Chapter 26

Keeping The Distance

The first week of August found Kathy, Alexander and their coaches in Moscow.
They were supposed to train in Russia until Skate America, their first competition of the season.
Unfortunately things weren't going as smooth as they had hoped. Their programs were still a bit ... unshaped, Kathy was feeling a bit homesick and, to top it all, her ex-partner was in Moscow, too. He and his new partner were working with a Russian choreographer for the season.
Actually the two couples 'shared' Alena Rostova, for the moment, although Kathy and Alexander's programs were usually choreographed by Igor's wife, 'the nice Russian lady' as she had been dubbed by Abby.
She missed Abby. As annoying as she was, that very moment Kathy wished she would be home even listening to the nine year old's rantings.
It had been a terrible day. She had woken up that morning hoping the day would be a good one, that the stupid original dance would look good on ice for once and, most important, that Charles would stop teasing her every chance he got.
As the day progress, however, she realized she had done too much hoping.
Their training session had gone fine until 'America's sweethearts' Adams and Crawford took the ice and Kathy froze. She couldn't explain why his presence on the same ice affected her so much. Maybe because the moment he looked at her, she knew that to him she'd always be the fat and silly chick that looked at him with puppy eyes and begged him not to end their partnership.
With him there, she couldn't do a damn thing. She couldn't concentrate, couldn't skate ... And she hated it. She had never been the 'queen of confidence' on the ice and finally, with Alexander, she felt more confident than ever. Until Charles looked at her, that mocking smile on his face. Then she was a mess.
Today had been pretty much the same until ... it got worse.
The moment Adele and Charles stepped on the ice Kathy became clumsy and unfocused. Both skaters and coach were relieved to end the day's training half an hour later.
Kathy had just finished drowning her misery in the shower and was waiting patiently for her partner, when Charlie entered the locker room.
"Haven't gone back home, yet?" he snickered.
"I'm waiting for Alex" she answered not looking at him.
"Oh, no, I mean home, in the U.S." he said "Skating's not for whales. I thought you'd have that figured out by now".
"Why do you have to be this mean?" Kathy asked her voice trembling slightly.
"I'm being realistic here, babe. Unlike you. I'm sure your partner has figured out what a waste of ice time you were. How do you manage to keep him from dumping you? Sleeping with him?"
Kathy was boiling with rage. She stood up to slap him, but didn't get the chance because Alexander's fist came out of nowhere and collided with Charlie's nose.
"Alex, no!" Kathy screamed and tried to get between them while Charlie responded by punching back aiming for Alexander's eye.
"Stay out of this!" Alexander yelled and for a moment she froze. Apparently enough for someone to grab her arm and pull her back.
Igor and another Russian skater stopped the two.
"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Igor yelled at them "Your coach is going to hear about this. Now get out of my sight" he told Charlie. "Not you" he added when Alexander made a move to leave, too. "I want to talk to you" he added.
"But Kathy ..." Alex mumbled.
"Tami can take her back to the skate house" he said and the girl who now had one arm around Kathy's shoulders nodded and said
"Sure, coach Igor, no problem. Come on, Katenka" she added "Let's have a nice cup of milk".
"I, I ... hate this ..." Kathy spoke in a shaky voice staring at the floor.
"Sorry, I forgot" Tami shrugged trying to lighten the mood although everybody could tell that as much as Kathy didn't like milk this was definitely not about it.
"How about hot chocolate then?" the other skater asked smiling.
......................................................................................................................................
Ice dancer Tamara Koroleva was one year older than Kathy. She and her partner were Russia's number one dance team, with great chances to win gold at the upcoming Olympic Games.
That had changed slightly when Tamara got pregnant. Kathy didn't know the whole story behind it, it was way too complicated. Vsevolod Krutchev, a hansom guy in his early thirties and the team's coach, had been Tamara's boyfriend for a few months but apparently the baby she was carrying wasn't his, but her partner's. How they had gotten to conceive a baby and why Tami was with someone else was beyond Kathy's understanding, but she didn't really care either.
Tami had become her friend since they shared a room at the skate house in Odintsovo (near Moscow) and she had to intention to question the way she lived her life or the reason behind it.
Tami could have shared a room with her boyfriend, but Igor's wife, Tatiana wouldn't have it. Kathy wasn't sure weather it was because an unmarried couple living together would have been a bad example for the young skaters or to make sure Kathy wouldn't feel lonely. The truth was she didn't. And she liked Tami. She was also very grateful that, due to her advanced pregnancy (past eight months along), Tami didn't go out that much so she had company almost all the time.
The only 'visitors' they had were their respective coaches and partners.
Tami's partner, Dmitry Makarov was the skater who broke the fight between Alexander and Charlie ...
"Feeling better?" Tami asked pouring her the promised hot chocolate.
Kathy sighed. She was definitely trouble ...
"I guess" she finally answered.
"I have a doctor's appointment in about an hour. Will you be okay if I leave you alone?" Tami asked slightly worried.
"I'm not really the suicidal type, so, yeah, I'll be fine" Kathy answered.
"Okay, then" Tami said and gave a her a peck on the cheek. "Bye, Katenka!"