"The Strong & the Sequined"--a skating serial, pt. 8 (repost)
Jennifer Lyon
*The Strong & the Sequined*
A Skating Serial
Part 8: Defense Mechanisms
Fraulein Helga Von Dame refused to let the intruders out of her sight.
As soon as Jacques LeBon arrived at the Zug Island Skating Center with
Sonja and Jane Wang, Fraulein made sure she was less than six feet away
from them at all times. She knew it irked them, but that was their
problem, not hers. Maybe they’d take the hint and go someplace else.
The facilities at Zug Island clearly didn’t measure up to Jane Wang’s
standards. She complained about everything from the Zamboni machine to
the snack bar. None of it was good enough for her Sonja. The woman was
also under the mistaken impression that her daughter would be given prime
ice time at the expense of the other skaters. Fraulein responded by
shoving her clipboard at Jacques LeBon. “This is the schedule we have
here,” she told him. “I circled the times when you and Sonja can use
the ice.” Fraulein was determined to deal only with Jacques. He was
Sonja’s coach, not Jane Wang. As far as Fraulein was concerned, a
skating mother’s job was paying the bills, looking presentable while
sitting in the stands during competitions, and nursing their sick or
injured offspring. Anything beyond that was interfering.
It surprised no one when Jane Wang snatched the clipboard before
Jacques even had a chance to look at it. “Ten PM?” she wailed. “I
won’t have Sonja practicing at that hour. She’s at her best in the
morning.”
“Fine,” said Fraulein. “She can come in at four AM.”
Jane clenched her teeth. “Back home, we start at seven.”
Fraulein wished she could bonk this woman on the knee with a
collapsible baton, but she decided on a different tactic. “Well then,”
she said. “This is just what your Sonja needs. If she’s ever going to
make it as a professional, she’ll have to get used to irregular hours.”
For the first time, young Sonja opened her mouth. “I’m already used
to skating at irregular hours,” she said softly. “I did Tour on Ice
last summer. Part of it, anyway.”
“Yes, I remember,” Fraulein told Sonja. “You and your mother
traveled in a separate car.”
“Sonja couldn’t bear the fumes of that smelly old bus,” Mrs. Wang
interjected.
“Really?” said Fraulein. “It never bothered MY skaters.”
For the first time, Jane Wang was speechless. Good. The more
Fraulein irritated that woman, the better. Jane Wang wasn’t going to be
allowed to forget who was boss at this rink.
Mitzi McGuire, meanwhile, stood next to her ex-husband and stared at
him like a love-struck schoolgirl. “There’s no need to get upset about
schedules,” she finally said. “I’d be more than happy to let Sonja
share the ice with Igor and Dmitra.”
Of course, thought Fraulein. Wasn’t that what Mitzi had wanted in the
first place? That’s what this scheme of hers was all about. Mitzi
wanted Jacques to see her coaching a world-class Russian pair. In her
twisted mind, she seemed to think that this would make him respect her.
And Mitzi had been stupid enough to think that Fraulein wouldn’t figure
out what was going on!
As for Jacques, he looked downright smug. Fraulein guessed that he
intended to play his own little game with his ex-wife. Why else would he
have come here, of all places? It was going to be amusing for Fraulein
to watch whatever drama might unfold between those two. Very amusing,
indeed. Just so long as none of it interfered with her skaters...
Mitzi was so glad she’d bought herself a new suit at Saks yesterday.
She wouldn’t have been able to face Jacques if she weren’t dressed for
the occasion. He was still so handsome! Sure, his hair was a little
more salt-and-pepper, and he did have a few lines on his face. But it
made him look distinguished, rather than old.
Of course, Mitzi had seen Jacques quite a few times since the divorce.
The last time was at Nationals, almost a year ago. Mitzi had hoped he
would come to the novice pairs event, where she was coaching Keisha and
Lamar Ballard. But Jacques never showed up. Mitzi found out later that
he was at a press conference with Sonja Wang. Once again, he had managed
to send the message that he was somebody and she was nobody.
Mitzi couldn’t understand why she was putting herself through all this
torture. Why couldn’t she just let go of the past and find a new husband?
Because Jacques wouldn’t respect her, that was why! He’d make some
crack about how Mitzi needed a man to take care of her because she’d
never accomplish anything on her own. To gain Jacques’ respect, Mitzi
would have to prove herself as a coach.
And if she succeeded, then what? Mitzi didn’t know. She had many
questions, but no easy answers.
Tammy Sue had decided that her best defense against the Wangs would be
a good offense. Together, she and Leroy went out of their way to welcome
Sonja and her mother to the Zug Island Skating Center. “If I can do
anything to help you get settled, let me know,” Tammy Sue heard herself
telling them.
“I’m sure we won’t need any help from you,” snorted Mrs. Wang. Her
eyes were gray-- dark gray-- like the smokestacks of the trash
incinerator that Tammy Sue passed every morning on her way to the rink.
It was terrifying to look directly into the woman’s eyes, yet Tammy Sue
forced herself to do it.
Sonja, on the other hand, looked at nobody and said nothing. Her
almond-shaped eyes appeared to be focused on a spot of chipped plaster on
the wall. The only time her face showed any sign of life was when Leroy
introduced himself to her. Even then, there was just a small flicker of
something that disappeared before Tammy Sue could figure out what it was.
If Jane Wang disliked Tammy Sue, she obviously didn’t care for Leroy,
either. “You are a skater?” she said, inspecting poor Leroy with her
smokestack eyes. “How come I’ve never heard of you? Haven’t you ever
won any medals?”
Fraulein rushed to defend her top male skater. “Of course Leroy has
won medals!” she informed Jane. “He was novice champion, junior
champion. You think I’d take on a skater that was no good? Oh, and by
the way, our Leroy is quite the ladies’ man, so I suggest that you keep
your daughter away from him.”
Leroy’s face was almost purple. He looked even more embarrassed when
Fraulein ruffled his hair and told him to go practice his footwork
sequence like a good boy. “You go along with him, dear,” Fraulein told
Tammy Sue. “We don’t have any more time for chitchat. Skate America is
coming up soon.”
Dear? Fraulein had called Tammy Sue DEAR? It wasn’t possible!
This had to be some weird nightmare.
Igor appeared out of the shadows, grinning at Tammy Sue. She wished
she could talk to him, but that would be asking for trouble. Instead,
she flashed him a quick smile. She was glad that, in the midst of this
messy situation, somebody could still make her smile.
TO BE CONTINUED