Page 76 of When the Ice Melts
She snapped her blue skate guards onto the bottoms of her blades and made her way to the first row of bleachers. Slumping down, she gazed across the ice. Mentally she ran through her to-do list for the rest of the day.
She would practice for about an hour and a half more, then take a thirty-minute break. After that, Brian wanted her back in the gym studio to practice the jumps on mats to make sure her rotation was sufficient. After that she had a stretching session at...
Thoughts of the day and days ahead slowly drifted from Addisyn’s mind, swallowed by the hollowness in her soul. When had the ice stopped exciting her?
She narrowed her eyes and tried to envision herself skating on that rink, gliding with freedom and joy over the ice. The people crowding the stands would cheer and toss bouquets in her direction. She’d receive a personal letter from the International Olympic Committee requesting her attendance as part of Team USA for the next Olympics, and she’d get the rings tattooed on her forearm.
Wasn’t that exactly what she’d always wanted?
Yes. Addisyn took a deep breath and leaned back against the bleacher behind her. But somehow, she would trade it all for one more hug from Avery, one more kiss from Darius. One chance to know they forgave her, that they still loved her and were behind her. Believing in her the way they once did. Before she blew it.
What was she doing, thinking this way? She should be excited, pumping herself up for the big skate for Ed. Psychological prep was just as important as technical practice. Especially when she knew Brian was counting on her to project an upbeat, youthful vibe.
She pulled her iPhone from her pocket and pulled up the music she was performing to—an instrumental version of BTS’s “Fake Love.” The driving beat and metallic sounds seemed to fit nicely with her mood, helping her ease the pain.
Forget everything and skate.It was all she could do. She stood and made her way back to the ice. She could practice some while Brian was getting the sound system fixed.
Addisyn Miles might not ever be the best in the world. But she could still be great. At skating—if not at life.
IT WAS Aparticularly busy day at the climbing center—one of those days when Terry had to wear a lot of hats. Being the owner and general manager didn’t exempt him from more mundane duties. In fact, he felt very strongly about the importance of humility.
“A servant’s heart means you are prepared to lend a hand in any place, at any time, for any reason,” he’d always drilled into his workers. Being the man at the top of the hierarchy, to him, just meant increased responsibility—the ability to perform not only his own job but every other job underneath his, from booking appointments to cleaning equipment, right down to taking out the trash.
So today, when a receptionist was out with the flu, customers were crawling all over the mountain, a glitch was found in the safety checks, and a shipment of new equipment arrived ahead of schedule, Terry had been feeling pretty overwhelmed. By the time four thirty rolled around and the last climbing group of the day was descending the mountain with Dexter, one of his most experienced guides, Terry was ready to hop in his Acura and head home to his wife. Maybe take her out to dinner tonight.
“Glad it’s over,” he muttered to himself, throwing a few last-minute papers in his briefcase. His stomach growled. The low-cal sandwich wrap he’d had for lunch seemed a long time ago.
He ducked into the hall—and nearly collided with Darius.
“Sorry!” Darius thrust out his hands to try to dissipate his momentum.
“The fault is mine.” Terry glanced at the young man, studying his eyes. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
Darius’s face was still shaded, sad even. He couldn’t have appeared more burdened if he’d had a gorilla on his back. Terry hesitated. The last thing he needed was another problem. But he knew his convenience was a flimsy excuse for not trying to help someone in need. “You know, I actually wanted to talk to you, Darius. Could you step into my office for a moment?”
Darius looked apprehensive, but nodded. “Uh...sure.”
Terry led the way back into the room and flipped the light switch. “Have a seat.” He tried to ignore his growling stomach. This was more important. Settling into his swivel chair, he hesitated a moment before speaking. “Darius, you haven’t seemed like yourself lately.”
Darius was studying him as if he were speaking in riddles. “In what way?” His tone was even, guarded.
“Well...” Terry took his time. “You seem—very distant. Withdrawn.” He searched his mental thesaurus for the precise words he needed. “Depressed about something.”
The closed-off look in Darius’s eyes didn’t ease, but Terry noticed him twisting his hands together nervously. He leaned forward. He didn’t want to intimidate the young man or force him into a confession. “Whatever is going on in your personal life, it’s none of my business. I understand that. But I can’t have you taking people up the mountain if you’re going to be distracted enough to potentially make a mistake.” He paused. “I’m sure you understand that.”
“So you’re saying I’m not doing a good job?” Darius’s tone sharpened. Terry could see his jaw muscles ripple underneath his beard.
“Not at all.” Terry was determined to keep this calm. De-escalate the situation, as his latest management seminar had taught him. “In fact, you’re one of my most dependable and reliable employees. I just get the feeling that something is troubling you. And after you missed that day of work, I—”
“I told you I’m sorry for that. It won’t happen again.” Darius’s nervousness filled the space between them as he shifted in the chair.
“I’m not here to fire you, man.” Terry chuckled softly, but Darius’s face remained rigid. “I’m not here to beat you up either.” He made a calming motion with his hands. “Relax.”
Darius’s eyes didn’t leave Terry’s face, but some of the tautness seemed to fade from his expression. “So...what are you saying?”
Terry didn’t flinch. “I’m saying that I am here for you, Darius.” He stared deep into the younger man’s eyes, willing him to hear the sincerity in Terry’s voice. “I want to help you in any way I can. Whether it’s work, or life, or God. Or anything.”
For a moment Darius must have thought about opening up. Terry could see it, could see the secret that was killing him bubbling to the surface, waiting to overflow.Lord, please help him—show him I’m his friend—