Chapter Text
Canton, Michigan
April 2005
Meryl Davis and her parents walked into the conference room at the Arctic Edge Figure Skating Club. Meryl had been there several times before to work on choreography with Marina Zueva, but this was different than a training session. Charlie White, her ice dance partner of eight years was already there with his parents. Marina and Igor Shpilband walked in behind the Davises and shut the door.
Meryl hadn't seen Charlie in about two months. His hair was longer than she had ever seen it. She looked down at his ankle, broken in the late fall. He had a brace on it. Meryl didn't see crutches. She gave him a little smile and sat across the table from him. Her hands were shaking out of nervousness, so she hid them under the table.
One Saturday night last November, she had heard her mother on the phone.
"Oh, no! Oh my gosh! Oh, I'm so sorry. Do you want me to come over there? Do you need anything--food, drinks, change of clothes, something to read? Okay, I'll be there in the morning, give him our love."
Meryl was already in tears.
"Is it Grandpa?"
"No, sweetie, it's okay." Cheryl Davis brushed her daughter's hair out of her face and wiped away the tears.
"It's Charlie. He broke his ankle this afternoon."
"What?" She had just seen him this morning at the rink. They were training for Sectionals.
"He broke it at hockey practice. He's going to have surgery tonight, and we'll go see him in the morning."
"Well, how long will he be out?" Meryl cringed that her first thought was about their upcoming competitions instead concern that her partner was about to go into surgery...
"How is he?"
"Meryl, he's okay. He'll have plenty of pain medication. I don't know how long he'll be out. They probably don't know yet."
Meryl drove straight to Target to make a basket of all Charlie's favorite snacks for the hospital. She went heavy on the chocolate and peanut butter. She found a small stuffed cocker spaniel that she just couldn't resist. She bought a white ribbon to wrap around its leg.
She took the basket to him the next day. Jacqui hugged her, which made Meryl start crying.
"I'm sooo sssorrrry," she said, as Jacqui was looking for a tissue.
"Meryl, don't cry. I'm sorry. I ruined the season."
"No, it's okay. This is for you." She handed him the basket.
He took out the puppy with a huge smile. Meryl knew he would love it. He rooted through the rest of the goodies.
"Thanks. Finally some decent food."
Meryl and Charlie were good friends, but they were slightly awkward around each other when they weren't training or on the ice. They certainly never touched each other unless they were skating together. Meryl didn't know whether to go for an awkward bed hug, or pat his arm. She had an urge to rub his head, but she didn't have the nerve. She patted his good foot. Really brave, there, Davis.
"Well, I'll let you rest."
"Meryl, I told Cheryl we'll call as soon as we know how long he'll be out, and when you can start training again."
Meryl looked at Charlie. It went unspoken between them that this season was over. Sectionals were next week, so there would be no way to qualify for Nationals, if he could even skate by then. They'd had a great season so far in the Junior Grand Prix, getting the bronze in Serbia and Romania. They were the second alternates for the Junior Grand Prix Finals. It had exceeded their goals. Their long time coach had sat them down and told them they needed to move on from him for the next season to someone who could help them train for the next level. Meryl had been a bit devastated at the thought of leaving Seth, who had put Charlie and her together, and had been with them every step in their journey so far, but she knew he was right. Most of the teams they were competing against trained full time with successful senior coaches. She and Charlie were still just high school students who skated in the afternoon along with their other school activities and Charlie's traveling hockey team. Their Canadian friends, Tessa and Scott, had moved to Michigan and were being home schooled to have lots of training time. They had finished first and second at their Junior Grand Prixs and had qualified outright for the final. Meryl wasn't jealous, exactly, because she loved going to school, but she definitely had the sense of being passed up. And that was before the ankle.
"Okay, feel better soon, Charlie. Bye, Jacqui." She hugged Charlie's mom before leaving the room and starting up crying again.
As sad as she was to miss out on Nationals and a very good shot at going back to Junior Worlds, Meryl ended up having a dream senior year of high school. She still trained at the rink, by herself, which she didn't love, but there was no pressure. She threw herself into school activities she had never made time for like French club, where she was elected president. She was inducted into the National Honor Society, and she studied harder than ever. She got into the University of Michigan, her first choice. Two weeks after she heard from Michigan, she got a text:
Charlie: I got in! How about you?
She felt guilty that she had known for weeks and hadn't texted him first.
Meryl: Me, too! How is your rehab going?
Charlie: Boring. I hate it. Still six weeks before I can get on the ice.
Meryl: :(
Charlie: Congrats on Michigan! Woohoo!
Meryl: You, too!
Their parents had arranged the meeting with Igor and Marina on Seth's advice. And here they were.
"Charlie, you are cleared to start back training next week?" Igor was looking at Charlie's foot.
"Yes, sir. I don't really need the brace, but I'm supposed to wear it for a few more days."
"And you two want to train full time? Because you have done very well with Seth, and we think you could continue to progress with him and still have your lives the way they are."
Meryl and Charlie looked at each other. Paul Davis spoke up.
"We all agree that it's time to take the next step."
"Okay, then. Let's talk about what it will entail. I understand you both have been accepted at university?"
"Yes," Charlie said for both of them.
"We think you should defer a year, and focus only on training. You haven't had enough dance, and you certainly haven't had enough cross training. It is remarkable how well you have done with as little time as you have devoted, but next year will be only skating."
Meryl felt like she was being scolded.
"Charlie. No more hockey. You devote all of your energy to your skating. You may continue to train singles, if you wish, but it will be secondary to dance."
Meryl's heart dropped to her feet. There was no way he would give up hockey. No way. It was his first love; it was the reason he got out of bed. His dream was to play in the NHL. It was over. They were over. She couldn't bear to look at him.
"Charlie understands that," Jacqui said the words. Meryl's head shot up and found Charlie's eyes. She couldn't believe it.
"We're going to leave you to talk it over, let us know when you're ready." Igor and Marina left the room.
"Guys, can I have a second just with Meryl?" Charlie spoke to the parents while Meryl was still in shock. The two couples left their children in the room alone.
"What do you think?" Charlie looked at her nervously.
"You are really willing to give up hockey?"
"Meryl, I decided that months ago. I like hockey, but I'll never be great at it. We have a real shot at this."
"Charlie, you are an amazing hockey player. You are so focused, and no one has better skating skills. You know there's a reason that the coach took you even though you were going to have to miss for competitions. Don't sell yourself short."
"Are you trying to talk us out of this? I understand if you really want to start college next year."
Meryl was going to cry yet again. Ugh, what a baby she was. She tried to stay composed.
"I am looking forward to college, but my biggest dream...is skating with you." She looked down at the table.
"Okay, then let's do it. Michigan will still be there in a year." He got up to let the parents know what they had talked about. Meryl breathed in deeply, trying to keep it together. She watched Charlie move with ease to the door. All six were in agreement, and they called back the coaches.
"Great, great. We're very happy to have you on board. Be ready, though, it will be different from how you have trained in the past. We will start right after you graduate."
Meryl was relieved that she would get to finish her senior year the way she had dreamed. She even had a date to prom. She wondered if Charlie did.
"Charlie, your hair." Marina walked over to him and ruffled it. "Don't cut it again, I have a vision."