Back to Where We Started From (Miracle)

Chapter 102

The sun was shining brightly in Lake Placid when they finally made it there. The bus ride had felt like it lasted forever for Julia. She sat next to Robbie, and they talked a lot. They talked about dinner with the band and the party, as well as the game against the Soviets. They talked about the Olympics a lot, but they didn't speak about what would happen after the Olympics. Julia tried to occupy her worried mind by writing lyrics in her journal, but her thoughts kept wandering back to Jack. More specifically, she was thinking about if Herb would cut Jack. She felt herself tearing up everytime she thought of Jack being cut, and then it led her to wonder what she would do. She wouldn't blame Jack if he didn't want to stay in Lake Placid, but she knew she would stay to watch the games. She really didn't want to think about that conversation.

"Little different than last time we were here," Rizzo noted as they got off the bus, looking around at all the people milling about the tiny village. Large piles of dirty snow lined the road, but it didn't take away from the obvious excitement in the air.

"Yeah, that's putting it lightly," Robbie laughed. Julia watched as Herb turned to Craig and Walter Bush, the team's general manager who had traveled from Manhattan to Lake Placid with them.

"You take care of these guys, I'm gonna go check on OC," Herb said to this assistant coach. Julia bit back the urge to follow her uncle and planted her feet firmly as they waited for everyone to get off the bus.

"Come on, guys, stick with me," Craig said, nodding his head as he headed into the large building behind them. Julia followed beside Robbie, her gut twisting and untwisting with nerves for Jack and the rest of the boys.

When they entered the building, their ears were bombarded with the languages of athletes from all over the world. Men and women from all over the world were checking in, getting ID badges and room keys. Despite the worry that had made its home in her belly, Julia found herself looking around in excitement. It was hard to wrap her head around the fact that after months of the boys working tirelessly, they were finally at the Olympics.

"Herb!"

She was brought out of her thoughts by Doc's voice across the crowded room. She looked toward the sound to see Doc and Jack. Herb, Craig, and Walter made their way over to the duo. Julia couldn't make out what Jack said to Herb, but she watched as Herb and Walter clapped him on the back as he crutched past them. He made his way over to where his teammates and girlfriend were gathered.

"It's a stretched ligament. No surgery," he told them all, confirming what Doc had thought. They all breathed a sigh of relief. Julia watched Herb, Craig, Doc, and Walter converse out of the corner of her eye.

"What has Herb said?" Rizzo asked Jack. He just shook his head.

"He's keeping me in the dark," Jack sighed. No one said anything else, all lost in their own thoughts. Jack knew the position his teammates were in: wanting to have the very best chances possible likely meant him going home and being replaced by one of Herb's cuts. He couldn't blame them, as he would want the same thing.

Eventually, Craig and Herb got the team checked in and passed around their ID badges. Julia looked at her badge in admiration.

"I'm glad you get to be here with us," Robbie told her with a smile.

"Me too," she nodded as the two of them laid their lanyards around their necks.

Robbie didn't elaborate on his thoughts out loud, but he couldn't help but think back to when he first told her he was trying out for the Olympic team. Even over the phone, he could tell that she was out of her mind on who knows what substances. When she had promised that she would be at the Games, he took it with a grain of salt. Then after the events that took place on Christmas Eve, Robbie was totally at a loss for what to expect. He wasn't sure if she would spiral further, be kicked out of the band, go back to California, or some unknown option. When she had willingly gone to rehab, he had been skeptical. Proud, but skeptical nonetheless. Eight months earlier, it would have seemed impossible to him that his best friend would be there with him, let alone happy, sober, and in love.