And…the usual disclaimer: Disney owns the Mighty Ducks. The name, the characters, Orion, the Varsity players, and Linda are not mine. However, I do own any characters you don't recognize…i.e. Ken's parents, Ken's grandfather, Elaine, Brian, Sky, Tony, Sonja, etc.
Kaila – I think I responded in a review for Handbook for the Sellout, but I'm still kinda loopy from the flu and can't be sure of anything at this point. Yes, I'm a skater…I've been figure skating for about 14 years and I play pickup hockey when I get the chance. Fun stuff…There's something about winter sports that I just can't get enough of…can't wait to go snowboarding either…Thanks for the great comments.
Tino – I was never a big Ken fan either, they don't really expand upon his character in the movies…but I realized I could probably get away with writing a convincing story about him…so he's one of my fave's now. Go figure… and Averman…ha! He reminds me a bit of one of my friends from high school…brilliant, witty, but completely apathetic to nearly everything going on around him. And I'm sorry you ended up quitting skating…I've actually quit myself a couple times…for a few years in junior high and again my first year of college…but it just keeps pulling me back! It's actually pulling at me right now…I'm going home for next week and it'll be my first time on the ice in two months…hopefully it'll be good. And don't worry about rambling…rambling is thoroughly entertaining…and I do it all the time…look at me ramble now! Ok…done.
Again, thanks for the great reviews…they mean the world to me. And I made it through my exams…barely. I got the flu last week and ended up taking a few of them with a 102 degree fever…ick. But it's over and I don't have to worry about any of it for 10 days! Hooray! And I know this chapter is short, but I'll have the following one up in a few days, hopefully.
Ken stared at the older man in panic; he hadn't seen or spoken his grandfather in nearly three years, since the disastrous night in Norway. He had never visited or called for Ken since then, and always feeling like he had let his family down, Ken had never contacted him either.
"Why don't the two of you take some time in my office." A quiet voice startled Ken. He hadn't noticed Orion sitting next to his grandfather until he spoke up.
Ken's grandfather nodded. "Thank you." He stood slowly and Ken followed him to Orion's office on the far side of the arena.
His grandfather closed the door behind him, sat in one of the chairs in front of Orion's desk and looked at Ken, an unreadable expression on his face. Ken sat uneasily on the sofa on the opposite wall, feeling very much on edge. His grandfather had always been one of the hardest people to figure out what they were thinking; his face never let anything on. It was extremely unnerving.
Ken sat anxiously, waiting for his grandfather to speak. He half expected him to say how disappointed he was with Ken and how he had disgraced his family and his coaches. But his grandfather remained silent, staring at him intently.
"I- I'm sorry." Ken said quietly, for lack of anything better to say.
The expression on his grandfather's face instantly softened. "There is no reason for you to feel sorry." He told Ken, his formal English just as Ken remembered. "You have done nothing wrong."
"But I screwed up." Ken protested. "I blew the biggest performance of my life!"
"Maybe." Ken started to protest but his grandfather put up a hand to silence him. "You were so young. You still are. You don't know how many more life changing performances there could have been."
Ken considered this. He supposed that could be right. If he hadn't quit skating, he would have had a good ten or more years left of competitive skating, barring any unforeseen disasters. Ken sighed, his grandfather was right.
"But I still let you all down." Again, his grandfather countered him.
"The only way you could have let us down would have been if you had given up, or acted in a way that was not how you were brought up. You did not do that. You skated, you did not give up, even when things did not go the way you hoped. You showed more strength than any of us could have asked you to."
Ken smiled slightly, he had not heard such praise in a long time. But something was still bothering him.
"Why are you here?" He asked his grandfather.
"Your father called me." His grandfather smiled. "Your Coach Orion saw you practicing one morning and though it best to let your parents know. And they called me."
Ken was confused. He understood why Orion called his parents. And even why his parents called his grandfather. "But why are you here?" Ken asked again.
His grandfather smiled again. "Because none of us know your intentions. We do not know if you are just skating to skate or if you are planning to compete again in the future. So, no matter what, I am here.
"You came here for me?" Ken asked incredulously.
"That, and retirement was becoming dull. I go to the market, I play cards, I watch the clouds. There is no excitement. I am not made for than." His grandfather said with a grin.
The wheels were turning in Ken's head. "So…if I wanted to start training again…" he began.
"I would be here to help you." His grandfather finished. "Are you thinking about resuming your training?"
"I hadn't really thought about it until now." Ken replied honestly.
"And…?"
Ken hesitated. Did he really want to start skating seriously again? He loved spending the time on the ice again, but would he still feel that way after five hours of practice six days a week? He had to worry a little bit about school, but though his classes were difficult, he was acing all of them. Plus they only had hockey practice three days a week right now…
His grandfather could sense his uncertainty. "What if you start slow? You take it a bit at a time and figure out exactly what you want to do."
"Just take things as they go." Suggested Ken.
"Exactly."
Ken nodded. "Yeah. Let's see how things go."