Chapter 101: Skating For Gold

"So, have you set a date?" Mrs. Kelleher asked Warren and Sophia. They were getting a late supper after the OD.

"Well, we've got two possibilities. We have to get married in the summer. Late July or August," Warren said.

"After the tours end, so all our skating friends can be there," Sophia clarified.

"So," Warren continued, "We have two choices. We can get married this summer, which means we'd get married before the baby came, but Sophia would be walking down the aisle very pregnant. Or, we wait until next summer--which means the baby gets born to unmarried parents, but Sophia won't be getting married in a frilly tent."

Sophia giggled. "Also, waiting a year gives us more time to plan."

"So, that's what you're leaning towards?" Peg asked them.

"Yup. We'll make a final decision after the Olympics," Sophia told her.

"I'm just so glad it's actually going to happen," Peg smiled.

"You got that right!" Ellen chimed in.

Sophia and Warren laughed. "We agree," Sophia said.

Sophia suitemates in the Olympic village, Andrea and Liz, had gone out dancing, giving Sophia and Warren a couple of hours where they wouldn't be disturbing anyone. They enjoyed themselves and each other, and fell asleep in each other's arms.

Sophia emerged from her room in the morning. "Liz? Andrea? Are you guys here?"

"Yeah" Liz called from her room.

"Me too," said Andrea.

"OK, Warren's here, so you might want to be decent when you emerge," Sophia giggled.

"Oh, must we?" Andrea joked. They all came out and decided to get some breakfast together.

"You guys ready?" Liz asked them over breakfast.

"Yes, we are!" Sophia told her.

Sophia put her hair in rollers after breakfast, while Warren caught them both up on some of the internet postings. Then they were ready to head to the rink.

The final group had five skaters. Sophia and Warren were smack in the middle, the third pair to skate, after Sharon and Steve and the Canadians, and before the two Russian couples.

As they took the ice for the warmup, the French were in first. They had been all the way in sixth before the free dance, however, so weren't a factor for the medals.

The warmup ended, and the final group was ready to skate. Sharon Nicholas and Steve Coleman were the first to skate of the final group. Warren and Sophia liked their program--skated to the soundtrack from some heroic-warrior movie--but knew it had some deficiencies. The judges saw that, too--Steve and Sharon were placed behind the French.

The Canadians, Renee and Christian, were next. Sophia and Warren made sure to stand by the boards and watched, because they were very fond of the soul/funk free dance that their friends had come up with. It was upbeat, and energetic, and the crowd loved it. Most of the judging panel at least liked it, as seven of the nine judges put them in first place.

Warren and Sophia took the ice, took their starting positions, and waited for Dire Straits' "Romeo and Juliet" to start. It did, and Warren skated down the length of the ice to meet Sophia, as their program began.

Compared to Nationals--where they got 7 perfect sixes for the presentation mark--this was better. Technically they had upped the ante a bit more in the weeks after nationals. Artistically, this was a free, uninhibited, attacking performance. They hit each position, performed each step, executed each turn and edge, with an easy grace and style.

They finished the program in a happy, excited embrace. They skated off, greeted June and Kathy, and waited for their marks.

"Can't do it any better than that," Kathy told them. The technical marks came up. Mostly 5.7s and a few 5.8s.