“That’s perfect.”
“Great. Thanks, Amelia. I’ll send you an email with some employment forms. I’ll see you soon.”
“Thanks, Madeline,” I gushed before hanging up. I kept dancing around my room until I realized I had to tell Elena. Hopefully she was serious when she said I could move into her guest room.
I took a minute to calm down before calling my sister. I didn’t know her schedule, but hopefully I’d catch her.
“Hey, sis.”
“Elena! Guess what?”
She chuckled. “What’s up?”
“You have a new roommate.”
There was a pause before she cheered. “You got the job? You’re moving here?”
“Yeah! I’m starting on Monday, so I’ll be driving up in a few days.”
“This is the best news, Amelia! I’m so excited to have you here.”
I laid down on my bed with a contented sigh. “Are you sure you’re okay with me moving in? I don’t want to get in the way.”
“Don’t worry at all. I can’t wait to have you here and introduce you to everyone.”
I smiled at the thought of meeting her friends. “I’m excited to meet Nikolay in person.”
Elena wasn’t the type to fall in love so quickly, but she seemed to have fallen head over heels for her neighbor. It might have helped that he just happened to be a ridiculously handsome hockey player.
Not that she was shallow, but it couldn’t have hurt his chances.
“He’s looking forward to it. Plus, you’ll get to meet his mom and sister.”
I remembered they were in Salt Lake for his sister’s cancer treatment. “How are they doing?”
“Yula’s feeling better. She’s almost done with her first course of treatment, so they’ll do scans and tests next to see how well it’s working.”
I shook my head. She was only thirteen and going through something I couldn’t imagine. Once upon a time, I thought not being able to compete was the worst thing that could happen to me. Since then I’d grown up and realized how lucky I was. I was able to move and walk without pain or assistance. I may not have been able to flip off a beam anymore, but I was healthy.
“Will she be able to leave the hospital while she waits?”
“I’m not sure. It depends on the results and what the doctors say.” She was trying to stay strong, but I could hear a bit of trepidation in her voice.
“Hopefully she can, at least for an afternoon or something.”
“I’m sure she would love that.” I could hear the smile in her voice. “Now, are you going to need help driving up here? I could probably fly down to help you drive the moving truck.”
“Well, do I need to bring my bed or any other furniture?”
She sighed. “No, Chloe and her designer made sure my place was fully furnished within a few weeks. I told them I was fine with just the basics, but they took over. It took me a little while to learn that if you give them an inch, they will take a thousand miles.”
I giggled. “And you love not being in control.”
She laughed. “I’m learning to relax and let them take the lead on things. It’s nice not having to plan everything all the time.”
“Wow. I’m impressed. I’ve got to meet these women. They got you to relax. That’s a miracle.”
“Hey I’m not that bad.”
I rolled my eyes. She was totally type A. Her room was always organized to perfection, and if she noticed anything was out of place, she came after me. I may have enjoyed messing with her when we were growing up. I’d move or switch things just enough to drive her crazy trying to figure out what was off.
Apparently, she’d mellowed out, but I wouldn’t believe it until I saw for myself.
“Then I’ll just pack up my clothes and necessities. I can fit all of that in my car.”
“Perfect. Let me know when you plan on leaving.”
“I will.” We said goodbye, then I looked around my childhood room and made a mental list of things I needed to bring. I was going to leave all bad reminders of what could have been. Only positive vibes were coming with me to my new home.
Later, when I sat down to dinner with my parents my knee was bouncing a hundred miles a minute.
“Everything okay, Amelia?” Mom asked with a small smile, like she was trying to keep in a laugh.
I nodded and looked between them. “I have some news.”
They shared a look before Dad turned to me. “What is it?”
“I sent in an application to a physical therapy office, and had an interview today.”
Dad’s eyebrows shot up. “What office? Is it the one in Sugar Land?”
I shook my head.
“Oh, then the one in Katy?”
“No, it’s not in Texas.”
Mom gasped. “Where is it?”
“Salt Lake City.”
They were silent until Dad cleared his throat. “You don’t have to move three states away to get a job, Amelia.”
I shrugged. “I kind of do. I haven’t had a single reply to any of my applications here. Not one email or phone call. You know I tried to clear things up after Martin and—”
“Don’t say her name.” Mom cut me off.
I sighed. “I can’t find work here. Elena spoke to her friend that works at a clinic there and she offered me a position.”
Dad remained silent, but I could see he resigned to the idea. They both knew how hard the past several months had been on me. After rebuilding my life when my gymnastics career ended, we thought the hardest part was over. There wasn’t anything that could break me like that. Then, I met the man that would completely change my life. For the worse.
Four years of hard work, studying, clinicals, and late nights studying meant nothing once word spread. My parents had seen my world fall apart all over again. They tried to stay optimistic and held onto the hope that I’d find a job here, but it had been months. I couldn’t keep waiting when an amazing opportunity fell in my lap.
“I already called Elena and she said I can live with her.”
Mom smiled. “It would be nice for you two to be together again.”
We hadn’t lived together since I was in middle school. She was graduated and in college before I turned fourteen. She came home for some holidays, but after she finished college and moved to Los Angeles for her career, we went months then years without visits. Living with her was more than I could ever ask for. I missed my sister and getting more than a few video chats a week would be amazing.
“I just hate that you think you need to leave. It should be them that runs.” Dad said bitterly.
“I’m not running, Dad. This is a really great opportunity for my career. Salt Lake has so many professional teams I could end up working with.”
He nodded. “We have that here too.”
I reached across the table and placed my hand on his wrist. “I’m going to be okay.”
His eyes glistened when they met mine. “I know, Sweetie. You’ll be great.”
3
Derrek
Pucks flew at me in a nearly perfect rhythm. I shifted, stood, dropped, and threw out my hand, stopping almost all of them. Erik got one past me in the five-hole and laughed as he skated by. I shook my head and focused on Reese coming toward me. He liked to go for the top left corner, but he knew I knew that. I watched his stick moving the puck swiftly and anticipated what he thought he could trick me with. I dropped to my knees as he pulled back for a wrist shot. I blocked my left corner and smiled when the puck hit my stick and bounced out.