Chapter 144: Another Accident

About a month after Warren's accident, he got a call from Curtis Ingalls.

"How's the knee?" Curtis asked.

"Getting there. I'm rehabbing, but it's going to take some time."

"Nationals, you think?"

"I doubt it," Warren said. "Nationals are two months away, and I'm nowhere near ready to go anywhere near the ice yet. If we think we can get it together for Worlds, we'll petition for a bye."

"Which you'll probably get, considering who we're going to have to send to Worlds if you don't go," Curtis sighed. "Ryan and Courtney, and two unknown never-were's."

"Huh?" Warren asked. "I think you forgot about Evan and Shawna."

"You haven't heard?" Curtis asked in surprise.

"Heard what, Curtis?"

"You haven't. It's been a hell of a bad month for American ice dance." He sighed. "Shawna Vickers had an accident, about a week ago. She fell down a flight of stairs in her home. Warren, this was bad. She fractured her pelvis, broke her leg in three places, broke her ankle, shattered her kneecap, tore all kinds of ligaments. They almost amputated her leg. If she's really lucky, she might walk normally someday--but skating's pretty much out of the question. Her career's over."

"Oh SHIT!" Warren gasped. "Poor Shawna."

Warren got off the phone and told Sophie what had happened. Then he called Evan.

"We just heard. How you holding up, buddy?" Warren asked him.

"I'm fine, but Shawna's disconsolate."

"I can imagine," Warren said, "but you must be pretty upset yourself."

"Well, yeah--I lost my partner. Plus, she's my friend, my best friend. What a way to have your career end. I could always find another partner if I wanted to, but she's pretty much done."

"She still in the hospital?" Warren asked.

"Yeah. She's in traction. She's been operated on a couple of times already. So, how's your knee?"

"Minor compared to this. It'll heal."

"That's good. This year?"

"Maybe. We'll see. I doubt in time for Nationals, though--but I hope I'm far enough along by then to petition for a bye to Worlds."

"Damn, I was hoping you'd go to Nationals," Evan said. "Courtney Rogers, National Champion, just turns my stomach."

Warren laughed. "True, but I'll be happy for Ryan."

Ryan got to the rink for practice. There he found not only Courtney, but Courtney's hideous mother.

"Did you hear?" Courtney asked excitedly.

"About what?" Ryan answered.

"Shawna Vickers! Her career is over!"

"Yes, I heard," he said warily.

"This is great! Kelleher won't heal in time for Nationals. The National Championship is in the bag, partner."

Ryan shook his head. "Yeah, great. Winning a national championship by default. That's what I always wanted."

Miriam Rogers snorted. "Winning's all that matters."

"It's the boost our career needs. National championships carry over into other competitions," Courtney pointed out, "no matter how you win them."

"Only until Warren and Sophie come back," Ryan said.

"If they miss the whole year, they'll just disappear off the radar screen," Courtney giggled.

"I doubt it. But they don't plan to miss the whole year."

"HUH?"

"They're going to try for Worlds," Ryan informed them. "They think Warren can be ready by then."

"How are the going to go to Worlds if they don't go to Nationals?" Miriam said.

"Medical bye," Ryan answered. "Which they'll have no trouble getting."

"Oh, really? We'll see about that," Courtney said ominously.

"Don't you dare!" Ryan threatened.

"Ryan, you just skate. Leave the tough stuff to me," Courtney grinned.