Practice makes perfect, and when you're fighting to be the best in your sport that is especially true. Ryder and Francesca are no exception. They are dedicated to their sport and refuse to let anything distracted. But when a scheduling conflict forc...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Question?" Francesca yells from the lobby of the rink before even coming into view.
"Answer!" I yell back from the ice. I am just finishing setting up the cones for our ice time. Francesca said we could skip the cones and I could have the whole ice today since I won't be here Thursday, giving her the whole ice then, but I am using this hour as a stress reliever instead of actual practice time.
"Why is Maddie watching the ladies and not me? I am their mother!"
"You're leaving Friday morning for the game Beck and won't be home until early Sunday," I remind her as she dramatically flings her stuff to the floor. It is warm today, the perfect way to kick off the third day of spring, so instead of her usual large puffer and thick boots Francesca is wearing just an oversized sweater and sneakers.
"Well," she starts but pauses.
"Well?" I ask as she concentrates on lacing her skates, thinking hard about what she will say next.
"It would still be nice to be asked," she pouts as she steps onto the ice skating over to where I am standing.
"Beck, can you watch the ladies when I am gone?" Asking is a waste since I know she can't but if it will make her happy then I will ask.
"Oh no I am sorry I can't, I won't be around this weekend," she tells me acting like I didn't already know this. I swear if she decides to change careers, acting should be at the top of her list.
I snort as she skates off clearly pleased with herself. "We have a busy couple of weeks," Francesca notes as she begins stretching. I am just doing a light warm up since my plans today are mostly to shoot some pucks around and stare at my hot ice partner for a full hour. God must feel bad about my shitty week last week because today Francesca is in a tiny tight white cropped shirt that rises up every time she raises her arms.
"Yeah, are you sure about this weekend? You're going to lose out on two days of practice by coming."
"Aren't you going to lose out on a day next weekend by coming to my skating competition?"
"True, but I don't have a routine to rehearse. Beck, if you don't come to regionals this weekend I understand wanting to practice more."
I barely have the words out of my mouth before a stray puck is being flung at my head. "Don't be stupid carsick, I will be there. Besides, weren't you the one lecturing me at 2 o'clock this morning that I need to rest more?"
"You get like 5 hours of sleep every night that isn't healthy," I argue. Francesca is always tired because she does too much all the time. On top of her own skating, and classes, and being a TA, and basically being my therapist, she has started helping some of the younger skaters on the team clean up their routines. Last night she did not get home until 11pm with homework still left to do. I know I was a hypocrite for lecturing her since I do the same thing but I mean isn't the saying do as I say not as I do. "Also not the carsick shit again."
