Chapter 7: What makes you different makes you beautiful

Embers were so pretty, Lauren thought to herself as she stoked the fire absent mindedly. The old log burner was out of place with the rest of the house's fancy furnishings, but her mother had always loved it. And that was why, Lauren suspected, her father insisted it stay. She huddled with a blanket around herself, mesmerised by the flames. Leo came and sat beside her, he put his arm around her and Lauren leant into him. He rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Have I thanked you for coming back to Boulder?"

"No" he squeezed her hand.

"Well, thank you."

"I don't work without you, Lo. I've got no idea why I fell for a five foot blonde ball of adrenaline who has an addiction to chick flicks and Danielle Steel, but it's been the best decision my heart's ever made."

Lauren raised an eyebrow, looking uncannily like Sasha. "You did not just insult Danielle Steel, have you ever read any of her books."

Leo scoffed. "I am way too busy to read for pleasure, and if I did it would not be chick lit."

Lauren stood up and stormed out.

"Lo? What the hell." He got up and followed her. He realised he was going to her library, which was attached to her bedroom. She returned with a pile of books in her hands.

"Your homework Mr Cruz, read these books."

"You want me to read these? Are you serious?"

"You made me read Game of Thrones, you read Danielle Steel."

Leo groaned. Why couldn't he have fallen in love with a bimbo who hated to read?

"Keep making that face and I won't cook the waffles I was going to make you!"

Leo kissed her.

XXX

Brian yawned and went into his mother's room. Since Emily had moved to New York he'd shouldered most of the responsibility of making sure Chloe was organised, which was a full time job in itself really. At least with the trust fund Emily had set up they had the house; and they no longer had to worry about the bills being paid. He was so lucky that he had a sister talented enough to be a professional athlete but at the same time smart enough to get a full scholarship to college.

"Ma?" said Brian gently, "it's time to get up, oh you're up!" He said, surprised. Chloe was sitting at her desk.

"Hi Son" she quickly put the letter she was reading into her desk drawer. "I'll be down in a minute."

Brian smiled "awesome, I'm making poached eggs." Brian found it odd that Chloe was up so early.

Chloe joined him in the dining room, she was dressed in a blue dress with a matching headband. She looked all of seventeen.

"You look nice today."

Chloe blushed.

"Meeting someone?" Now Brian was really suspicious. Was his mother going on a date?

"Haha, I wish, no sweetie. The boss is just coming in today. Now could you pass the orange juice?"

XXX

"So how do you think your announcement will impact on the sport of gymnastics, and the ability for parents to trust coaches with their daughters?"

It took all of Payson's self-control not to slap the reporter. Smug cow, clearly single she thought to herself.

"Payson and I did not start dating until she retired from gymnastics. Before that she was solely my gymnast. I would never put her safety at risk, in any way at all."

"What about her injury at 2009 nationals and then again her injury at the 2012 nationals?"

MJ stood up "thank you, Camille. This interview is now over." She abruptly stood up and ushered the journalist out. It was a tacky way to end the interview, and no doubt it would take her boss hours of schmoozing to get them back on good terms with that station but she didn't care. She could tell that Sasha was about to explode. And when Sasha exploded it wasn't pretty.

"Sorry about that love" Sasha said when they were alone in the car after the interview.

"It's not your fault. And besides, it kind of feels good to have this out in the open you know. No more hiding, and if people don't like us they can lump it. Rachel's going to ace it at the American Cup, and we've got Lauren and Kaylie back, not to mention Zara." The first year senior had recently transferred to the Rock, and she had the best lines of any athlete this quad, in Sasha's opinion. The Rock team was dynamite.

Sasha chuckled "this is true." He pulled the rental car over. "This is where Emily is?"

"Yes, thanks for the ride. See you at the airport."

Payson was glad to have done the interview tour. It had been embarrassing but she'd got to spend time with Sasha and now they were in New York. So she could see Emily. She missed her friend.

Seconds after she'd knocked on the door it swung open and she was wrapped in one of Emily's famous bear hugs.

"It's so good to see you!"

Payson followed her through to the longue. Typical of both Emily and Damon it was messy. CDs littered the floor, and the chair that was clearly Emily's had a pile of books next to it, along with her writing notebook and several cups.

"You've still got your cup collection I see." Payson teased.

"You know how lazy I am. I can never be bothered to wash them. I was up to seven cups yesterday. I think I need professional help."

"Well admitting it is the first step to recovery. How does Damon cope with hardly having any cups due to living with the cup monster?"

Emily sighed. "To be honest, he's not around all that much. I miss gymnastics Payson. Until now I've always had a goal to work towards, and now. I've got lots of free time. You know I thought I'd love that. But it sucks. I feel like a freaking housewife who doesn't do housework."

