Chapter 15 #2
“How about everybody’s wrong?” Adrien steps in, and Rose focuses her angry gaze on him for a change.
However, Sergio doesn’t wish that upon his brother.
It’s another sign of his personal growth, because before, he would have found Adrien being on the receiving end of Rose’s wrath for a change quite funny.
But now, not so much. Adrien doesn’t deserve it.
And Rose really needs to get a handle on that.
“Knock, knock,” Holden says, appearing in the door frame with Henry on his hip and Gus circling between his legs, the cat’s eyes narrowed on Sergio. “Are we having breakfast, or what?”
Rose sighs and walks past him, pushing him out of the way with her shoulder. Gus follows after her with his tail held high. “I’m no longer hungry.”
Holden watches her leave, his face scrunched up in confusion. “What was that about?”
“Nothing.” Sergio sighs and rises to his feet, heading towards the bedroom door. “Can we please go eat some pancakes now.”
“Wow!” Holden exclaims. “How’d you know I made pancakes for breakfast?”
On the chairlift to the top of the slopes, Sergio remains sullen after his altercation with Rose and Adrien this morning.
He’s half tempted to pitch himself off the chair lift again to get this version of this day over quicker.
However, he did promise Jeremy yesterday he wouldn’t do that ever again, regardless of how desperate he feels or how little permanent consequence that is likely to have on anyone.
Sergio intends to honor that request. After all, isn’t that one of the things that loving someone is about?
Refraining from doing anything that may hurt them, no matter how inconsequential that action may in fact be.
“I’m worried about you,” Adrien says about halfway up the mountain.
“Don’t be,” Sergio says. “You won’t even remember this tomorrow.”
“I doubt that.” Adrien turns to look at him. “Did you mean what you said this morning?”
Sergio sighs. “Which part?”
“The part about being in love with Jeremy.”
“Yeah.” Sergio nods. “I’m in love with him.”
“And when exactly did you figure this out?”
“It’s a long story.”
“It’s a long ride up the mountain.”
“Not long enough.” Sergio sighs again.
Adrien jostles him with his shoulder. It makes the chairlift gently swing. “Well, regardless. I’m proud of you. Confused. But proud of you.”
Sergio turns to look at his brother. “Why on earth would you be proud of me about this?”
“Honestly? I never thought I’d see the day you fell in love with anyone.”
“Why does everyone think I’m incapable of falling in love?”
Adrien takes a deep breath. “Truthfully? It’s because you’ve actively shut that part of you down.
You can deny it all you want, but you’ve avoided the possibility of love at every turn.
Even four years ago with Jeremy. You could have had it then, but you took the first excuse train you could away from him and any potential of a genuine relationship. ”
Sergio slumps and frowns. “You’re not wrong.”
“I know I’m not,” Adrien says and jostles him again. “You’re my brother. I love you, and I know you better than you know yourself sometimes. And I think Jeremy could be good for you.”
“Yeah, me too,” Sergio says as the end of the lift comes into view.
He braces himself to dismount, then glides forward on his skis once they hit the snow.
Before going down, he stops and looks at his brother.
It’s nice to know that even after having their blowups, in the end, they always have each other’s backs.
This is a reminder he desperately needed. “I’ve been thinking.”
“About what?” Adrien asks.
“All this talk about love. I think it’s time we stopped working together.”
A hesitant grin lights up Adrien’s face. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah,” Sergio says, with a sad half-smile. It’s the first hint of a smile he’s had all day, and he’s really feeling it. “Go live your life. Follow your dreams now, and grab hold of Daphne like she’s the most important person in your world.”
“You’re not joking?”
“I’m not joking.”
Adrien embraces Sergio. He thumps him on the back twice. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Sergio says, and lets go. He turns away and heads down the mountain, understanding for the first time, thanks to how he feels about Jeremy, that Adrien’s love for Daphne doesn’t mean he loves Sergio any less.
“Did you guys have fun?” Holden asks them once Sergio and Adrien reach the bunny hills.
Sergio gives a quick, “Yes,” as Henry calls his name. “Uncle Sergio! Look!” he shouts, then zooms down the hill and comes to stop by way of a forward flip onto his rump. “Did you see?”
“I saw, Henry,” Sergio says, making his way to him to help him back onto his feet. “That was very impressive. Even your flip forward.”
“One day I’m gonna learn how to stop,” Henry says, very determined.
Sergio ruffles his hair and bends down to unlatch Henry’s skis from his boots. “Perhaps that will be tomorrow's lesson.”
