Kaylie wandered out of her room with a sigh, hitching her gym bag over her shoulder and then placing her athlete credentials around her neck. She just couldn't take it anymore. She felt terrible for Izzy, but the girl had kept her up nearly the entire night crying and now that it was morning, she'd renewed her sobbing, not even attempting to stifle the sounds as she no longer had to worry about disturbing Kaylie's sleep. Not that she'd been all that effective at it in the first place.
She supposed she should have been more sympathetic. She understood why Izzy was so upset, but it wasn't like the doctors had told her she couldn't compete at all. She'd be doing bars during the preliminary round of the team competition and she'd most likely be cleared to compete on the floor as well for the team finals, as she would have from the beginning. The only difference was that she wouldn't be eligible for the all-around competition or any other event finals, since she wouldn't be competing on those events during qualifying. After thinking she would possibly have to withdraw entirely, it was better than not competing at all.
There was also the tiny fact that Izzy had another Olympic cycle ahead of her and there was no reason to think she wouldn't still be around for Rio 2016, probably captaining the American team four years from now.
She checked her watch and sighed. She had a half hour before the bus was leaving to take them to the arena and she did not want to spend it in her room. She strolled down the hallway and paused at Payson and Kelly's room. The door was propped open with one of their suitcases and she heard voices inside.
"Would you get out of here, I have to get dressed," Payson said firmly more than a note of exasperation in her voice. That could only mean one thing, Austin. "And stop with the kissy face, you have a boyfriend and you should be getting ready yourself. Get out."
"Alright, alright, I'm going." It was a familiar masculine voice acquiescing to Payson's demands and it proved her initial instinct correct. It was Austin.
She made to turn around and sprint back to her own room, but it was too late. He strolled out of the room, his trademark smirk plastered across his face and then he was there in front her and his expression shifted immediately as he resembled a deer caught in the headlights rather than the cat that ate the canary.
"Hey," she said, "I was just coming to see if Kelly and Payson are ready to go. It's almost time to leave."
Austin opened his mouth and then closed it again, resembling a fish more than an elite gymnast. "Oh, um…" he stuttered, looking back towards the direction he'd come from, "yeah, I think they're almost done." His hand lifted slowly and rubbed nervously at the back of his neck as he broke eye contact with her. He studied the wall carefully as if it held the answers to the universe, or at least to breaking the awkward tension of the moment.
Kaylie shook her head, "Actually, I just remembered I left...um… something in my room so I uh…" she jerked her thumb over her should and then spun away from him, shaking her head at herself as she moved back down the hallway. "Damn it," she muttered to herself.
"Kaylie," he called out to her retreating back and despite herself she stopped. Turning to face him, her expression must have been skeptical because Austin sighed and shrugged. "Good luck today," he said giving her a small grin.
"Thanks," she said, "you too."
She turned again and sped down the hallway towards the athletes lounge at the end of the row of rooms. Kaylie sighed as she saw it was empty and threw herself into one of the oversized armchairs.
"Don't do this, Cruz," she lectured herself firmly. "Do not get into your own head. So he's hooking up with Kelly Parker, deal with it. Put it out of your head. Today is the biggest day of your life. Don't blow it because of Austin Tucker."
"I gotta say, Princess, I agree."
Kaylie's head shot up from her hands and stared into the eyes of Nicky Russo.
She sighed heavily, "Hey Nicky, I uh, didn't hear you come in. I was just…giving myself a pep talk."
"Obviously," he said, chuckling to himself before sitting down in the chair across from her. She bit her lip and allowed them to fall into an oddly comfortable silence, until he broke it. "So listen, I've seen you training this week. You look great. Totally prepared and at the top of your game actually, especially on floor. Really solid."
This she could do, talk shop. It was one of the great things about their relationship, their love of the sport. A small smile peaked through as she met his eyes, "Thanks, you do too. Can you believe we're here, at the Olympics, after everything…" she trailed off, cursing herself inwardly for managing to bring up the one thing he probably didn't want to discuss, their short lived and spectacularly stupid relationship. Neither of them could have the person they truly wanted to be with, so they'd settled for each other and in the end, they'd only hurt each other as a result.
