Chasing Dreams, Year Two

by Shawn Keys

  1: Zekia Dixon – Jamaica – 12.793

  2: MK Savoie – Portesara - 12.805

  3: Susanna Cuypers – Curaçao – 12.88

  4: Lucia Rodriguez – Mexico – 12.89

  5: Liliana Roldan – Dominican Republic – 12.99

  6: Ana Martin – Costa Rica – 13.04

  7: Luisa Cuevas – Panama – 13.49

  X: Dior DeLavar – Portesara - DQ

  Cadence saw the DQ at almost the same moment. Her arms flew up in the air in a cheer and she rushed out toward where MK was hugging the other athletes, sharing congratulations. All except Dior, who was staring up at the board in a mixture of horror and disbelief.

  Daniel realized what had happened. It wasn’t often and it was going to be a controversial decision to be sure. Dior had knocked down the last four hurdles. The lane judge decided it broached the limit for what was intentional and what was an honest mistake. She was sure to challenge it, but those things were almost never overturned. Daniel had to think it would cause the young woman to soul-search how she ran such races.

  He noticed Melissa MacIntyre trotting out toward her athlete. He turned away, deciding it would be rude to watch her suffer. She had run a hard race. It was going to be on them to decide whether to challenge the decision or not, and if they would amend the style Dior ran the race.

  Following Cadence, he went out onto the track where MK was only then realizing she was going to be getting a silver instead of a bronze. She was hugging Cadence tightly, now waving her own Portesaran flag around and celebrating as joyously as she had a right to do.

  From not far off, a lovely woman in a track suit made of the iconic green-and-yellow of Jamaica called over to Daniel over the noise, “Quite the student you have there!”

  Daniel didn’t venture too far, wanting to stay close for when MK was done with her celebrations. But he took a couple steps to meet the woman halfway and shake her hand. “Thanks. Daniel Toussaint,” he ended by way of introduction.

  The woman nodded. “Oh, I know. Heard you were coming here with a team. Didn’t know what to expect. Certainly not this.”

  “Oh?”

  “Not saying anything bad. It’s impressive. Getting these girls right into the mix this fast. Welcome back to the Game.”

  “You’re Zekia’s coach?”

  She nodded. “Teri Vox.” She favored him with a beautiful smile. “Didn’t know who my challengers were going to be this year around. Americans have a couple heavy hitters as usual. And Russia and Germany always have a strong showing. There’s also a dynamo in France who’s starting to come up the ranks. Yeah, always knew the Olympics were going to be stacked.” She smirked. “But Portesara? Didn’t see that one coming.” She tipped her fingers to her hairline, though it wasn’t only a salute of respect. Daniel got the impression that it was also a promise that she’d be seeing him again. With that, she wandered off to collect her protégé. They had a victory to celebrate.

  Daniel watched that interaction. There wasn’t the same instant, personal connection between the two. Zekia didn’t strike him as haughty, but they didn’t embrace like they were friends, either. From what he saw, he would guess that Teri was part of the Jamaican training team assigned to Zekia as an expert, not to become her friend. As long as it works for them, he decided.

  “Guess we’re in the club,” Daniel joked to no one in particular. He made light of it, but this was a good thing. A big deal, even. There were bad elements. MK had been a stranger. Now, Teri would be watching tapes of her running. She’d be looking to groom Zekia to handle anything MK might put out. But this was an individual achievement sport. There was only so much you could do to offset another runner. In the end… the winner was faster. That’s all there was to it.

  The good side was the notoriety. MK had been an unknown. Tonight, she would be on TV. She’d be asked questions. And that was good. But when Zekia and her coach were asked how they felt about their opponents, they would say all the right things. Typical sports answers that athletes fed announcers time and time again. “It was a good race. She gave me a hard run. Excellent competition.” The right words to make her seem gracious in her victory, whether she was or not.

  Zekia was a minor celebrity. A rising star in the racing world. Every time she said MK’s name, it would raise MK’s stock. Daniel smiled. He was sure the next company that sat down with her wouldn’t be saying ‘no’. More importantly, the sporting commission would take notice, and MK’s position on the FLG team would be all but guaranteed. Perhaps even the Olympic one as well.