“Dad says it’s funnier when I flip over.”
“He’s not wrong.” Sergio picks Henry up with one arm and grabs his skis with his other before making his way towards the lodge.
“But Jeremy says it’s not funny when I flip forward on the ice.”
Sergio laughs. “He’s also not wrong. The ice is a little harder than the snow, don’t you think?”
“It’s a lot harder,” Henry says, nodding his head yes. “And it hurts more.”
“Do you like skiing more than you like skating?”
“No,” Henry says, shaking his head.
“You like them both?”
“Yes!”
“You are a man of many talents,” Sergio assures him, even though he’s seen him on the ice. Not that Sergio, until after a plethora of secret private lessons from Jeremy, was much better.
“I know,” Henry says, smiling as bright as the sun on this clear bluebird day. He truly is his father’s son.
Although it could be argued he’s an awful lot like his uncle by the way he’s suddenly squirming in Sergio’s arms, yelling, “Jeremy!” at the top of his lungs. It’s an excitement that Sergio absolutely understands. If it were socially acceptable for him to do the same, he would.
Sergio puts Henry down, and the kid takes off at a clumsy run the minute his feet hit the snow-covered ground.
“Be careful!” Sergio calls out after him.
But he’s shifted his attention from Henry and is looking more so at Jeremy, loving the way his cheeks are flushed from the cold and wisps of his hair stray out from underneath his gray toque.
He doesn’t get much time to admire the sight, though, as he can feel Rose’s steel-eyed gaze upon him from where she stands beside Jeremy and Allison. Sergio offers her a little wave. She glares at him and flips him the bird.
“You hungry?” Holden claps him on the shoulder. “This place has a great turkey burger.”
“I’ll have to try it,” Sergio says and turns to look at Holden, who’s wearing a beaming smile, completely oblivious to the fact that his wife appears to be out for Sergio’s blood.
“Come on,” Holden urges him along. “They know we’re coming and have set aside the best table.”
Once inside, Sergio tries and fails not to get a seat beside Jeremy, which is his usual custom, but beside Rose.
She boxes him out, and he winds up where he always does, between Holden and Allison.
Though unlike all the previous lunches, even Allison is quite chilly beside him.
Apparently, Rose must have been whispering in her ear during practice this morning.
It’s fine. Sergio isn’t in the mood to engage in much small talk today anyway.
All he really wants to do is prove he’s not a total piece of shit and deserves at least a chance to be a part of Jeremy’s life.
Once they’ve ordered their meals and everyone has had a chance to laugh at Sergio and his exploits in Paris, Sergio makes his move. “What’s everyone’s plans once these Olympics are over?”
“Elite Sports Network wants me as a correspondent,” Holden answers before anyone else. Sergio nods his approval. That’ll be a good gig for him. He’ll crush it on camera, and his enthusiasm for all things extreme winter sports is contagious.
Allison lets out a light laugh. “Wake up and start preparing for the games four years from now.”
Rose raises her glass to Allison and winks at her. “Same.” They both turn to look at Jeremy.
He takes a sip of water and pales slightly. “The same,” he agrees, but Rose narrows her eyes at him.
Sergio feels awful. He’s inadvertently exposed Jeremy, but he supposes the truth has to come out sometime.
“You don’t seem sure about that,” Rose says.
Jeremy wipes his lips with his napkin, then takes a sip of water. “It’s not that I’m not sure. Of course, I want to keep working with you both. But …” He pauses and rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “I like working with beginners, too. They’re more my speed.”
Rose looks at him, shocked. “More your speed? Jeremy, you’re a world-class figure skater.”
“I used to be a world-class figure skater,” Jeremy corrects. “I’m not anymore, and I’m only going to get worse.”
“But you’ve given me so much knowledge,” Allison protests. “About feeling the music and how to make the program my own. You’ve given my skating so much more depth.”
“And the way you describe things,” Rose says. “You’re much better at explaining the small technical adjustments than I’ll ever be. You have patience.”
Jeremy blushes slightly at the praise, and Sergio wishes he could reach across the table and brush his fingertips across his rosy cheeks.
Jeremy appears not to know what to say. Especially considering that Allison, and though Sergio’s loath to admit it, even Rose, are right.
Jeremy, no matter his physical abilities, is invaluable to the sport.
Olympians and beginners alike can learn from him.
“It’s all true,” Sergio says. “You’re a brilliant coach, no matter who you’re teaching.”
Rose narrows her gaze back onto him. “And how would you know?”