Of Dreams and Miracles
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.

Part Fifty-One: Girl Talk

The XII Winter Olympics, Day Sixteen

"So are you excited about this afternoon?" Kathleen asked over breakfast. It was the second last day of the Olympics and the boys would play Finland that afternoon.

"Very." Elizabeth told her. "But kinda sad too, after today, it'll all be over."

"It's been a crazy few months, hasn't it?" Kathleen asked her.

"Yeah." Elizabeth agreed, shaking her head. "This has been the best time of my life so far. Probably ever." She smiled at Kathleen. "I'm going to Boston."

This was the first time she'd been alone with Kathleen since she'd made the decision and it was something she'd wanted to tell her best friend in private.

"I knew you would." Kathleen told her. "Why wouldn't you? You're love with Jack and he's this amazing guy, of course you want to be with him. Even if it means moving to Boston."

"Yeah." Elizabeth agreed softly. "That's pretty much how I saw it."

"Have you told your parents yet?" Kathleen asked her.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Not yet, I wanted to wait until after today's game."

Kathleen nodded. "Sounds good and now, I know this is a stupid question, but it's my duty as your best friend to ask it--are you sure this is what you want?"

"Positive." Elizabeth answered with a beaming smile. "I love Jack and I wanted to be with him."

"Then I'm happy for you." Kathleen told her.

"What about you and Mark?" Elizabeth asked softly. "How are things going with the two of you?"

"Well, I'm not about to move across the country for him." Kathleen said dryly. "I'm just not ready for that step."

"Is he?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

"I hope not." Kathleen said adamantly. "Though, last night he told me that he loved me."

"Really!" Elizabeth squealed. "What did you say?"

She knew that as smart as Kathleen was, she wasn't always so good when it came to emotions and relationship, so there was always a good chance that her friend had handled the situation badly.

"I told him I loved him too." Kathleen said quietly.

Elizabeth sighed in relief, glad that her friend hadn't panicked and said something stupid.

"I wasn't sure what to say." Kathleen admitted. "Then I just looked at him and I knew."

"I'm glad." Elizabeth told her. "So what happens now?"

"Now we see how it goes." Kathleen told her. "I'm not ready to make any rush decision, unlike some people I know."

"Hey!" Elizabeth protested. "I've been dating Jack for months, I think I'm very well prepared to make this decision."

"I know that." Kathleen told her. "I didn't mean that you weren't, I'm just a little defensive. Liz, you know how bad I am at this sort of thing. I'm better at books and numbers than at emotions. I need to take it one step at a time."

Elizabeth could understand her friend's uncertainly. Heaven knew that she wasn't all that good at this sort of thing. Just look at how it had taken her to sort out her feelings for Jack and Rob.

"Then take your time." Elizabeth told her. "There's no timeline for these sort of things, it just has to happen."

"You know, listening to you, one would never imagine that you spent the last several months torn up with uncertainty over your own love life." Kathleen pointed out.

"I was just thinking that." Elizabeth told her and then grinned. "But now that I've got everything sorted out, aren't I entitled to sound like a nice, rational adult?"

"Of course." Kathleen said with a grin. "I just wish I could do the same. I really hope everything works out for you in Boston, Liz."

"Thanks." Elizabeth told her. "And I hope that everything works out for you and Mark. He's a great guy."

"I know." Kathleen told her. "So's Jack."

"Yeah," Elizabeth agreed with a smile, "he is. We got really lucky, didn't we?"

Kathleen grinned at her. "Yeah, we really did."