Nicky winced, but then covered it quickly with a nod, rubbing his hands over his thighs restlessly. "I know. It seems like just yesterday we were shooting that stupid magazine spread. Do you remember?"
She snorted softly and laughed, "Urg, the white dress and you in a tux. You hated it so much."
He shrugged. "You were made for that kind of stuff, magazines, publicity, the spot light."
"I thought so, but it turns out not so much," she said and then shook her head, hating that she allowed herself to go there again, to be so down when today was supposed to be one of the greatest days of her life. Today she was going to be an Olympian, but she'd opened the flood gates and now she couldn't stop, "It was always supposed to be Payson and the universe righted itself pretty quickly on that score, didn't it?" she asked him, a smile spreading across her lips, but she knew he would understand. "Just like you knew it would."
Nicky sighed and ran a hand through his hair, gallantly ignoring her small jab, "Living in the shadow of greatness," he muttered and she was sure he hadn't meant for her to hear him. Their eyes met and he shook his head, "It's not always easy, is it?" he asked and she shook her head as a rueful grin played across his face.
"It's not, but then again I'll be the question to an answer on Jeopardy one day. 'This gymnast won the US National Championship the year Payson Keeler broke her back,'" she joked lightly, though she knew there was some truth to her words.
"Who is Kaylie Cruz, Alex?" Nicky asked with a smile.
They lapsed into silence for a moment, but then suddenly it occurred to her, that maybe she wasn't the only one feeling inappropriately down on a day that should be incredibly joyous. "How are you handling...you know…everything?"
Her meaning was clear, but he clarified anyway, "By everything, you mean about Payson and Sasha and my heart getting ripped out by my coach and the girl who hasn't looked twice at me for years? I'm…I'm dealing," he said. "I thought I lost my chance when I left for Denver, I just never thought it would hurt so much to realize that I never really had a chance to begin with."
"We were such idiots back then, pretending to feel something for each other that we just didn't, hiding from the people we loved," she said finally. "We still are idiots. What's wrong with us? We at the Olympic Games, Nicky, just like we talked about all those years ago. We're here and we're going to go out there today and show the world what we're made of." He smiled at her outburst and she laughed softly, "Even if we have to do it in the shadow of greatness," she said, throwing his words back at him.
"No, especially because we have to do it in the shadow of greatness. It's something I've been thinking about for a long time. It sort of plagued us our entire careers hasn't it? You with Payson, me with Austin," he said. "It sounds like a song or something right or an epic poem?"
"A tragic epic poem," she said with a laugh and in that moment, despite everything, the awkwardness and their slightly sordid history, she was glad to have run into him. He was one of the only people in the world, maybe the only person, who would understand what she was feeling.
"Ah, but the ending isn't written yet," he said, raising his eyebrows.
"Maybe not," she said, smiling.
"There you are," a voice called from the open doorway to the lounge, "oh, hey Nicky," Payson said, smiling brightly at them, having no idea they'd just been discussing her nor that she'd interrupted the stupidest pity party ever known to man. "The bus just got here. We're leaving in five."
Kaylie nodded, "Thanks, Pay. We'll be out in a minute."
Payson nodded back and turned to leave, but then stopped and almost as an afterthought turned back, "Good luck today, Nicky, if I don't see you before you guys take the floor this afternoon."
"Thanks Pay, you too," he said, but she was already out the door and moving down the hallway.
They sat in silence for a moment before Nicky took a deep breath. "Okay, Princess, you ready for this?"
Kaylie smiled at him and took the hand he offered her, "I was born for this."
Kim Keeler sighed as the elevator doors opened and they moved into the lobby of their hotel, "I just can't believe she would go on television and do something like that. My own sister."