Payson hugged Emily. "You are incredible Emily. It's totally normal to feel empty after everything you work for has ended."

"The fact it's normal doesn't make it fun."

Payson sighed "no it doesn't. It's so weird to think we'll never train for the Olympics again. No more aiming for those five rings."

"Yeah, it's like a part of me has died. I know that sounds melodramatic, but there hasn't been a time in my life when pushing for London was in the back of my mind. It must have been how you felt after you hurt your back."

"Yes, but a thousand times worse. I could hardly look Kaylie in the eye for months, and I just wanted to cry all the time."

"How did you get through it?"

"I finally learned there was more to life than gymnastics, I did some photography and helped organise the prom."

Emily smiled "you did such a good job. Damon almost sang out loud in public. He's come so far."

"You both have" Payson gave her best friend a quick hug "you'll figure out what you're meant to do soon Em, and before you know it you'll be acing all your classes at Harvard and won't have time to think of your thick friends back home."

Emily laughed "you are many things but thick is not one of them. Come on – Full House reruns? I bought all the seasons. It's so addictive."

Payson and Emily sat on Emily's couch watching DJ and Stephanie Tanner fight over who got a piece of cake, and Payson was once again hit by the feeling of nostalgia that came so often nowadays. She loved coaching and she loved Sasha but Emily and Kelly were going to be starting a new phase of their lives, Lauren and Kaylie were back on the gym and she wasn't sure where her life was going. It was such a foreign concept to her. After a few hours of bumming in front of the TV and eating carrot and celery sticks Payson looked at her watch. "Crap I'm going to be late." She gave Emily a quick hug and went to catch a taxi.

Emily cleaned up the lounge. She looked at her watch. Damon was working late again. She sighed. She hardly ever saw him anymore. She finally appreciated what it must have been like for him when she was in her intense training. She quickly whipped up some pumpkin soup and garlic bread. When it became clear Damon wouldn't be home for dinner she ate hers and then decided to take Payson's advice. She went on the internet and looked up running groups. If she couldn't be a gymnast anymore, she was going to try running. She'd always been fast, her lean frame and long legs meant she was swift, and she loved the feeling of running, so fast that no one could catch her.

XXX

"Hi sweetie, how was school?" Darby asked her daughter. Wednesday was the day that the elites only trained in the mornings so she could be home when Jenna got in from school.

"Fine" Jenna said softly.

"Would you like some pears?" Jenna loved fruit.

"No thank you, I've got homework."

"Ok sure honey." Darby was worried about her daughter. She'd just started coming out of her shell but a few weeks ago she'd become withdrawn again.

She went upstairs to get her jersey and she heard a sound coming from Jenna's room. She pressed her ear to the door, her kid was sobbing! She swore under her breath. She knew how to deal with tears of her gymnasts, but it was so much different when it was your own daughter. At a loss for what to do she rang the only person who could help.
"Margi, it's Darby."

"Hi sugar, how are things going?"

"Um they're ok."

"Just ok?"

"Well…it's Jenna. I've done something."

"What?"

"I don't know, she seemed so happy a few weeks ago but lately she's been really quiet and now she's in her room crying and I don't know what to do. She's such a private girl, I don't know if she'd want me to go in there or not."

"Oh honey. I highly doubt it's something you've done. And I know Jenna's a private and shy wee thing, but she loves you, she would never have gone to live with you if she didn't trust you. I think she would want you to go in. Just give her a hug – don't press her into opening up, just hold her. If she wants to talk she will. But I also think you should give her teacher a ring, just to check everything's okay with school."

"Thanks, Margi."

"Good luck sweet heart and give Jen my love."

Darby hung up her phone and knocked on her daughter's door.

"Come in."

Darby opened the door into the light blue room with emerald green curtains and matching bedspread. Jenna's tastes were so different to what Darby's had been as a child. She could hardly believe how she had produced a daughter with such a different personality to hers. She came and put an arm around the crying girl. Jenna lent her head on Darby's shoulder. "Your grandma was an amazing woman Jenna, have I told her about her?"

"Not much."

"She raised your uncle and I all by herself, and do you know she had a lot of rules, but she had one rule that was really important."

"What rule was that Ma?"

"That it was okay to cry but that it wasn't okay to cry alone, and to let others help you when things went wrong, because family is always there for each other, even when things are hard."

"My foster Mum never said that, she said crying was wrong."

"Oh Jenna, never feel that you have to hide your tears from me. Crying doesn't mean you're not brave. It doesn't mean you're weak or silly. It means that you've been too strong for too long."

Jenna hugged Darby tightly. "I just wish that I could make friends – why don't people like me Mummy?"

Darby felt like a knife was piercing her heart at her daughter's words. "Anyone who doesn't like you isn't worth your friendship. You are beautiful and brave and strong. If they don't like you because you are a bit different and a bit shy, then that is their loss."

