Thin Ice – story by The Kings of Mercia – NC17 Eventually
Pairing: S&B
Disclaimer: Just borrowing the characters for our selfish need to write don’t sue!
A Christmas ‘treat’ when Buffy was 7 years old sows a seed that will shape her life to come…
Prologue: Christmas holidays, 1989
Buffy shivered slightly in the chill atmosphere of the ice rink.
“You okay love?” Joyce asked, tightening her scarf and pulling her woolly hat down a little further
Buffy smiled and nodded, her gloved hand holding her best friend Willow’s gloved hand.
Suddenly, the lights went down, and some music started playing, and the Buffy watched as on the sparkling white ice, lit by a spotlight a young girl in raggedy clothes stood sweeping forlornly – three cackling girls came skating in with a flourish, and ordered her to do things, make the dinner, wash the clothes, clean the house, all the time talking about the fabulous ball they were going to.
Buffy watched transfixed, she’d always loved the book Cinderella, and then she’d got the video, but this, Cinderella on ice – this was something else! The way they moved on the ice, they twirled around and jumped! She was amazed.
In the interval, she’d made up her mind, THAT is what she wanted to be when she grew up, be an ice-skater…………………………
************************
Hank was only half listening to his wife as he got ready; he had rested one foot on the dining room chair tying his shoelace.
“Dancing lessons – how much will those cost?” After tying his other lace, he grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair.
“Not much, the dance studio is opposite the gallery, and it’s something she wants to do – and whatever it costs, it’s cheaper than a pony………”
Hank felt in his pocket for his car keys.
“Well okay then, but if it starts to get expensive, I’ll have to know she’s REALLY interested, I’m not made of money”
“I know – that’s why I’ve told Mr Duggan at the gallery I’m going full time”
“What? We didn’t discuss this!”
“You’re never here TO discuss things – always out at some meeting or other!”
Hank felt a guilty stab – he was lying to Joyce – he didn’t have all these meetings, he was having an affair with his secretary – life at home had become boring and stale. He supposed he was partly to blame, they couldn’t afford another child, couldn’t afford to renew the car, or take fancy holidays – this fling with his secretary just took the edge off him going mad with boredom…
“Okay, look I’m sorry, but with Larry out and Chuck going on-“
“All right – just try an get home at a decent hour, we can talk about things in bed, okay? I’m going to have to have words with Roger Newcomb when I see him at the office Christmas party”
Hank turned and looked slightly worried when Joyce mentioned his boss’s name, although he tried not to show it.
“W-why?”
“Tell him he’s not paying you enough for all the extra work and meetings you do – this is the third one this week”
Hank gave her a very quick kiss on the cheek, saying for her not to make a fuss, it was the same for everyone, and he left, knowing he wouldn’t be able to relax in his lover’s arms tonight.
*********
“Mommy…what did daddy say – can I go to lessons?” Joyce tucked her daughter in bed and leaning over her, stroked the hair from her face.
“Sure honey, I thought that when I meet you from school tomorrow, we can go the dance academy then, see if we can get you a place, okay?”
“Okay!”
“Now you go to sleep, night-night”
“Night-night. Mommy”
Joyce turned at the door
“Yes honey?”
“Daddy won’t shout at you tonight like he did the other night, will he?”
Joyce gripped the door, but tried to keep her voice light
“Course not baby, daddy was just tired, he didn’t mean it – now you go to sleep”
Joyce closed the door and made a mental note to mention what Buffy had just said to Hank. Things weren’t brilliant between her and her husband, she knew that, the rows they had had got more frequent, but it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be fixed – and by her going full time would give them something extra, money for treats – days out, a proper holiday even.
Chapter 1
At fourteen, Buffy had been doing ballet training and dancing for seven years, it gave her the grace and flexibility she needed on the ice to execute the moves she did in her complicated ice-dance programmes.
A junior champion at the age of 12, she’d won many cups and medals, all proudly shown off by her mother in a trophy cabinet at home.
It was a few months before her sixteenth birthday, and Mrs Keogh, her dance teacher approached her.
“Elizabeth…can I talk to you please?”
Mrs Keogh was the only person in her life to call her by her real name, and not ‘Buffy’ like everybody else.
“Sure, what can I do for you?”
“You are my best pupil, you know that, and I know that, I have exciting news, have you heard of Angel O’Connor?”
“Of course – who hasn’t – he’s top coach of the American ice-skating team, and the current men’s Ice-dance Champion Xander Harris and that Canadian girl, Faith Hope. Why?”
“Well, Faith is leaving, she is giving up competitive ice-skating – and he’s looking for another challenge – I want him to see you”
“ME?” Buffy’s eyes nearly popped with surprise
“Just think, in three years time, when it comes to the Olympics – you could be on the team”
Buffy was gob-smacked!
“But where would I see him, how would I get there, how much would it cost?”
Mrs Keogh laughed
“One question at a time! Now, if your parents agree, I would be your chaperone, we would fly to Toronto in Canada where he is based, he would access you, and see if he wants to take you on”
“CANADA!” Buffy squealed
Mrs Keogh winced and Buffy covered her mouth, then she looked a little worried
“But how much would it cost?”
“To you, nothing”
“Nothing – how come?”
