Dark Night

ACTs

"There are a lot of med schools in California, and if I like the university, I'd like to go to med school at the same place I do my undergrad. I'd like to stay in-state for the tuition, obviously, but also to stay kind of close to family. I don't want to go East." I nodded

"I'm kind of surprised how fast I adapted to the no-snow lifestyle," I said, and he shuddered.

"The rink's about as cold as I want to get. So UCLA, Stanford, UC-SD, USC. I want to be kind of close to family, but not too close, you know? So I'd prefer the southern part of the state rather than the San Francisco area."

"I hear you," I said, perking up to see our meals. I felt I deserved lasagna. John had gotten something with eggplant, which I hate. Well, I didn't have to eat it.

"Hey, listen. I'm thinking about moving away from strictly classical music for my programs next year. Can I look at your playlists? Since this is going to be my last year, I might as well go out with a bang, right?" He smiled hopefully, and bemused, I dug my phone out of my bag and unlocked it, pulling up my Amazon music app.

"For god's sake, just don't do Swan Lake. I am so sick of that and Carmen that I could puke."

John almost choked on his eggplant. "I can promise not to do Carmen," he said finally. "Although I think I'd look pretty good in a short skirt with a rose between my teeth."

It was my turn to laugh. "Yeah, you'd be totally breaking free there. That would be hilarious. But perhaps not winning." His grin got fierce.

"I already told Stan that he's going to have to up his game if he wants to keep winning next year. I want to go out on top." He scrolled through my playlists. "I'm really pushing it this year. First I had to have Ekaterin change my whole program because SOMEONE said I was slacking--"

"I--" I started, but he just barrelled on. I could see where Paul got it.

"So now my music has to change, and that takes some time. I'll start learning my new choreography a couple weeks after Worlds, which is next week. The fun thing about the rink is that they change our on-ice practices around so that your competition doesn't know what you're doing right away, and they're pretty strict about enforcing it. In late June or July, after we've had some time to learn the programs, and get fairly decent, we debut them to our families and friends at the rink. It's fun." He handed me back my phone and jotted a couple of notes on his. "Will you be there? I know it's kind of a sore spot, but I think you're really going to like my new programs. And we don't know them so well that accidents don't happen. It's your big chance to see your brother screw up. Possibly spectacularly."

"You played the brother card," I said, playing up a shocked reaction.

"Yep. Paul will be there, he loves to point out all my mistakes. For the rest of the year."

"I don't think I'll be able to avoid it," I said neutrally. "But the prospect of splats makes me feel more kindly toward it."

"Excellent." He rubbed his hands together briskly.

After lunch, we went our separate ways, having successfully talked each other down from the post-test shock. I picked up my holds at the library; I usually found books to check out when I was shelving and I don't like carrying around huge piles of books so it was best to check out small numbers at a time. Then I slouched on a bench watching kids do their tricks and let my contorted brain relax.

I stayed until I felt a little sleepy; I'd been pretty keyed up the night before. I was getting ready to leave when someone leaned on the back of the bench. I looked over to see Marc.

"Je suis désolé pour ce qui est arrivé à la patinoire. Je n'ai pas réalisé ce que tu ressentais. Stan est tellement concentré que je n'ai jamais pensé à comment cela affecterait sa famille."

I snorted. "I doubt my brother actually mentions his family much."

"Il a l'intention de patiner."

"I'll say he's focused on his skating. It's not your fault, I shouldn't have unloaded on you like that. So I'm sorry too. I was rude."

"Aucun probleme. It is a sensitive topic."

"Merci."

There was silence a moment, but it was fairly companionable. Then he came around to the other side of the bench and sat down. "The kids you watched came for a tryout. You were right, the girl wants to skate single, but her parents are happier splitting some of the costs with a partner. They aren't compatible, they both want different things. Different routines, different music, costumes... so neither Krista or I will coach them. After worlds, the rink's going to see many skaters come to talk to coaches, see if they can come here to train."

I laughed. "There's going to be enough drama between John and my brother next year."

He grinned too. "That will be entertaining to watch since I'm not their coach. But Mikhal can keep things in hand."

We talked a little more, then I got up to leave. I felt better getting things smoothed out. I'd embarrassed myself.

When I got home, I followed the sound of voices and went into the kitchen. "Grandpa!" I exclaimed. "You didn't say you were coming so soon!" He got up to give me a hug and kissed my forehead.

"I wanted to surprise everybody, punkin. Mission accomplished. I drove down. I'm at the hotel until Tuesday, when I close. Well, a couple days after that. I've got to go furniture shopping."

"Wait, you drove down?"

He nodded and picked up an envelope from the table. "I bought myself a car back in Michigan." I opened the envelope; it was the title to the Ioniq. In my name. He smiled.

"Wow," I breathed. "Thank you, Grandpa!"

"Your brother has a car, you should have one too," he said comfortably. Mom nodded.

"How did the test go, Delia?" she asked, bursting my bubble.

"I feel like my brain's been sucked out of my head like Starship Troopers," I said gloomily.

"I'm sure you did well, honey, you've been studying hard." It's amazing what more sleep and less financial hardship will do to a personality.  Then I chastised myself. She was trying.

"We're supposed to get the SATs this week, so I'll find out if I need to take it again." But then Mom got up and I recognized the ingredients for spice cake on the counter and I cheered up. Dad and my brother were also home for dinner which was still weird. Usually they got home later. Grandpa went back to the hotel early, it had been a long drive even over a couple of days. I still felt brain dead, so I went to my room and listened to music until I could finally go to bed. I wondered what music John was going to choose.

The next day Mom, my brother, and I went shopping with Grandpa, helping him choose furniture and possible paint colors. He was going to need rather a lot of primer to cover up some of the colors in his new place, and he chose an exciting assortment of whites on his walls. Well, I would just be visiting. He had the measurements for all the rooms and the holes for the appliances, so he bought completely new kitchen appliances in stainless and a new washer and dryer in a beautiful crimson and arranged for delivery after he closed. He got just the basics for the new house--a sofa and chair, TV stand, coffee table, floor lamps, dining room table and chairs, bar stools for the breakfast bar in the kitchen. He got a nice sleigh bed, bedside tables, and a bureau for the bedroom, and said that he'd take his time and fill in everything else over time. It was actually a really fun time, and I realized, after we went home, that my brother and I had actually interacted amicably for whole hours at a time.

Grandpa was great for family peace.