Jenna looked doubtful but she bit her lip and nodded. "Are there any pears left?" she asked hopefully.

Darby chuckled, "that's my girl, whenever you're down have sugar."

Jenna giggled "don't let Sasha hear you say that!"

Darby pinched her daughter's cheek and went downstairs.

XXX

Emily groaned. Why did the sun insist on rising every morning and interrupting her sleep? It was so rude. She was contemplating getting new blackout curtains but she was going to moving out of the apartment in six weeks. She turned over and to her surprise Damon was already up. That was weird normally he liked his sleep even more than she did. She looked at her phone and saw a text "sorry Em I can't make it home tonight, recording late – see you tonight". Emily groaned. She knew Damon was busy but she had left her son and her family to be with him, and she didn't want to feel selfish, but it would be nice if he came home more often. Or at least called her instead of just sending stupid texts. She got up had breakfast and brushed her teeth. Then she got into her running gear and tracksuit to find the Manhattan Harriers Club.

When she got there she saw a bunch of about 12 people, all lean and wiry. There were four men in their forties, two children who looked about fourteen, three women she thought were in their mid-twenties, a lady who looked about sixty, and two men in their early twenties. One of them walked over to her. "Emily Kmetko? I'm Robin Michaels."

"That's me."

"It's so great to have you here. Brady has been dying to meet you." He said indicating to the teenage girl in the group. "So, know much about running?"

Emily laughed "how about I show you. Try and keep up."

"Oh is that a challenge?"

"It might be." Emily started running up the track. "What's the matter? Worried about being beaten by a girl?"

"You wish, I just wanted to give you a head start so as not to hurt your feelings but with an ego like that I see that won't be a problem, he ran to join her."

Emily grinned, the wind rushing through her hair, with Robin at her side, the others following behind them. This was better, she was home. It wasn't gymnastics, but it sure bet sitting at home moping.

XXX

"Isn't your Mum normally home by now?" Becca asked Brian. They were playing chess, having finished their homework. Becca loved hanging with Brian, he was so much more relaxed than all her other friends. Happy to just sit there in silence if that was what was needed. And he didn't rabbit on about clothes or movies. He was what her mother called an old soul. And she had never in a million years expected that she'd enjoy chess but it was actually fun. She loved the way Brian teasingly coached her, enough to make her competitive but not enough to make her feel stupid. And he didn't let her win either. Which was nice.

"Yeah I guess. She's been working late a lot I guess."

"Really? That's weird the hair salon seems to close at the same time."

"It's weird. Last week she was up early and writing a letter and then I came in and she acted all evasive. She made up some excuse which was blatantly a lie."

A mischievous grin grew on Becca's face. "You know what would be totally dope of us – we should see what she was writing!"

Brian scowled. "No Becca that wouldn't be totally dope of us. How would you like it if someone went through your stuff? We're not six."

Becca scowled. She hated feeling immature and petty, especially around Brian who was so grown up. "Whatever, it was just a suggestion. No need to get in a mood."

"I'm not in a mood. I'm just annoyed that you'd think of snooping like a little kid. I thought you were different to the other kids but you're just like them. Immature." He said the last word with a taste of disgust. And Becca felt like he'd slapped her.

"Well if you feel that way maybe I should leave."

"Becca wait, I'm sorry. You're special and clever and one of my best friends." He wanted to add something else to that sentence too, but he was terrified she'd reject him. The three words that were the hardest to say.

Becca gave a sad smile "I'm sorry too, but I should go. I've got a test tomorrow." She touched his shoulder lightly.

"I'll show you out." Brian said sadly. He hated it when they fought.

"Hi honey" Chloe breezed in a couple of hours later.

"Mum, where were you? It's almost nine."

Chloe paused. "I was working late sweetie." She kissed him on the cheek.

"But the salon still closes at five."

"Well there was a lot of cleaning up, and Sandy wanted to go over the accounts."

"Mum, only a madman would let you near anyone's accounts, and then only if they were drunk."

Chloe laughed to cover up her hurt. She loved her kids more than life but sometimes she wished they'd respect her a bit more. "Charming as always. Listen I'm off to bed, sleep well."

Brian kissed her on the cheek. Becca's idea suddenly sounded pretty appealing.

XXX

Kaylie turned to smile at Austin. She'd been waiting for the past night for a long time. She'd always dreamed of waking up next to him. And now here he was, in her bed.

"Morning princess." Austin whispered, kissing her softly.

"That was the best night of my life" Kaylie whispered, two tears falling down her pretty cheeks.

"And we'll have many more." Austin kissed her again and Kaylie thought she'd explode from happiness.

"Kaylie sweetie? Are you still in bed? You need to get up, you've got practice today."

