Of Dreams and Miracles
By Misha

Disclaimer and Rating in Prologue.

A.N- Another new chapter. Like most of the other additions, it's got Gloria in it. I couldn't help it, once I'd added to her to the earlier stuff she just started demanding more and more time and I love her, so... Well, that's all for now, enjoy!

Part Thirty: Dinner With Nana

Four Days Before Opening Ceremonies

The team arrived in New York the day before they were scheduled to play the Soviets. Elizabeth, as was her job, got everyone settled in the hotel and then, after dropping her bags off in her room, she headed to go meet Gloria for dinner.

A bunch of guys were hanging out in the lobby, when she came down.

"Hey gorgeous, where are you going?" Jack called out. Herb had already left the hotel, because he had a meeting, so there was no risk of them getting caught.

"Dinner with my grandmother." Elizabeth told him with a smile.

"Gloria?" Robbie, who was amongst the group of guys, asked with a grin. As her boyfriend, he had been introduced to her grandmother and he had found her entertaining.

"Yeah." Elizabeth agreed. "She's coming tomorrow night and also to Lake Placid."

Robbie's grin widened. "I bet Herb loves that."

"Why, what's your grandmother like?" Silk asked curiously.

"Nana's... One of a kind." Elizabeth said fondly. "But she and Dad don't mesh well."

"Sounds like a plus in your grandmother's favour." Jimmy quipped, causing the other boys to laugh.

Elizabeth turned to Jack. "You should feel lucky, you don't have to meet her yet."

"Oh?" He asked curiously.

"Nana's a character." Elizabeth told him. "And once she finds out that you're dating her only grandchild-"

"Don't you have a brother and sister?" Silk interrupted.

"Half-siblings." Elizabeth said quietly. "Nana is my biological mother's mother."

She rarely talked about the fact that Patti wasn't her birth mother, so it was understandable that the boys hadn't clued in.

"So what is she going to do once she realizes I'm dating her precious granddaughter?" Jack asked with a grin, stepping in to fill the awkward silence.

"She'll give you the third degree." Elizabeth said with a grin. "Nana'll ask you so many questions you'll want to scream."

Jack laughed. "Well, that's good to know--forewarned is forearmed, right?"

"Not with Nana." Elizabeth told him. "No amount words could ever properly describe her."
---

"You're too skinny." Gloria said in greeting when Elizabeth arrived at the restaurant.

"Hello Nana." Elizabeth said giving her a hug. "You look wonderful as always."

"That father of yours is running you ragged." Gloria complained. "You look like you're about to collapse."

"Thanks Nana, it's always nice to hear compliments." Elizabeth said dryly.

"You know you're beautiful." Gloria dismissed. "But you are too thin and too pale. No wonder, spending all your time cooped up in an arena."

"I like being cooped up in an arena." Elizabeth said, sitting down and opened her menu.

"Hmph." Gloria snorted. "Girl your age should be out socializing, how are you going to meet a nice young man if you never go out?"

Elizabeth smiled and paused. "Actually, Nana, I'm seeing someone." She said after a minute. She decided there would be no harm in telling Gloria at this point, it's not like she was likely to tell Herb. "His name is Jack O'Callahan and he's on the team."

"Another hockey player." Gloria said slowly. "I bet your father loves that."

"Actually, he doesn't know." Elizabeth told her. "We're keeping it secret until after the Olympics. So, please don't say anything to Dad."

Gloria snorted. "As if I would, your life is your business, Elizabeth." Elizabeth hid a smile, Gloria never felt that way when she was the one who didn't approve of Elizabeth's actions. "So tell me about this young man of yours, is he handsome?"

"Definitely." Elizabeth said with a smile.

"He's from Boston." Gloria nodded in approval. "Good, maybe that could convince you to move somewhere civilised."

Gloria had never liked Minnesota. She'd lived there for almost forty years because she fell in love with a man who happened to be from there and wouldn't leave, but when her husband, Nicholas, had died, she had moved back to her native New York.

"Maybe." Elizabeth said with a smile. "Anyway, you'll get to meet him in Lake Placid, I'll introduce you to all the boys."

"You better." Gloria told her. "I need to meet these young men who've been taking up all my granddaughter's time and attention, especially the one who's taken her heart."
---

"Are you sure you have to go back to that hotel?" Gloria asked once dinner was over and the two of them exited the restaurant. "You know you could stay with me. I have the room."

"I know, Nana." Elizabeth told her. "But I'm not here on fun, I'm here as part of the team and I have to stay with them."

"If you insist." Gloria said with a sigh. "I just think you'd be more comfortable at my apartment."

"I probably would." Elizabeth agreed. "But, these are the sacrifices you have to make. Besides, I kind of like hotels."

Gloria shot her a disapproving look. "I'd have thought you'd be sick of them by now."

Elizabeth shrugged. "I'll only experience this once in my life, right? I might as well enjoy every aspect of it."

"Hmph." Gloria said and then sighed. "You should be getting back to that hotel of yours, you look like you need all the sleep you can get."

"Thanks Nana." Elizabeth said ruefully, then smiled. "but you're right, I should be getting back. That bunch is lost without me."

"Of course they are." Gloria said proudly. "You're a special girl, Elizabeth, and I hope they appreciate you. Especially that boyfriend of yours."

"They do." Elizabeth assured her. "Jack, especially, you'll like him Nana, I just know it."
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