have them here.

"Thanks for everything." I tell Kate and she smiles.

"You did it." She reminds me. "You had the routine, the steps and the drive. We just helped."

"You skated wonderfully." Johnathan says and I get a brief hug from him too.

Then I get a nice group hug from everyone, I was so happy everyone could be here. This was a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time.

After the hug dissipates, I notice my parents standing not far away. I didn't quite know how to respond but they were my parents, I needed to say something at least.

I walk up to mom and she smiles, giving me a brief hug.

"Well done, Sasha." She whispers and I smile. "I think you were wonderful."

After she lets me go I walk over to dad, there were so many things we'd left unsaid, so many things we didn't address. I'd barely spoken to him since I agreed to take this offer.

I wait for the scowl or the critique of my routine, dad usually had a way of bursting my bubble. But it doesn't come, he just nods at me and I feel relieved. Then something really unexpected happens, he gives me a hug.

I don't know if I've had a hug from my dad in ten years, of course it doesn't excuse the way he acted towards me. The hitting and the degrading insults, but in speaking to my mom and Jennifer I'd recently started to figure dad out. 

It's a stiff hug, clearly he's not used to hugging anyone, especially not me with all of our problems. But for the first time ever I felt like I had my father's full support, it felt like he cared.

"O moya doch...." He says quietly. "I'm so proud of you."

I feel tears well up in my eyes when he says that, that was the single sentence I'd been after for sixteen years. Not long ago everything I did, I did because I wanted my father to be proud of me.