Kaylie and Austin looked at each other "crap! We overslept. Get in the wardrobe! Go!" Kaylie kicked Austin out of bed.

"Ow!" Austin rubbed his stomach, there were some downsides to dating a woman who was an elite gymnast. He hobbled over to the wardrobe.

"Oh stop being such a drama queen, you're an Olympic gymnast for crying out loud!"

"Yeah well so are you! That hurt."

"Kaylie – is everything ok in there?"

"Fine Mum, I'm just getting dressed listening to the radio. I'll be down in a minute."

XXX

Darby was tired. She'd been pulling long hours going through the applications of gymnasts. So far Sasha had added ten gymnasts to his team. Eight were under ten but there were two new girls who were going to the American Classic in a couple of months to try qualify for elite. And that meant extra training. Also in the past couple of weeks Jenna had been insisting that Darby help her with her homework. Which was fine except Darby had always hated school, and it was even harder to focus on someone else's work. It was weird because Jenna didn't need the help. She was doing well, Darby suspected that Jenna just wanted to spend time with her. Which was sweet but kind of annoying. Then Darby cringed, she felt so selfish. This motherhood business was far harder than she'd dreamed it would be. She had an idea though. Today she was going to take Jenna to the Rock Saturday practice. Jenna loved gymnastics. Darby had been reluctant to let her try it seriously, at least while she was still settling into Boulder. But she'd had such a rough time at school recently that Darby wanted her to have something nice.

Sasha was amazed. Lauren had just done a Yurchenko 1.5 on the vault! She'd only been back training vault after her ankle sprain for three weeks.

"Again Tanner" he said, hiding his excitement. He wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Lauren did as she was told. Her entry was perfect, her landing stuck. Her legs glued together right through the flight. It was amazing.

"Well?" Lauren asked.

"It was…bloody incredible. Can you try the double?"

"Yep" Lauren easily added another half twist. This new Lauren was incredible.

"Well done Tanner, take five then we'll move to bars."

Lauren nodded. Sasha turned his back and went to walk over to the beam where his two new seniors were. But something caught his eye. He turned back to the vault. He saw a familiar looking girl do a double twisting Yurchenko. He ran over to the vault. Caught between excitement about how good the vault was an absolute terror that there was a girl he'd never seen before doing an incredibly difficult vault with no one watching. Then he realised the girl was Jenna. Darby's girl.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Darby ran over to Jenna, holding her in a bear hug, then checking her up and down to make sure she was ok.

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes, Sasha walked over intrigued.

"Sorry Mummy I didn't know it was wrong."

"How did you know how to do that? Who taught you?"

"No one."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not…I promise" the tears that Jenna was trying to hold back finally spilled over. "I just watched Lauren and copied what she did. It was the same vault Emily did, and some of those others in London wasn't it?"

"Yes…but how did you know what to do?"

"I just remembered what they did and then visualised it and then I just did it. I didn't know it was wrong."

"Oh honey it wasn't wrong. It's just that the vault you just did normally takes people years to learn. Until about five years ago it was the vault that the top elites did. The fact you managed to pull it off is impressive, but promise me you won't go trying skills like that without someone watching you."

"I promise."

"Good, now can you play on the trampoline for a bit?"

Jenna nodded and walked away.

Darby walked over to Sasha. She was shaking. Impulsively Sasha hugged her tightly. "She's ok. Nothing happened."

"I know, but what if something did?"

"It didn't, you can if yourself to death Darby, I'd advise against it."

Darby nodded. "What did you think?"

"Honestly? That was bloody amazing. She's got natural talent Darby, you can't deny it. And you said she was having a rough time at school? Maybe this is what she needs to boost her confidence."

Darby shook her head "no I don't want to put her on the elite track."

"Why not, she's got the talent, and from what I've seen she's quite focused. She seems coachable."

"It's not that, Sasha, it's just that she's been around Olympic champions for so long and she's such a hard worker at school. I just don't want to get her hopes up, and then get crushed. And I can see her working herself into the ground."

It was Sasha's turn to sigh this time. "Oh Darby. Did you see that vault? Look at her now."

Jenna was doing perfect saltos over the trampoline. She had a grin on her face that Darby hadn't seen since she was in London. "She looks happy."

"Yes she does. Just give her a chance at least?"

Darby nodded "fine, but if she gets overworked or even seems disillusioned you're not to bully her into her continuing, am I clear?"

Sasha chuckled "thanks Darby, you've made an old man very happy. And a young girl very happy too."

Darby rolled her eyes. Everyone at the Rock was insane. Every single person.

A/N I am SO SO SORRY that this is so late. I've been buried in assignments and exams! But I am now free (yay!) so hopefully updates will come sooner. Thanks for bearing with me and please let me know what you thought! Have a good weekend y'all