FUTURE PLANS (Chapter 105)

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."

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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?"

"Ah," Sophia replied. "I get it." The next Olympics were in Quebec City.

"Yup. Defending gold medallists, going for a second in skating-mad Canada? The federation, understandably, wants that. And, with Denis being Quebecois, that's even better." Denis Poulin was her partner. "So, we'd have not just Canadian champions, but a Francophone Canadian champion, in Quebec City, defending his championship. Denis is from Trois-Rivieres, which is close enough to Quebec City. It would be a scene."

Sophia had to smile. "Jennie, you actually sound like the idea appeals to you."

"Truthfully, you're right. And it really appeals to Denis. We're going to take it year by year, but we're considering staying eligible. Now, if the next Olympics were anywhere else, we wouldn't. But it would be a trip, especially for Denis."

"That's a good point to consider. For us, as well--Quebec City is pretty close to Boston."

"That it is."

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Warren and Sophia were on the ice, a few weeks before the end of the school year.

"Oy," Sophia said, "I may not be showing much yet, but my center of balance is definitely changing."

"I noticed," Warren agreed. "Especially during that last lift."

"You just make sure you don't drop me," Sophia smirked at him. "Precious cargo, and all that."

"You guys better think about getting off the ice soon," Kathy called over to them.

"Soon," Sophia agreed. "But I can still skate for a bit yet, and we need to get these programs figured out. If we want to make it to Cup of Russia, they have to be done before I get off the ice."

"I think you're nuts to even think about that," Kathy told them. "Shoot for Nationals."

"We might," Sophia said. "But, if we can make it to the Grand Prix, we want to. We're going to need the money," she admitted ruefully.

"And, making sure these programs are choreographed now, before we get off the ice, allows us to keep our options open," Warren pointed out.

"I am glad that Riverdance is almost done, though," Sophia giggled. "It's beginning to test my stamina."

"I'll bet," Kathy snorted. "That program is brutal even if you're not four and a half months pregnant!"

"You got that right," Warren agreed. "And I should know, because I'm not four and a half months pregnant." Sophia giggled and gave him a swat. "Thanks, honey," he said with a smirk. "At least the OD is more sedate." The Original Dance next year was a waltz, and Warren and Sophia were going to skate to "In Between Dances," a gorgeous slow country waltz by Pam Tillis.

"It is more sedate," Sophia agreed. "I can practice this for a while yet. I think we might have to skip the lifts for now, though!"

"I agree," Warren said. "I didn't bargain on lifting two of you."

Sophia swatted him again.

--End of chapter--