  With all that in mind, Daniel walked out toward his two protégés, waiting for them to notice him. Once they did, he was crushed by MK’s hug and then wrapped around by Cadence’s own long arms. Together, the trio got swept away for a little while in uncomplicated joy.

  * * *

  “I can’t believe Cadence is late again,” MK laughed in spite of her incredulity. “I remember when she took a shower before competing the last time, someone tried to burn her with steam and then locked her away from her clothes.”

  “History repeating itself here would be a little strange,” Daniel said.

  “If she hasn’t learned her lesson, that old saying says she’s doomed.” MK shivered. “We never figured out who did it. Julie is here, you know.”

  Daniel chuckled, using that point to banish most of his concern. “When that whole nightmare happened, Julie was going over the cross-pole right in front of my eyes. I’m not saying she wouldn’t have done it if Gregoire asked. She seems to have enough shark in her. But she was on the field.” He gestured over to where Julie was hanging around Gordon and Carla. “And she’s up here again. Unless she is paying off towel girls, I think we’re safe.”

  MK jutted her chin toward the pole vault apparatus. “Should I go fetch Cadence and get her to dry her hair a little faster? That was Midge Navarro’s third 4.0 attempt. She’s out. They’re raising the bar to 4.2 meters.” MK glanced up at Daniel. “Hope she knows what she’s doing.”

  “She hasn’t missed at 4.2 in months. Not unless we’re trying a new technique in practice. Conserving herself to push the limit is a good idea.”

  Smirking over at the two agitated women beside Gordon, MK noted, “She’s certainly getting under Julie’s skin. She keeps looking over here. Probably thinks Cadence is playing games.” She shook her head. “Must be nice. Wish I had the wiggle room to play games with my rival.”

  “You beat her, MK.”

  “I didn’t earn it.”

  “What do you mean? You’ve got the medal to prove otherwise.”

  MK rolled her eyes. “Dior was faster.”

  “Because she cheated!” Daniel quipped automatically. He immediately walked that back. “Alright, fine. That’s going too far. Don’t want to lump her in with drug users or anything.” He chuckled at the irony. “But she got careless. Or desperate when Zekia pulled ahead. She tried to take a short-cut and it bit her in the ass. You don’t need to feel bad that she decided to crash through the hurdles that she was supposed to jump over.”

  “I don’t feel bad, Daniel.” MK clenched her teeth. “She was faster at nationals. However she did it, she was faster here too. Until I score a time under hers, I haven’t beaten her.”

  Daniel let it go, understanding the obsession. She was out to prove something and today hadn’t satisfied her. Fighting over it wasn’t going to get them anywhere. Better to use it. As long as he didn’t let it turn into an unhealthy fixation, it would drive her to get better. “Then you’ll get her next time. You had an Olympic worthy time, MK. Never forget that. You’ll get it done.”

  MK smiled up at him. “We’ll get it done.”

  “I’m with you all the way,” Daniel confirmed.

  “Where is she?” came a strident demand.

  Daniel and MK had gotten absorbed in their side-conversation. Neither of them had noticed Julie storming up to them. Gordon and Carla were drifting along in her wake.

  Julie flared up again
, “Is she really going to pull this shit twice?”

  Daniel canted his head to one side, honestly curious in the face of her anger. “Why do you care?”

  “She shouldn’t,” Gordon jumped in, giving his student a hard look. “Leave it alone, Julie. This is how this works. She starts when she wants to start.”

  “Doesn’t she get that this isn’t a game?” Julie glared at all of them, then threw up her hands. “I mean, what the fuck?” She stormed back toward the run-up, anticipating her call to jump. She was early in the listing. Of the eight women left, she would be the third in line at 4.2 meters.

  Daniel watched her go, shaking his head. “Am I missing something?”

  Gordon held up a finger, asking for a few seconds. He spoke to Carla, “You’ll be up fifth. Go do your stretch routine. Stay limber.”

  A quirk of Carla’s lips suggested she knew what he really wanted: privacy. “You bet, Coach.” She jogged off.

  MK squeezed Daniel’s arm. “I’ll go make sure Cadence knows she’s up soon. Either she jumps seventh or she has to make her first attempt at 4.4 meters. I’ll be right back.” She moved off as well.

