Chapter 135: Still Welcome To Tour

Warren and Sophia joined the tour in New York City. All of their friends were happy to see them.

They met with Ted Kantor, who ran the tour. "Two slots, one before and one after intermission. That OK?"

"That's fine," Sophie told him. "I must admit, I'm a bit surprised. Sixth place at Worlds and we get two slots?" she laughed.

"Oh, to hell with that," Ted said. "You're former world champions, you're three-time national champions, and we all know that that sixth place was a rip-off. I don't have to worry about corrupt judging decisions-just which skaters my audience is coming to see. You guys are near the top of that list."

There was no show the first night they got in to New York-that'd be the next night-so they went around that evening to gather some friends for dinner. They went to the room that Evan was sharing with Tom Bellamy. Evan opened the door and let them in. Tom was on the phone.

"Your sister," Evan laughed, pointing at Tom on the phone. "They're planning the big reunion when we get to Boston next week. It's disgustingly lovey-dovey around here."

"Yeah, and now we're here," Warren laughed. "The lovey-dovey-ness just quadrupled."

"Yep," Evan snorted.

"Ev. You need a man," Sophie teased him.

"I just had a relationship end."

"Oh. Damn, Evan, I'm sorry," Sophia said.

"Yeah. And there's too many fucking straight guys in the world," Evan said in disgust, making Warren and Sophie crack up. "Anyhow. Where's Betsy?"

"Liz has her. She's coming with us for supper, but she insisted on playing Auntie Liz all afternoon since we got into town."

"Oh, yeah? And how did you guys occupy your afternoon?' Evan teased.

"You don't want to know," Warren laughed.

They got to Boston a week later. That would be Tom's last gig on the tour for a week-he was staying in Boston for Kristin's prom. Kristin came to the show, of course, deliriously happy to see Tom.

"I'm even happy to see you guys," she teased Warren and Sophie. "This one, too," she picked up Betsy.

"Aunny Kris!" Betsy gurgled.

"Boy. She's getting better with the talking," Kris marveled.

The show went well-Warren and Sophie loved it when the tour stopped in Boston, so they could skate for family and friends. Tom seemed to like it, too.

They held an after-show get-together in the hotel ballroom, as they often did. One of the things that often happened at these is that, if there was a piano in the room, the rest of the cast prevailed upon Tom to play for a bit. He gladly did so, enjoying playing for his friends. He did so on this night, too, favoring his friends with some ragtime.

Then he waggled a 'come here' finger at Kristin. She tried to shake it off, but he was persistent.

"Oh, wow, this ought to be interesting," Warren said, seeing what was going on.

"What?" Evan asked.

"Tom's trying to get Kristin to play."

"Your sister?"

"Yeah. She's very good, but terrified to play in front of people."

"Well, he got her over to the piano," Evan pointed out.

"Hey, guys," Tom told the cast, "This is Kristin. She's my girlfriend, and Warren's sister. I want her to play because she blows me away."

"I do not!" Kristin hissed, blushing. "Tom, please..."

"Kris," he said softly, "trust me. If you play for these people you will not regret it."

"OK," she sighed.

"Play the Pathetique," he suggested. She blew out a breath, nodded, and sat down at the piano. She brought her hands to the keys, and began playing.

Kristin didn't notice that the room completely hushed when she started playing. She didn't notice Shawna, sitting at Warren's table, hiss out a "My GOD!" answered by Liz saying, "Yeah, she can really play." She blocked all of that out, concentrating on the notes. She did hear, however, the absolutely thunderous applause that was unleashed when she finished. She heard that just fine. She blushed the color of cranberry juice-and couldn't stop grinning.

"More!" Evan shouted, a demand that was quickly echoed from others in the room. Still blushing, Kris leaned back over the piano and played some Chopin. When she finished that-to more applause-she changed pace and launched into Fleetwood Mac's "Sara", singing along to her playing. She wasn't as good a singer as she was a pianist, but she was good. She ended with Mozart's Sonata Facile.

When she got back to the table that Warren was at, Warren's friends were looking at her in complete astonishment. "You need to play in front of people more often," Evan told her.

"I'm completely stunned," Christine Arsenault added.

"Thanks," Kris mumbled, still blushing.

"I'm not stunned at her playing-I've heard it," Warren said. "I'm stunned she did it here."