They woke up this morning to yet another interview given by her sister Cathy ranting about Payson's agent threatening her and her poor delusional and irresponsible sister and brother-in-law who allowed her daughter to fornicate with her coach, Cathy's word, not hers. It was pathetic and obviously no one would be taking her seriously, especially after the incredible success of Payson and Sasha's ESPN interview, but that didn't make it hurt any less.
Mark cleared his throat and rolled his eyes. "It's Cathy, Kim. What did you expect? She's always been jealous of you and after that display at Thanksgiving, did you really think she'd be able to stay quiet?"
"I just can't wait until Payson is standing on top of that podium. I don't even want to call her and tell her to shove it. That'll be enough, the satisfaction of seeing Payson win."
"Does this mean that they're not going to come and see us for holidays anymore?" Becca asked as they all climbed into the car that was waiting outside the hotel to take them to the arena.
"Yes," Kim said, firmly to her younger daughter. It would be a cold day in hell before she let that woman back into her home, sister or not.
"Thank God," Becca said, staring out the window as they rolled down the street. "The only one I could stand was Livy and she can't really talk yet. Oh and Uncle David."
Kim nodded, agreeing with her daughter silently about her brother-in-law who'd done the right thing and married her sister after she'd gotten pregnant at seventeen and in her opinion had been paying for it every day since.
"That man has the patience of a saint," Mark added.
Kim bit her lip and then took a deep cleansing breath, "Okay enough, we're not going to let this ruin our day. We're headed to see Payson compete in the Olympics and I plan to enjoy each and every minute of it."
They arrived at the arena, which was surrounded by crowds of people and press, a distinct buzz in the air. Gymnastics was one of the major events in the summer games. People paid thousands of dollars for tickets and as security led them in through a back entrance and escorted them to their seats, Kim couldn't help but be slightly overwhelmed by it.
"Are all the athletes' families getting a private escort?" she asked the security guard who shook his head firmly.
"No ma'am," he said. "The media types have been camped out all morning waiting for you, because of your daughter and her coach you see. We wanted to make sure you got in safely."
"And that we didn't cause a riot," Mark said and the guard shrugged with a small grin.
"That too, sir," the young man admitted with a grin. "Here are your seats. Enjoy the event."
Kim thanked him and they quickly moved into the section. She sighed with relief when she saw the familiar forms of Ronnie and Alex Cruz along with their older son Leo sitting just a row ahead of them and just to their right in the handicap section, Chloe, Steve, Brian and Damon Young, obviously there to support Emily and Lauren. She saw the Ruggeris sitting a section over and she waved a hello, which they politely returned.
"Kim," Chloe said as they approached and sashayed over to her wearing one of her home-made original "Emily" t-shirts. They embraced quickly. "How are you holding up?" she asked, quickly and as quietly as she was capable, which was loud enough for everyone in the section to hear. "I mean, we couldn't believe it when we heard it on the news and then we saw the pictures and then they gave that interview. Her ring is absolutely dazzling by the way and no wonder Sasha was never interested in hooking up with any of the gym moms. I mean, look at Payson, she's gorgeous and they make such a stunning couple and…well, how are you holding up?" she finally finished rambling, repeating her original question.
"Just fine," Kim said, furrowing her brow in confusion, but then it quickly became clear as she saw everyone of her acquaintance in the section staring at them, their expressions either looks of concern or scorn, some equal parts of both if she was reading Alex Cruz correctly. "Oh, I see," she said, and grinned ruefully. "I'll just make one thing clear right now. Mark and I fully support Payson in every decision she's made and anyone who has a problem with that, well that's your problem and not ours and certainly not Payson and Sasha's. And since all of your daughters are here, at the Olympics, just like my future son-in-law promised them, I don't know how any of you could actually have a problem, at all." She took a steadying breath and made solid eye contact with everyone around her. She felt Mark's hand slide over hers and entwine their fingers together in silent support. Maybe she'd been laying it on a little thick with the part about her future son-in-law, but she wanted to make her point crystal clear.