“Well, with your qualifications, you are reigning junior champion and have been for three years running, it will be government sponsored as you could end up being part of the Olympic team. Have a chat with your parents, see what they say”
*******************
“MOM! MOM! – Where are you – MOM!”
“Good gracious Buffy, what on earth – “ Joyce appeared in the hallway, holding the evening paper, her glasses perched on the end of her nose.
“Canada! Mrs Keogh wants to take me to Canada – I could end up on the Olympic team!”
“What – oh my lord – come into the lounge and sit down, now start at the beginning!”
**************
“………And before you ask, it won’t cost us a dime, as Buffy is junior champion, she has the automatic right to be seem by the top coach – she could well end up on the Olympic team” Joyce said
Hank grinned, and said
“So what do we have to do exactly?”
“We have to sign a consent form – both of us as were are not divorced. Mrs Keogh will chaperone this first visit, and if this Coach O’Connor decides to take Buffy on, then she’ll go and stay in Canada during the summer, but she’ll be here winter time – it’ll just be like her going to boarding school – she can come home for the holidays”
Buffy came in via the back door, carrying her usual paraphernalia, training skates and schoolbag.
“Daddy!”
“Hello Princess – come and give your old dad a kiss, hmm?”
Buffy put her stuff down and went over to him and gave her a hug.
“I didn’t know you were coming! Has mom told you about Canada?”
“She has indeed!”
“And?” Buffy held her breath – she didn’t know why, coz she could always twist her ‘daddy’ round her little finger, and since he and her mom were now separated…
“I’m very proud of you – of course you can go!” Joyce looked and felt a little exasperated – she’d already given Buffy permission anyway!
“Thankyou daddy!”
“Be a lot of hard work you know, Princess”
“I know daddy, up at 6am, train before classes, then another 2-3 hours after school – weekends too if there’s a competition”
It had been about six weeks since Hank had seen his daughter, and he could already see a change in her, she was growing up, fast.
“Look at you, I don’t know…I remember the day you were born…!”
“Dad!” Buffy was saved from a trip down memory lane by the phone ringing
“I’ll get it!” Buffy hared off into the hall
“She’s growing more beautiful every day”
“She is”
“Do you think we should tell her our news?”
“No, I do not, not yet, I don’t want her upset, it might blow her chances with this coach O’Connor if she knows…there’s plenty of time yet to tell her were getting divorced”
“Can’t make it too long Joyce…” Hank said, rubbing his chin nervously
Joyce stood and picked up the empty tea things off the counter, ferrying them to the sink
“What’s the hurry?” Joyce asked casually
Hank fidgeted on the kitchen stool and said quietly,
“It’s Maureen…she’s pregnant”
The tea things fell into the sink with a crash, Joyce held onto the unit either side, her knuckles going white. She felt like all the air had been sucked out of her body, the words he’d just uttered stabbed like a knife into her heart…
“What was that, what’s the matter, is everything okay?” Buffy dashed into the kitchen, looking worriedly from her father to her mother’s back.
Joyce quickly pulled herself together, turned and said over her shoulder,
“Sure honey, it’s me, butter-fingers, and I slipped on a drop of spilt tea!”
“Anything broken?”
Joyce stared at the crockery in the sink
“Just the one casualty, would you believe it, that old mug of mine!” she fished out the two pieces of the mug, and then the broken off handle.
“I’ve got some old newspaper I can wrap it in out in the garage…who was that on the phone honey?” All the time Joyce tried to keep it light
“Oh Willow – she wanted to know if I wanted to go Bronzing with her”
“That’s nice dear!” Joyce’s disembodied voice said from the garage. She felt hot, and sick and she could kill Hank, she really could! Not that she loved him anymore – it was just years of being told they couldn’t afford another child…and four months – just four months with this floozie – and she was pregnant!
“Mom…what are you doing?” Buffy made to go through to the garage
“Is this what you’re looking for Joyce, last night’s evening edition?” they heard the freezer door shut.
Hank said, picking up yesterdays paper off one of the other stools.
“That’ll do!” Joyce came in carrying a frozen chicken, and put it on the drainer, reached for the paper, and wrapped up the broken cup.
“Well, I better be off” Hank stood, and Buffy hugged him, Hank reached for her hand and pressed twenty dollars into it, winking. Buffy smiled
“Don’t forget, ring me at the office, I’ll drop by when you get that form for me to sign!”
Joyce turned and said,
“I’ll leave Buffy to see you out, I’ve been touching raw meat!”
Hank went to lean across to give her a kiss on the cheek, but Joyce had pre-empt his move and turned away quickly focusing on unwrapping the chicken.
“You and mom could come for a holiday in Canada to see me!” Joyce heard Buffy say as Hank followed his daughter to the front door.
Joyce closed her eyes, she didn’t want to cry – and she definitely didn’t want Buffy to see her crying…
A minute or so later after seeing her father off, Buffy came back into the kitchen.
“Um, could you leave me some cold chicken – I don’t want dinner”
“Sure honey – are you going out with Willow then?”
“Yes, dad gave me $20! – I’m in the shower if anybody rings, take a message!”
“Okay dear” Joyce said, pulling out the bag of giblets from inside the chicken, muttering about how Hank had said he couldn’t afford the $120 he promised to give her each month for Buffy – but he gave her $20 and his girlfriend of four months was pregnant!
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