The Chosen Ones

by Lisa Luciano

“Two days ago you were like everyone else. Just another person with an unfulfilled dream. Now the whole world watches you.”

  “I don’t care what anyone thinks,” Robby said.

  “You will. They will not let you forget. There will always be a cloud of doubt hanging over you. People pointing fingers and whispering. You must shut them out.”

  “After everything I’ve done and been through, I still have to prove something to everyone?”

  “No, you need only prove it to yourself.”

  Robby looked behind Dimitri.

  “I think there’s somebody waiting for you.”

  Dimitri swung around. Natalia was standing there with Sasha holding tightly onto her hand, fearful that she would be swept up in the crowd.

  “Be happy,” Robby said and then left.

  Natalia approached Dimitri cautiously.

  “That was a very foolish thing you did,” she said.

  Dimitri didn’t expect her to understand and was glad that his daughter did not. “And I’m very proud of you,” Natalia added with a look that told him she knew what had really happened and did not think him a fool at all.

  “Are you still going to America?” she asked.

  “If they’ll have me.”

  “How will you live?”

  “Any way I want,” he said defiantly.

  “In a country so big and generous… do you think perhaps there’s room for one more?”

  “What are you saying?”

  “Sasha needs her father and her mother,” she said.

  “And you? What do you need?”

  “To talk. To be touched. To feel wanted by the man I love.”

  It was the first honest converstion they had been able to have in a very long time. “It won’t be easy,” he warned.

  “What ever has been for us?”

  She handed him Sasha. The little girl hooked her arms around her daddy’s neck and laid her head on his shoulder.

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “I’m sure I want to try,” Natalia said with as much sincerity as Dimitri had ever heard from her.

  He stroked Sasha’s pink cheek with his hand, then held it out to his wife. She took it as they walked out of the room toward their future together.

  Some journalists remained, trying in vain to get a few more statements out of various federation officials. The rest of the crowd had spilled out into the hallway and continued chattering.

  “Dale,” a reporter called to him as he tried to make his escape. “If what Polnikov said turns out to be true, this time next week, you could be an Olympic medalist. Do you have anything to say about that?”

  “No,” he said, not having absorbed the ramifications of that possibility. “But… I think I might have something else I’d like to talk about. If I do, I’ll give you a call.”

  He turned and strode confidently down the hall.

  Paige waited patiently. Robby was stuck in the middle of a pack of people who were now all too willing to shake his hand. He nodded and accepted their congratulations just as he had been forced to listen to their scorn and criticism. He was so used to doing what he was told, being polite, respectful, for fear of ruffling feathers. But now there was nothing to fear and no one left to judge him. He excused himself and trotted toward Paige. Without stopping, he grabbed her hand and swept her out of the room.

  “What are we—”

  “Shh,” he said. Come on.

  He lead her through a long hallway and finally to a door.

  “Please don’t be locked,” he begged silently.

  It opened without a struggle. They found themselves outside in the crisp clean air. Hugging seemed redundant and too much a part of the world they had just left behind, so instead they began to walk.

  “You did it,” she said.

  “With a lot of help from my friends.”

  Just friends? she wondered.

  “Now what?” Paige asked.

  “Whatever,” he said with a freedom he’d never felt before.

  Suddenly, his face stiffened like a cloud casting a pall over a sunny day.

  “There are a lot of people who’ll always think I cheated to win.”

  “Yeah, there are,” she said, agreeing a little too quickly to suit him.

  For once, he had hoped for an argument.

  “I never got a world title. That would be nice.”

  “Yeah, it would.”

  “I could skate that program clean,” he insisted.

  “Yeah, you can.”

  “I could go to the World Championships. I’m still eligible. Maybe I should go home and practice.”

  “Maybe you should.”

  He stopped and looked at her, really looked. She was so different than Brigitta, but just as beautiful in her own way. And if he knew nothing else about her, he knew one thing. He could trust her.

  “Do you want me to quit?” he asked.

  “I want you to be happy.”

  For the first time, Robby honestly thought that was possible.

  “Come on,” he said. “Let’s find a beach.”

  Ralph Ratner headed for Glenn who was proudly introducing his new wife around. He smiled broadly and slapped Glenn on the back.

  “Glenn, can I have a minute?” he asked, pulling him away.

  Glenn refused to release Kylie’s hand. Ralph stared at her. She returned his stone cold glance.

  “I’ve been talking to the main office. I’ve convinced them that this isn’t a total loss and that we can still generate some heat from the silver medal. I’m lining up some talk shows. Maybe we can get in there before Donovan. We’ll have to wait on the endorsements and see what comes through, but we can still pull this out. What do you think?”