Ronnie Cruz, as condescending as she was capable of being at times, actually smiled at her and nudged her ex-husband in the ribs. Alex's eyes narrowed for a moment before his better judgment seemed to overpower his pride. He nodded and turned back towards the floor.
"Well excuse me if I'm still a little disturbed, you know since my daughter wasn't sleeping with her coach, she didn't benefit from all the extra hours of practice and attention Payson was obviously more than happy to receive," Steve Tanner said, shaking his head as he strode past them, his double entendres still ringing in the air.
"Hey!" Mark yelled at his back, but he kept walking, up the stairs and out of sight.
Chloe grimaced, watching her husband leave, "I'm sorry, he's just…you know Steve," she said, in lieu of any other explanation, trying to alleviate the awkwardness of the moment.
Kim nodded and they moved towards their seats, "If there's one thing I'm not going to miss about all this, it's Steve Tanner."
"Not Ellen Beals?" Mark asked, under his breath.
"She was a pain in the ass every once in a while. Steve Tanner was a thorn in my side every damn day for the last four years."
Mark's hand covered hers quickly and squeezed. "Just five more days and then it's over." He hesitated and she turned to him. "You know we haven't talked about what we're going to do, after all this is over."
"Go back to our normal lives," Kim said and smiled at the thought of it.
"In Boulder?" Mark asked and she didn't know why the question surprised her, but it did. They'd always talked about moving back to Minnesota after Payson accomplished her goals, but they hadn't discussed it recently.
Kim looked at Becca on Mark's other side. Despite her initial hatred of Boulder, Becca had grown to love the area. She'd made friends, good friends, besides the Lily Castleton's of the world and to uproot her again didn't make any sense. And then there was the Rock, where she worked and still planned to work when they returned. It hadn't even occurred to her that maybe Mark would want to return to Minnesota, even though that had always been their plan.
Her silence must have been answer enough, because Mark raised her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly, "We'll stay in Boulder then," he said, smiling.
"But," she said, but he stopped her.
"I actually was going to wait to tell you, but I found a job. It's a new financial firm downtown and they're looking for someone with a lot of experience to head up their facilities department."
"You got a new job, Dad?" Becca asked.
"Yeah, Becca, I did," he said, and they both watched their younger daughter carefully for her reaction.
"That's great. I can't wait to call Lily and tell her that we're staying. I thought maybe you guys were going to make me move back to Minnesota." She pulled out her cell phone, having had it upgraded by Payson to work internationally and began texting furiously.
"Ladies and gentleman," the deep voice of the arena's announcer called for their attention, quickly followed by another voice translating in French, the other official language of the Olympic Games. "Welcome to Day One of the Gymnastics Team Competition, the Preliminary Rounds for Women's and Men's Artistic Gymnastics."
"Here we go," Kim said, grabbing Mark's hand in hers.
"And now please welcome the teams in Group A, the first group competing to qualify for the Team Finals, the All-Around Competition and Event Finals held later this week." The announcer paused again allowing for the French translation and then the parade of teams began.
Kim watched as China entered the arena, Genghi Cho looking confident leading her team onto the floor, marching like tiny little soldiers. A loud cheer went up around the arena as the host team, Great Britain made their way onto the floor. The teams from Romania and Italy entered and then finally, the United States, Payson at the head of their line, a cheer almost as large as the British response went up for them. The English fans weren't delusional. They knew their team had little chance of qualifying for the next round, and as was tradition for English speaking nations, it seemed they were going to adopt the American team as their own.
Kim's eyes flew to Payson who was standing with her teammates near the uneven bars, waiting for the judge's signal to begin warm-ups. Her daughter looked calm and collected, as she always did before a competition. Her eyes flickered over the other girls and she noticed that they all seemed to be radiating energy, whether that was good or bad she didn't know, but she didn't have time to consider it as they began warming up.
And despite a score not having been posted yet, the Olympics had finally begun.