Chapter 105: Future Plans

Sophia and Warren weren't back from Worlds long before Warren's phone rang. It was Curtis Ingalls, the president of the US Figure Skating Association.

"Warren, were you guys serious?"

"About what?"

"About not coming back next year."

Warren sighed. "Well, you know Sophia's pregnant."

"Yeah, but, I thought you were going to shoot for Nationals. If you take the whole year off, it could damage your standing," Curtis pointed out.

"Oh, Curtis, if we take next year off, that would be it for us, for eligible competition. We'd just go to school. Or, we could go to Stars on Ice--we've already had an offer."

Curtis didn't say anything for a minute. "Wait a minute... you're thinking retirement? I thought you had already decided to stay in for four years?"

"That was before we got screwed at Worlds."

"That's not going to happen again."

"You can't guarantee that, Curtis. Not as long as the ISU is headed by that moron The Speedskater, and controlled by all the Russians whispering in his ear." The Speedskater was a derogatory term used by figure skaters to describe the head of the International Skating Union, who had come from the speedskating side of the sport.

"That's going to change, Warren. Trust me on that one, OK?"

"Curtis, I like you. You're a good man. We'll think about it, is all I can promise."

"All right. Should we schedule you guys for the Grand Prix?"

"Cup of Russia and NHK, because those are the last two. But that's tentative, we don't know if Sophia will be ready to skate by then."

"Fair enough." Curtis sighed. "Now I know what Dennis Anderson feels like."

"Dennis Anderson?"

"He's the head of the Canadian federation. Damphier and Gaudler are going pro, because they're tired of it, too."

"Damn. Well, they've been screwed for longer than we have!"

"True."

Sophia got a phone call later that week from the Canadian pairs skater Jennie Sellers.

"How are you feeling?" Jennie asked her.

"Fine. Morning sickness is gone, and I'm not in the 'I feel fat' stage yet."

Jennie giggled. "Did you hear about Christian and Renee?"

"Yeah. Truth be told, we've considered it."

"Ice dance judging can be maddening, even to those of us just watching," Jennie agreed. "Anyhow, Renee and Christian have decided to sit on their decision for a year. They are going to take next year off, do Stars on Ice and some of the pro-ams, but not do anything that would cost them their eligibility just yet."

"Ah," Sophia said. "Skate Canada putting the screws in?"

"And how. Us, too. We had originally planned to stay in, because we didn't expect to win a gold medal. Now, we're not sure, and Skate Canada is begging us to stay in, for the next four years."

"That bad?"

"Sophia, where are the next Olympics being held?"