  Waiting until she was gone, Gordon sighed. “Working with Carla gives me satisfaction. She’s good.” He gestured over at Julie picking one her poles off the waiting rack. “The fee for training her keeps food in my fridge.”

  “Something tells me there is more going on than Julie’s irritation over Cadence’s starting habits. At least I hope so. If she’s that fragile, she isn’t going to take it well when she gets to higher levels. There are those who won’t start jumping until after she’s already been eliminated.”

  Gordon grumbled, “The problem is that she doesn’t want Cadence to be the one that starts vaulting after she’s been eliminated.”

  “Ahh. That’s taking competitive to a whole new level.”

  “Mind if I talk straight for a second?”

  “Go right ahead,” Daniel replied.

  “Believe me when I tell you I’m not the sort of guy to lack confidence. All I’m telling you is what she thinks.”

  Daniel chuckled. “Wow. That’s a lot of conditional preparation for talking straight.”

  It was Gordon’s turn to give a wry smile. “Don’t want you to think I’m suggesting you are the better coach.”

  “Heaven forbid,” Daniel replied. “I stipulate that I have been thusly warned.”

  Not losing his humor, Gordon flicked a hand toward Julie. “She’s been getting more and more rebellious lately. Rejecting my suggestions on how to improve her approach.”

  “Arrogant. Thinks she knows better?”

  “More like she thinks her parents are paying the wrong guy to teach her.”

  Daniel barked a deeper laugh. “Oh, come on. She has to know Cadence is a major part of the equation.”

  “In her mind, she’s every bit as good as your star protégé. If you assume the raw minerals are the same, then the difference comes down to the one helping forge the blade, if you get my meaning.”

  “What you’re saying is she’s pissed that she thinks Cadence is getting taught better, giving her the edge.”

  “Pretty much.” He shrugged. “Doesn’t have to make sense.”

  “How does she justify the fact that Carla edges out ahead of her every now and again? You teach her as well.”

  “Luck. Maybe because my techniques work better for Carla. Complains I don’t know how to adapt my techniques to suit her body type.” Gordon shrugged again. “Look, she isn’t going to hurt my feelings. I’m not being paid to be her psychiatrist. I am being paid to give her the best instruction I can.”

  “And?”

  He sighed. “If she thinks she can get better help with someone else, I feel it’s my duty to investigate that.”

  “Is this you asking?”

  Gordon smirked. “This is me confirming an answer I already know. Should I tell her ‘hell no’ or do you want me to put it a little more delicately?”

  Daniel tried to define exactly what it was he was feeling at that moment. Even back-handed compliments were nice to hear once you tunneled past the implied insults cloaking them. Why didn’t she approach me directly? Or get her parents to take a stab at finding my price? If she didn’t even make an effort, that means she’s already been convinced by someone that it would be useless to try. He shook his head, a little amazed. Instead, she manipulated Gordon, hoping to intrigue me into taking her on. He could hear the arguments that she would want to make. If you train me, I’d be as good as Cadence. How can you know unless you try? Are you too scared to find out? Protecting your protégé?

  Gordon was watching as the various emotions filtered through him. “You don’t want her kind of stress.”

  “Absolutely not,” Daniel agreed. “She’s wrong. Guess I’m sorry that you aren’t going to have proof that I said no. Wouldn’t want to cost you the paycheck, either. Tell her whatever you want. You know what I know, Gordon. I don’t have any sort of magical key. I have my methods. You have yours. Mine works with Cadence. Simple as that.”

  “Thanks for being straight with me. Didn’t want to lie to her when she asks if your door is open.”

  “Closed, locked and sealed. Doesn’t even matter about me. Putting her with Cadence would be like oil and water. Or maybe matter and antimatter, considering that they might explode. I’m not screwing around with her training like that.”

  “One second. Here she goes.” They paused as Julie propped her pole into the iconic starting posture both of them knew so well.

  Daniel shrugged. “She’s got a good start. Gets a good jump off the line. Not saying she doesn’t have talent.”

