Chapter 34: Sectionals And Regionals

They were a little nervous. They didn't expect to be, but they were.

It was, after all, their very first competition. For all their blather about not taking it seriously, they did want to skate well. Placements really weren't all that important. They though they'd like to make it to sectionals, which would take a top 4 finish out of the 7 teams competing. Outside of that, though, they skated for fun. Even so, they wanted to skate clean and skate well.

All of their family members would attend the free dance, but they couldn't make it to all the stages. Sophia's mom made it out to compulsories, and Warren's dad was able to attend the Original Dance. They were very happy with second place finishes in both stages.

"I told you guys you were good," June, their coach, was telling them.

"Yeah, but good isn't always enough in ice dance," Warren replied.

"True, but that's less so in juniors. Most of these couples are new, or new to juniors, so there isn't quite the same pecking order."

"Yeah, but we're totally new. I'm really surprised we are where we are," Sophia said.

"Well, be proud of yourselves. You've earned it. And the free dance is your strength, so anything can happen."

The free dance was on a Saturday morning. Brian and Michelle Daniels walked into the rink and found a good seat-Michelle wasn't sure she would be able to come, but her parents were watching Briana and Katrina. She was glad, she wanted to come. She had grown very fond of Sophia, and was glad that Brian had reunited with her. It was kind of weird to have a 16-year-old stepdaughter-Michelle herself was only 29, seven years younger than Brian-but she also found that kind of neat, too. They had had some very nice talks when Sophia called, and she had been to visit a few times, now...

Brian, for his part, was nervous. Very nervous. He was sweating, and felt like he wanted to pace, but there really wasn't any room for that.

"You OK?" Michelle asked him.

" I can not believe how nervous I am!"

The couple behind them laughed. Brian turned around. The woman said, "You must have a child skating."

Brian couldn't help but smile. "My daughter."

The woman looked at him very closely, but wasn't sure. "Your daughter?"

"Yeah. And we've just reunited after a very long estrangement. I know this is very important to her, and I'm very glad she asked me to come, after the problems we've had. But, boy, am I nervous."

"Long estrangement?" Then the woman smiled. "I thought I saw a family resemblance. You've got to be Sophia Daniels' father."

Brian blinked, startled. "Yes, I am. You know Sophia?"

The woman cracked up laughing, and her husband said, "Oh, yes, we know Sophia, very well. I'm Jim Kelleher, and this is Peg."

Brian smiled broadly. "Warren's parents!"

"Nice to meet you," Jim shook his hand, as did Peg. Brian introduced them both to Michelle.

"I've got to tell you both, I've very rarely met a young man who's impressed me more than your son," Brian told them.

"Thank you very much," Peg said.

"I agree, He's a wonderful kid," Michelle added. "I've got a three year old who is terrified of any male not named Daddy-she's even a little scared of her grandfather-and Warren had her eating out of his hand within twenty seconds."

"Our son, the future pediatrician. He adores kids," Jim agreed.

The final group, the top four teams after the OD, were about ready to come out for the warm-up. Ellen had arrived, with Dan, and had sat with them. Brian had even offered to move, but Ellen laughed and told him to stay. They had a nice, pleasant chat about how nervous they were.

Warren and Sophia found skating and competing fun, and didn't try to hide it. There were three dance teams on the ice putting their "game faces" on, and one team just plain having a ball. They were all smiles. They waved at their parents. The tried the footwork sequence they were having the most trouble with, did it perfectly, and were all grins.

They were third in the order. The team that was first after the OD skated first in the order, and skated well, but they weren't unbeatable. The team in third fell. Then came Warren and Sophia.

The curse of theatricality in ice dance had spread to the Junior ranks. Most of the couples that had skated before them were over-theatrical-in music choices, costuming, movements, facial expressions, all of it. June had joked that the girl in the first place team had spent the entire free dance looking constipated and waving her arms about like she was signaling with flags.