kids at all, but
sometimes the parents are tough going." She shrugged as she and Teel took
their seats with the other moderators.
"When the children have
reached this level in sports, we don't usually have much trouble," Teel
soothed. "It's the parents whose children have never done much
athletically who are the most fearful."
"Well. I'm not going to
worry," Nancy said firmly. "I'll just watch you and do the
same."
As Nancy took a cat nap, Teel
watched the rolling bills of New York state, but she was barely conscious of
the pine woods, the granite cliffs, or the mountains marked with ski runs. She
hardly noticed the last-ditch skiers who were taking advantage of the late
spring snows.
All Teel could see was Chazz's
face. It was like having a constant toothache, she thought. It was like being
caught in a trap. She shook her head, trying to force his image from her mind.
They arrived in New York with few mishaps. Their hotel, the Saratoga, was past its prime but had the
advantages of being able to accommodate all the children competing and being
located fairly close to Madison Square Garden. Even so, they would let none of
the children walk there. Teel was adamant on that point. The bus would take
them back and forth, not only for practice sessions that afternoon but also to
the finals at the Garden the next day.
Nancy came puffing up to Teel as she got the children ready for
the trip to the practice session. "I need two huggers," she
explained. "Somehow they missed the bus. Where am I going to find two
people to greet each child at the end of each event with a hug and tell them
well done? It's so important that they all feel like winners."
"You and I will be
huggers," Teel decided. "There are already enough coaches." She
slapped the door of the bus and nodded to the driver, who pulled away from the
curb.
"I have to change into
sweats, then we can run over to the Garden." Teel smiled at Nancy as they strode across the lobby to the elevators.
"I hope you don't mean
that literally." Nancy sagged against the wall of the elevator.
Teel laughed and headed for
her small single room on the eighth floor. She had no desire to share a room
with someone. Since her return from the Deirdre she had suffered chronic insomnia. There were many nights
when she tossed and turned until dawn.
In minutes she had taken a
quick shower and donned the emerald green sweats with the white stripe down the
sides. She could almost hear Aunt Tessa's words of approval when she'd first
seen them. "Teel, my dear, the color is perfect for.. .everyone."
Tessa had given her niece an impish smile when Teel had laughed and called her
Irish.
Teel's aunt had spent three
days with her after her return from the Deirdre. Tessa had always been able to smooth Teel's
rough edges, but this time the job had been too tough. Nothing seemed to take
Teel's mind from Chazz Herman for long.
She sighed and tightened the
laces on her pale green running shoes. They were as comfortable as slippers.
She zipped her money and identification card into an inner pocket and took the
elevator to the lobby.
As soon as Nancy joined her,
they left the hotel. Despite Nancy's complaint about running to the Garden, she
was an inveterate jogger, and the two women found a mutual rhythm to their
running almost at once.
"I didn't believe all
those stories about New York until now," Nancy huffed into Teel's ear as
they jogged in place at a side street, pausing to let traffic pass.
"What do you mean?"
Teel puffed back as they crossed with the light.
"A really gorgeous car
has been following us for the last half block. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be
accosted in a Ferrari?" Nancy quipped sarcastically.
Teel gave a breathless laugh
but refrained from looking at the well-heeled stalker. "Don't pay any
attention. Whoever it is probably gets his kicks from intimidating joggers.
Just ignore him."
Madison Square Garden came into
view. At the door the two women paused to identify themselves and
sometimes the parents are tough going." She shrugged as she and Teel took
their seats with the other moderators.
"When the children have
reached this level in sports, we don't usually have much trouble," Teel
soothed. "It's the parents whose children have never done much
athletically who are the most fearful."
"Well. I'm not going to
worry," Nancy said firmly. "I'll just watch you and do the
same."
As Nancy took a cat nap, Teel
watched the rolling bills of New York state, but she was barely conscious of
the pine woods, the granite cliffs, or the mountains marked with ski runs. She
hardly noticed the last-ditch skiers who were taking advantage of the late
spring snows.
All Teel could see was Chazz's
face. It was like having a constant toothache, she thought. It was like being
caught in a trap. She shook her head, trying to force his image from her mind.
They arrived in New York with few mishaps. Their hotel, the Saratoga, was past its prime but had the
advantages of being able to accommodate all the children competing and being
located fairly close to Madison Square Garden. Even so, they would let none of
the children walk there. Teel was adamant on that point. The bus would take
them back and forth, not only for practice sessions that afternoon but also to
the finals at the Garden the next day.
Nancy came puffing up to Teel as she got the children ready for
the trip to the practice session. "I need two huggers," she
explained. "Somehow they missed the bus. Where am I going to find two
people to greet each child at the end of each event with a hug and tell them
well done? It's so important that they all feel like winners."
"You and I will be
huggers," Teel decided. "There are already enough coaches." She
slapped the door of the bus and nodded to the driver, who pulled away from the
curb.
"I have to change into
sweats, then we can run over to the Garden." Teel smiled at Nancy as they strode across the lobby to the elevators.
"I hope you don't mean
that literally." Nancy sagged against the wall of the elevator.
Teel laughed and headed for
her small single room on the eighth floor. She had no desire to share a room
with someone. Since her return from the Deirdre she had suffered chronic insomnia. There were many nights
when she tossed and turned until dawn.
In minutes she had taken a
quick shower and donned the emerald green sweats with the white stripe down the
sides. She could almost hear Aunt Tessa's words of approval when she'd first
seen them. "Teel, my dear, the color is perfect for.. .everyone."
Tessa had given her niece an impish smile when Teel had laughed and called her
Irish.
Teel's aunt had spent three
days with her after her return from the Deirdre. Tessa had always been able to smooth Teel's
rough edges, but this time the job had been too tough. Nothing seemed to take
Teel's mind from Chazz Herman for long.
She sighed and tightened the
laces on her pale green running shoes. They were as comfortable as slippers.
She zipped her money and identification card into an inner pocket and took the
elevator to the lobby.
As soon as Nancy joined her,
they left the hotel. Despite Nancy's complaint about running to the Garden, she
was an inveterate jogger, and the two women found a mutual rhythm to their
running almost at once.
"I didn't believe all
those stories about New York until now," Nancy huffed into Teel's ear as
they jogged in place at a side street, pausing to let traffic pass.
"What do you mean?"
Teel puffed back as they crossed with the light.
"A really gorgeous car
has been following us for the last half block. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be
accosted in a Ferrari?" Nancy quipped sarcastically.
Teel gave a breathless laugh
but refrained from looking at the well-heeled stalker. "Don't pay any
attention. Whoever it is probably gets his kicks from intimidating joggers.
Just ignore him."
Madison Square Garden came into
view. At the door the two women paused to identify themselves and
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