  “I know.” Gordon didn’t say more, falling silent as Julie accelerated away from her mark. Her bounding steps picked up pace, then transitioned into the short sprint that would take her up to full speed. The pole dipped, but it was immediately obvious to Daniel, and no doubt Gordon, that it was a good second too late. The tip missed the box and slipped along the top of the mat. Julie was forced to abandon her attempt, crashing into the front of the mat and shoving the pole away from herself in a small cry of outrage.

  “Happens to the best every now and then,” Daniel offered.

  “She’s rattled. If I bought into her conspiracy theory, I’d say Cadence’s plan worked.” Gordon sighed. “In reality, her own imagination is getting under her own skin.” He gave a friendly clap to one of Daniel’s shoulders. “Time to go be a coach. See if I can talk her down.”

  “Good luck,” was the last thing Daniel managed to say before Gordon jogged off toward his student. He meant it. Maybe it wasn’t quite the same as with Dior and MK, but it was similar. He’d rather beat an opponent head-to-head without gimmicks. Watching Julie self-destruct without giving Cadence a proper challenge wouldn’t be a pure victory. Even if Julie might deserve it just a little.

  “Look who I found!” crowed MK from behind him.

  He turned to see Cadence, dressed in her new uniform. Part of the stipend the government offered was a clothing allotment. Her skin-tight top and spandex shorts that hugged her hips and buttocks now matched the red, blue and gold colors of all Portesaran athletes. They weren’t quite her colors, but her athletic figure still managed to fill it out in a way that had Daniel imagining himself taking them off her, carrying her into the shower, soaping her up and then taking his time getting her clean.

  Cadence noticed the lustful haze in his eyes. A smile played along her lips, but she was quick to say, “Later, hmm? I need a run-down on what’s going on.”

  Fighting down the more carnal parts of his brain, Daniel summoned the knowledge she needed. “Eight athletes remaining. The jump order is Carmen Rojas, Anita Rana from Puerto Rico, Julie, Teresa Gutierrez from Nicaragua, Carla, Eva Valencia, you and then Cindy Dean. The rest of the Portesaran athletes didn’t make it to the 4.0 mark, though they performed well.”

  He gestured toward the apparatus which was set at 4.2 meters. “Carmen made it over.
Anita failed her first. Julie did as well. Teresa is setting up.”

  Cadence nodded, smoothly processing the details. “Anything else I need to know?”

  “Julie’s in a snit.”

  “What’s new?” she let out a soft snort.

  “Steer clear of her, alright? You don’t need that kind of drama.”

  “Copy that, Coach.” Her tone remained light, taking his advice without any argument, brushing aside concerns about Julie as the small issue she knew it was.

  “Here goes Carla,” Daniel interrupted. Their discussion halted long enough to watch her go up and over the crossbar. After the uncomfortable conversation with Gordon, he was oddly glad to see Cadence’s opponent make good on her training. “Well, good for her.”

  “Means I need to nail this if I’m going to keep my crown as the Portesaran champion,” Cadence said, not sounding like she minded the pressure.

  “Absolutely. Feel loose?”

  “Yes.”

  “Alright. Go do a final warm-up cycle and get ready. They’ll be calling you soon.”

  Cadence took his direction and jogged off, popping her knees and arms in an exaggerated run that would get her blood flowing.

  He kept an eye on her, though it wasn’t necessary. It was an old reflex originally intended to check her form and make sure she wasn’t straining anything during the warm-up. Now he freely admitted to himself it had more to do with watching her gorgeous legs driving up and down, enjoying how her tight shorts rode up along the curve of her behind, revealing firm, caramel skin that begged to be grabbed while –

  – Not the time for that. He deliberately focused on Eva’s run. She missed the mark. It wasn’t close, not even getting high enough to crest the last 4.0 meter mark. Daniel had the impression her tank was empty. She had been jumping since 3.4 for some reason.

  Then it was Cadence’s turn. Daniel tried to summon a little concern, but it wouldn’t come. He believed in her too much for that. She wasn’t going to let a few extra cameras throw her off. He did harbor some concern that this would be her first time jumping at a stadium away from home. They had worked at shifting some of the details that had gotten her into a rut to break her out of her comfort zone. Had they been successful? The telltale would come when she started to push her limits. But 4.2 wasn’t her limit. Not anymore.