The Rules of the Rink: A Sweet Sports Romance by Tomi Tabb

Author:Tomi Tabb [Tabb, Tomi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pas de Chat Publications
Published: 2023-12-11T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Frankie winced. Falling was a part of skating. She thought about the thousands of spills she’d taken over the years not just on jumps, but also on spins and footwork. When you fell in pairs skating, though, it was a whole other matter.

A fall on a lift was the worst possible thing that could happen. It meant there was a high probability of both skaters getting hurt.

“When we went down, I had the oddest sensation that everything was happening in slow motion. I had just enough time to use my body to shield Camille from hitting the ice. Everything that happened after that is still fuzzy. Camille was shaken, but physically fine. I remember having this searing pain in my head. I couldn’t hear or see straight. It was like I was having an out-of-body experience.”

Charlie’s voice grew softer. “Leslie had been watching us practice. She knows a lot about head injuries from playing hockey. Our coach kept telling me to shake it off, but it didn’t sit right with Les. She knew I needed to be checked out for a concussion. From what I was told, they got into a nasty argument that ended with her firing our coach before she dragged me to the ER. I told myself if I ever became a coach, I’d always make sure something like that never happened to my students.”

Frankie’s nails dug into the tender flesh of her palms. Anger bubbled inside her. How could a coach, a person you were supposed to rely on, just tell somebody to shake it off? Shouldn’t Charlie’s coach have been watching out for his well-being? Every single person who joined the American Skating Union was supposed to take an annual course on the proper protocol for head injuries and concussions. There was no way Charlie’s former coach could have been that clueless.

Charlie’s face was grim. “At the ER, the medical staff confirmed that I had a concussion. The treatment protocol was to get lots of rest and avoid any strenuous physical activity for a couple weeks until my symptoms subsided, but that was only the beginning of the nightmare.”

The roller coaster of emotions continued. Frankie felt her stomach muscles tying themselves in knots. Her breathing grew shallow.

“After six months, I continued to have problems with my memory. There was no clear timeline of when I’d be cleared to skate again, so Camille decided it would be best if we ended our partnership. Meanwhile, I spent another eighteen months off the ice doing specialized therapy.”

“Oh, Charlie, that’s horrendous,” she said, her voice breaking as her chin quivered.

He hung his head. “Finally, two and a half years after the accident, I decided enough was enough. I had to come to terms with the fact that I was as recovered as I was ever going to be. I had what’s called acquired dyslexia. While I was technically cleared to skate again, I didn’t see a point. I was damaged goods.”

They’d reached one of the vista points on the trail.

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