Page 88 of Side By Side

Chandler turned on the lamp and stood. She didn’t know why she was standing. She didn’t have anything to do. But she stood up all the same and walked over to her suitcase. Then, she more or less moved things around in it before she went into the bathroom and began packing up the toiletries she had in there. They had to check out today anyway, so doing so a little early wasn’t a big deal. She had been looking forward to sleeping in when she never got a chance to, but now she was more worried about whatever was going on with Belle than getting more sleep.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Belle asked.

Chandler turned and saw her standing in the open doorway of the bathroom.

“Packing. What’s going on?”

“Why are you packing?”

“Because it sounds like we need to go. Is your dad okay, Belle?”

“He fell when he got to the Ice Park, and they had to take him to the hospital. He says he’s okay, but he’s got a broken leg and a dislocated shoulder, at least. I don’t know. He sounds fine, but he said they gave him some pain meds and told me that he’s going to be released after they get the cast on and everything.” Belle rubbed her face with both hands. “I’m sorry, Chandler. I need to go.”

“No, of course, you do. That’s why I’m packing.”

“You don’t need to pack. I’ll get the hotel to find me a cab and run me back to the house so I can pack. I’ll find a flight and get there later today. You can go back to sleep.”

“Belle, I’m not going back to sleep. Your dad is hurt. You’re not taking a cab, either. I’ll drive you back to the house and help you pack a bag if you need it. Do you want me to come with you?”

“Where?”

“Home,” she replied, thinking it had been obvious. “I can come with you and, I don’t know, be moral support for a few days.”

Belle exhaled deeply and walked back into the main part of the room, so Chandler followed her and found her sitting on the bed.

“Chandler, I’m not going to be there for a few days.”

“Okay. How long do you need to be there? A week?”

“He broke his leg. He’ll be in a cast for at least eight weeks. It might be longer. I don’t know. I’ll know more when I get home. But he’ll need my help around the Ice Park.”

“For eight weeks?”

“Maybe longer,” Belle replied.

Chandler sat down next to her and said, “Oh. Of course. Right. I haven’t had my coffee yet. I wasn’t thinking.”

“You shouldn’t count on me coming back.”

“What?”

“It’s at least a couple of months, Chandler. I don’t know. I can keep you updated. Maybe it’ll be less once he’s able to move around a little bit, but even with the temps he’s hired because I’m here, he still does a lot, and not just the paperwork that he can do at a desk. I need to go home, and I need to be there as long as I have to be to take care of him and the business. I don’t want you to wait for me. That’s months. And you don’t have months. You need to be training with another partner; one you can actually take to the Games.”

“Belle, I can come with you. We can see how bad it is. Maybe it’s not as bad as you think. I can hire someone to help him. How many people do you need? Just one? Two?”

“Chandler…”

“No, it’s fine. I have money. It’s the one thing I do have. Let me use it to help you.”

“It doesn’t work like that,” Belle replied and stood up. “I think it’s time. We showed them something in the competition here. I’m sure word has gotten around that you’re amazing even with a female partner, and that last triple you landed was flawless, Chandler. Find a partner and go all the way.”

“Belle, please. You’re talking like I’m never going to see you again.”

“Not ever, I hope. But I don’t want you to lose focus from the thing you care most about, either. So, just… get some more sleep, and I’ll text you when I get back to let you know how he is, okay?”

“No, not okay.” Chandler stood up. “We’re going to the house. While you pack a bag and not everything you brought with you, I’ll find you a flight that will get you home as fast as possible. I’m not letting you take a cab there and then try to find a flight that’ll take you through, like, three other cities or something.”

“I shouldn’t leave my stuff, Chandler. I’m probably not coming back. You’ll need the apartment for another partner.”

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