  Glenn gazed into Kylie’s eyes for a moment, then turned to Ratner.

  “I think you’re a lying, cheating, mole-faced prick,” Glenn said, grinning like the village idiot.

  Ratner stared in disbelief.

  “That’s not funny.”

  “If I were you, I wouldn’t think so either. Nobody on this planet believes Dimitri is guilty. Sooner or later, they’ll find out who is. And when they do, he’ll be a hero. His career options will make the Titanic look like a pleasure cruise.”

  Glenn and Kylie turned to leave.

  “This isn’t over. Nobody gets rid of Ralph Ratner that easily. Just see what’s out there waiting for you. See how well you do on your own.”

  Glenn looked back and offered his best crowd winning smile.

  “I’m not on my own anymore,” he said, sliding his arm around Kylie’s waist. Ratner stood motionless as they headed straight for Brody who was with Willie Wasser.

  “I knew everything vould vork out,” said the old man. “It don’t take much to be happy. You just got to know one thing. It ain’t gonna just drop on your head like bird bzdura. If you really want something, you gotta fight for it.”

  “So, are you done fightin’?”

  “Are you?” Wasser asked with a determined twinkle in his eye before departing. “Hey,” Brody said to Glenn, offering his hand. “Congratulations. You’re a lucky man.”

  “Yeah,” Glenn agreed, hugging Kylie. “Dumb, but lucky. Speaking of which, any chance you’d be interested in changing somebody else’s luck real quick?”

  “Like who?”

  “Our good buddy Ratner.”

  “You sure?” Brody asked. “Goin’ toe to toe with him could be rough. He ain’t gonna go down easy.”

  “But we wouldn’t be fighting him alone,” Glenn said, looking at a sad woman standing across the room, surrounded by people she didn’t know and didn’t want to. “I have a feeling TJ’s mother might have a few things to say that you just might want to hear. That would give you two rock solid sources… And this time, they’re not going anywhere.”

  “I’ll call,” Brody said.

  “Give us a few weeks,” Kylie suggested. “We have some serious catching up to do.”

  “Can I ask you one que
stion? Why are you doin’ this?”

  Glenn glanced at the crowd.

  “A lot of the people in here are first class assholes. But it’s not about them or me or any one person. It’s about the fans who show up, night after night, and pay to see us do what we love to do. It’s about the future of the sport, and I think that’s worth fighting for.”

  As Glenn and Kylie walked away, Brody searched his pockets for his telephone calling card. When he found it, he prayed it was still good. He didn’t have to strain to remember the number. Though he swore he’d never use it again, he was glad his subconscious didn’t agree.

  After rushing around for ten frantic minutes, he finally found a phone. He dialed and listened to the first and second and third ring.

  “Hello?”

  “Dora?” he said slowly, waiting for fire to come shooting through the receiver. He knew from her silence that she recognized his voice and still hadn’t hung up. “I…” he hesitated, realizing he didn’t know what to say.

  And then he remembered watching Robby’s performance. He didn’t think. He just let his heart speak. It was worth a try.

  “I miss you and Shelly. I have some business to take care of, but after that…” He could hear her sigh with disgust.

  “Forget it,” he said. “It can wait. I’m in England. Just say the word and I’m on the next plane to Wichita.”

  He waited.

  “What’s the word?” she said. “How about, let’s try again?”

  Jake turned off the TV. He’d watched the press conference on a satellite feed. He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he was sure Brody had figured something out.

  Just then, Connie walked in with a Federal Express package and handed it to him. It wasn’t COD. He exhaled with disappointment. It couldn’t be from Brody. It wasn’t costing him any money. He unwrapped it. It was a box of Cohibas. Taped to the top was a note that simply read,

  To the Great and Powerful Oz,

  Have to make a quick stop back home. As soon as I’m done there, I’ll be catching the next twister to New York. Get ready. It’s gonna be a hell of a ride.

  Toto

  Lisa Luciano’s work as a television director/producer received national recognition for excellence in educational programming. She is the author of a non-fiction book about using technology in the classroom, has had a documentary script produced and has now written her first young adult novel. Her non-fiction pieces have also won numerous awards. A childhood dream of being a sports reporter was fulfilled when she covered figure skating for the New York Times and International Figure Skating Magazine.

  She has taught English Language Arts and Technology to students in grades 6-12 for more than 30 years and is currently working as a Library Media Specialist. Born and raised in New York, she now resides in Connecticut. Her passion (besides writing) outside of the classroom is martial arts. She is a 4th Dan black belt Tae Kwon Do Master/Instructor as well as a black belt in Hapkido.

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