Chapter 32 – Epilogue "Dance, put on your red shoes and dance"

"Kiddo it's time for breakfast!"

I groaned, turned over and saw that there was light streaming though my windows. I swore under my breath I was going to be late for training! I rolled out of bed and stumbled over to my drawers and pulled out the first leo I saw. It was green with copious rhinestones. Normally I would be horrified but there was no time for that. Mum and I had very different tastes in fashion and I'd only just managed to convince her that unlike multitudes of elite gymnasts, pink was not my colour at all, and I didn't do anything sparkly, but whatever, wearing lime green was worth it to avoid coach kicking my arse at practice. I whipped the leo on and then pulled my tracksuit out of my gym bag. I checked my phone to check the time 7.45 – I was screwed! Why had Mum let me sleep? Then I realised the date, the gym was closed today because of the wedding. I ran downstairs – I knew I looked ridiculous but my godmother was arriving this morning and I couldn't wait to see her.

"Jenna, sweetie!" Margi said warmly, her usual big grin was present and she wrapped me in a huge hug. "You're far too thin! I don't care if you've just qualified elite, you need to eat."

Mum rolled her eyes "she can eat after she's finished taking over the world with gymnastics." Mum had always been totally fine about whether or not I did gymnastics, having said that – she didn't go easy on me.

I gave Mum a kiss on the cheek, scoffed my breakfast and then went to my room to get into my dress.

XXX

I sat between Mum and Margi, Damon was at the front of the church: Razor, Brian, Austin, and Damon's cousin stood beside him. Damon looked more nervous than I'd ever seen him. His face was pale and his hands were gripped in front of him, his knuckles white. I found it almost funny how Damon could possibly imagine how Damon could believe Emily wouldn't show up. They were the most together couple I'd seen, well apart from my coaches, but they were different.

"Hi guys" I turned and saw my foster sister Larissa, she had a big grin on her face – she'd just finished her undergraduate degree in psychology. Her graduation ceremony was one of the few times I'd seen Margi cry, she shuffled over and sat beside me.

"Got you something" she said happily, and passed me a book.

I grinned "Gourmet Rhapsody! Thank you!" I hugged her tightly. Larisa knew me perhaps better than anyone. Growing up with Margi, she'd been one of the few people who actually understood me. Well I had liked to believe that I was misunderstood anyway.

Emily and Damon had decided on a very traditional wedding, which was not like them, but I guess they'd both had such odd upbringings that they wanted something to vaguely resemble normal. So once we were all seated Damon's mother and stepfather entered, then Chloe. Once they sat down Celine Dion's 'Power of the Dream' in instrumental came on. I smiled, this was such an appropriate song for Damon and Emily. Then James and Cate walked down the aisle hand in hand. Cate was as flaxen haired as her parents, just like James was as dark as Damon, Kim and Mark grinned as their granddaughter walked past them, at four years old she could already read and cartwheel. James held a small wicker basket and Cate gently picked up the petals and tossed them, it was heart wrenchingly sweet.

Once the children had come about half way up the aisle, Kelly Parker entered. I was slightly terrified of her, she was a recently qualified lawyer, drop dead gorgeous and a double Olympic champion. She was wearing a midnight blue, knee length dress with a lilac sash, carrying daisies and lilac roses, and she wore her trademark enigmatic smile. Following her was Kaylie Cruz, unlike Kelly she was beaming. I had always felt comfortable around Kaylie. She had a way of lighting up any room she entered. Austin grinned at his long-time girlfriend, and, if he had his way, soon to be fiancée. He was coaching full time at the Rock, but had also been to varsity and done physiotherapy while Kaylie trained to be a teacher. Kaylie joined Kelly at the altar and kissed Austin briefly on the cheek before turning to face the congregation.

The third bridesmaid was Lauren Tanner, Mum called her the bravest person she'd ever met, but when I asked her why she just said that I was too young to understand and that she'd tell me when I was older. Lauren's long blonde hair was lightly curled, her make up done perfectly, and nails manicured expensively. Many of the young gymnasts in the church watched her in awe. She paused by the third row from the front, and kissed Summer on the cheek. The older woman shed a tear. I didn't understand Lauren and Summer's relationship, but it was almost like Summer was Lauren's mother, I guess in the way that Margi was mine. They weren't related by blood, but by something much stronger. A friendship that would last forever.

Payson Keeler was the matron of honour. She was also my coach. My jaw dropped as she entered the church, in a dress similar to the other bridesmaids, except that it was longer. I had seen her mostly in tracksuits, her hair tied in a messy bun, without make up, yelling instructions at us. But now she was, well, stunning. She carried herself with poise and determination, and for the first time, I saw why the gymnastics world was so obsessed with Payson Keeler, the comeback queen and America's sweetheart. Kim and Mark Keeler held hands and stared at their daughter with tears in their eyes. Payson looked at her younger sister, Becca and winked at her, Becca poked out her tongue.

Once Payson reached the altar, the wedding march began to play, and we all stood and faced the aisle. Sasha Belov, my other coach, began to walk Emily down the aisle. Emily looked stunning, her short brown hair had curly tendrils around her face. She had a sheer lace veil that fell just above the sweetheart neckline of her ivory dress that had a long train. I looked at Mum and was shocked to see that she was crying, Mum never cried! Chloe and Larisa had started crying too. "She's come through so much" Darby whispered to me, "she's come so far – my amazing girl."

Emily reached Damon – there was a fire in her eyes, as there was in his. It was the same look that Payson and Sasha gave each other. The look of soulmates. When they promised to love and cherish each other, I found myself crying too. Then they kissed – long and passionately. The church erupted in cheers. The most rebellious of the Rock Rebels, and the international rockstar who started out at the Pizza Shack had made it at last.

XXX

The reception screamed of Chloe. Everything was blue and lilac. I had never seen so many balloons, or so much champagne in one place. Chloe and Steve were dancing very closely together, and the Rock girls were all sitting on the hall stage laughing with each other. They were an amazing bunch, two doctors, a teacher, a lawyer, and the most successful coach the world had ever seen – and yet when they were together they were just normal people, albeit slightly insane. The men were watching them dreamily, as if they couldn't believe how lucky they were. Sasha looked the happiest of all of them, Cate was curled up in his lap, while his son Saul was curled up in Austin's.

Brian was in deep conversation with Payson's younger sister Becca. Brian had just graduated from Harvard and was now at Yale medical school. Chloe was going to have two children as doctors. Becca was about as different as Damon as possible, she had taken a big break after competing level ten, travelling and doing seasonal work. Now she worked for Habitat for Humanity.

Razor, one of Damon's band mates was emcee-ing "ladies and gentlemen traditionally I would ask the father of the bride to share a dance with his daughter, but today we have something much more special. Could you please clear the floor for Sasha to share a dance with his gymnast."

Sasha beamed and walked over to Emily – "you're stuck now." Sasha whispered in Emily's ear.

Emily raised an eyebrow "I feel a life lesson coming on, but I supposed you've done enough to warrant my attention. Why am I stuck?"

"Because we're waltzing, and the lady in a waltz always follows. For once you have to trust me."

"I trust you, Sasha, it's taken me a while to realise it but I'd trust you with my life."

Emily's words almost brought Sasha to tears, he felt that the words were so undeserved. He kissed Emily on the cheek. "I know that I'm not that much older than you, and that I'm married to your best friend, but you've been like a daughter to me. It has been an honour to watch you grow. Marty Walsh, despite his copious faults, did a good thing when he took you on at the Rock."

"And Steve Tanner, despite his faults did a good thing brining you to the Rock."

They continued to dance in silence for a while, their gymnastics training helping them to dance gracefully, Razor's voice gently hovering between and through the sound of his gentle guitar.

Eventually they were joined by Payson and Mark, Lauren and Steve, Kaylie and her father. Emily glanced to the side of the room. Kelly was standing there, thoroughly examining her nails. She gently placed her hand on Sasha's shoulder. "Dance with Kelly"

Sasha nodded and walked over to the striking brunette. "May I dance with you?"

Kelly rolled her tongue over her teeth slowly, an action she did when she was thinking hard about what to say. Eventually she spoke. "No thank you Sasha, it's kind of you to offer, but I don't need your pity."

"Who said anything about pity? I danced with Emily."

"Yes but Emily's yours, you trained her from scratch. Same with Payson, even the other two. But I was always the interloper on the team."

Sasha smelt the alcohol on her breath, that must be what was bringing up the old resentments to the surface.

"For someone who doesn't want pity, I sense a lot of self-pity." Sasha said quietly and angrily. "Do you honestly feel, after all this time that you're not valued by us? I know your parents are not the prime examples of what a good family is, but look around you. These girls…women care about you. I care about you."

Kelly sighed. "It's not the same, and I just feel jealous that everyone here has at least one good parent, or someone like a parent, and then I feel pathetic for feeling sorry for myself. I'm a freaking lawyer and Olympic champion and all I want is my Daddy." She scowled.

"I understand, truly. I would give my gold medals for a good relationship with my father. But Kelly, can't you remember the Rock Awards after the Olympics?"

Kelly reluctantly smiled at the memory. She, to her great surprise, had won the Rocky Award – for congeniality. Basically for the leadership she displayed at the Olympics. She had cried when Sasha had announced the award, it had meant more to her than either of her gold medals. Sasha had then read out quotes from each of her teammates, appreciating her friendship and encouragement. Kelly had felt truly accepted for the first time in her life.

"Of course I remember, and sorry for being a brat. Of course I'll dance with you. I'm better than Kmetko anyway so you'd better keep up." She pulled Sasha's arm and dragged him to the centre of the dance floor.

Emily went to find Rosa, the youngest member of the gold medal winning team was sitting next to Summer. Summer saw Emily coming and smiled. Emily grinned back. She couldn't have asked for a better mother for James.

"I'll leave you two girls to talk." Summer said and left to speak with Kim. The two women had never seen eye to eye, but they had the interests of their children at heart.

Rosa was still quiet, but her shyness had developed into an enigmatic, reserved persona that meant men tripped over themselves to talk to her, but as a concert clarinet player she was too busy with travel to bother with men.

"Nice party Kmetko."

"Thanks, blame my mother and Damon, I was perfectly happy to get married in my pyjamas in a registry office at lunchtime but musicians tend to have a penchant for theatrics."

Rosa pinched Emily's arm.

"You seem so sweet, and then you do stuff like that." Emily sighed "you used to be so sweet and shy."

"And then you lot happened to me."

"I blame Lauren, and Kelly."

"Me too."

The girls sat in companionable silence for a while, watching the fathers dance with their daughters, and Kelly dance with Sasha.

Rosa quietly raised her glass. "Here's to family, the type formed by friendship."

"I'll drink to that." Emily said, she clinked her glass against Rosa's and they watched Razor sing soulfully into his microphone. Life wasn't perfect, and it certainly wasn't easy. But in the end, Emily mused – none of that mattered if you had people you cared about.

~~~/~~~THE END~~~/~~~

A/N I can't believe this story is over! It's taken over a year! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! Reading your reviews and seeing the number of views on each chapter make all the writing worthwhile. I hope you enjoyed reading The Pied Piper as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Best, Alix. Xx