Chapter 37
Buffy zipped up the case and looked around the room that had been her virtual home for more than five years.
She grabbed the canvas grip and the suitcase and left the room and made for the elevator.
Down in reception, people were milling about. William saw her and took the case and grip off her
“I’ll take these to the car”
“Thanks, I just want a quick word with Illyria, then-“
“You take your time love, I’ll wait in the car for you” William winked at her and Buffy went into the room just off reception.
“So…” Buffy began
“Have you got everything?” Illyria tried to sound bright, but Buffy saw that she was shaking and near to tears, as she was herself.
“Yes…Illyria, I’m SO sorry” the two women came together in an embrace that had them both blinking out tears.
“I really didn’t want to believe it…” Buffy said
“YOU didn’t? – He betrayed us all Buffy, and now…” Illyria shrugged and turned away from Buffy
“And now what – what will you do?”
“I return to mother Russia – I go home to Belarus, Friday. I have one way ticket – I will see my family – things change and it is not so bad in my country now – I maybe start a school – or join an established one, I don’t know” She gave Buffy a sad smile
“Have you got to be here for the trial?”
“They treat me like - how do you call it –bad witness? – My story of nothing they don’t need – how about you, huh?”
“No, I’m not needed either, he never…well you know”
“I don’t want to believe he ever…” Illyria shrugged again; tears and emotion stopped her from talking
“I know…it must be SO hard for you” Buffy looked at the tiny woman – she was shaking so much
“I hate him – I hate him for what he has done…” Illyria’s voice went with emotion and tears fell, she tapped her heart and continued,
“But I love him and don’t want to believe it the pain is too much – we were once going to get married – he ask and I said yes, but we never had the time…” She turned and looked at Buffy and continued
“So, what will you be doing – have you got another coach?”
“Me? – No I………” Buffy didn’t finish –she hadn’t exactly spoken these words out loud to anybody – she’d thought loads about it though
“I could give you some phone numbers of-“
“Illyria, no, stop – I …I’m giving up skating, I’m retiring” Buffy looked at her feet
“What – but how is this – you have makings of being world-best – is it your injury – I thought that it was completely recovered!”
Buffy turned Illyria to face her
“Illyria…it has, no…it’s me. It’s just too hard, and well…I want something different now, no more hard training, no more diets or fitness regimes, no more living out of a suitcase – I want some me time – to grow and to learn about myself – to take some family time – to be with my boyfriend”
“The doctor! He’s very good looking…although I’m sorry that you are giving up…I understand – sometimes I wanted to say to the young girls – go – go have a life”
“Miss Rubinskya, there’s somebody to see you” a young lady stood at the doorway
“I better go – good luck with what ever you decide Illyria”
“You too Buffy – I’m sorry in my heart it had to end this way”
Buffy gave her a sad smile and nodded, tears threatening again.
“Me too – bye and – well –break a leg” they hugged and Buffy left
**********************
It felt like an end of an era when Buffy walked outside to the car – in one way, she felt slightly scared, it was the first time ever she didn’t have her life mapped out, and in another way, it was totally exciting, the world was her oyster, hers for the taking – she could do what ever she wanted.
She got in the car without a word; William could see she was too full of emotion to talk, so, he started up and just drove, but he made for the city centre instead of straight home.
“Where are we…?” Buffy asked with a smile
“I thought either cheesecake or ice-cream might help, then a little retail therapy?” She leant over and gave him a kiss
“Perfect” William laced his fingers through hers and bought her hand up to his lips, kissing it softly.
“I...I told Illyria – I told her, I’m retiring – no more skating”
William arched a brow
“No? – Well pet, the worlds your oyster – you can do what you want!”
“Just what I was thinking…now, did you say something about ice-cream and shopping?”
******************
“How was she?”
“I felt so sorry for her mom, she’d been betrayed by him, it was probably worst for her, she – she said they were at one time going to be married, but they never found the time. She looked so tiny, crushed, I felt if I hugged her too hard she’d break”
“What is she going to do?”
“Go back to Russia. Well Belarus, start up a dance school or something”
“And what have YOU decided?”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about mom…I’m giving – given up – I’m not going to skate anymore, not competitively anyway, I’ve had enough”
Joyce nodded
“Well, I can’t say I’m not relieved, because I am – and now it’s 1.20am, I really must hit the hay, I’ve got to be up at 7.30am!” Joyce leaned forward and kissed her daughter on her forehead.
“Night honey”
“Night mom”
************************
William was sitting at the table, surrounded by papers, bank statements and his own scribblings. He threw his pen down, sat back, yawned and stretched his aching muscles.
“It’s no good, I’m NEVER going to be able to afford it”
Buffy stood, walked behind him and slipped her arms around his neck and nibbled his ear before kissing his cheek
“You’ll think of something…meanwhile, how about some fresh tea?”
“Love some…are you staying tonight?”
“Is that okay?” Buffy called from the kitchen. She filled the kettle
“Course it is kitten”
She stood leaning on the doorjamb waiting for the kettle to boil.
“I’ve had an idea”
William grinned
“Go on then, I’m open to all suggestions!”
“Sponsorship”
“Sponsorship?”
“Yes, sponsorship”
“You mean I go round all the doctors and nurses asking them to sponsor me $10 per operation minute or something like that?”
Buffy giggled
“No, silly!”
“Well what then, co THAT’LL take FOREVER to raise me $500,000!”
“Have you got a favourite scalpel or instrument you use?”
Still a little confused William nodded
“Well then, phone the company who makes it, and tell them you, the top surgeon in your field are willing to endorse their products for…2 million dollars!”
William’s face was a mixture of smiles, confusion and a grin
“I could just see me on TV – “use Baxter’s scalpels, made from the finest quality Sheffield steel – for all your household operations!”
They both giggled
“You wouldn’t be on TV! – It would be doctors literature – what’s that one you have sent from London?”
“The Lancet”
“That’s it, publications like that – it happens in everything these days sponsorship – where would sport be without it – I couldn’t have gone to half the competitions I did without sponsorship”
William turned in his seat, his mind racing
“You know, you might just have something there, the drugs companies try and bribe us all the time with little freebie things….pens and stuff – I once knew a guy in NY that got a golfing holiday and he didn’t have to pay for his car – that was a vitamin company!”
Buffy came in with two mugs of tea, and put them on the table. William pulled her onto his lap.
“Not just a very pretty face, are you?”
Buffy smiled and homed in for a kiss.
“Have you still got that appointment to see Quentin Travers tomorrow?”
William nodded
“Well okay then, you start writing down all the big company names you can think of that you use, drugs, instruments, equipment and while you’re out
I can make a start of ringing round and finding things out”
***************************
“Hi babe, it’s me all finished with Travers– shall I go to the deli and bring us home a treat?”
“Oooh yeah, can you get me…what’s that Italian one you have?”
“What, the smoked ham with sun-dried tomato and blue cheese dressing?”
“Yeah, that’s the one”
“Okay then kitten – I’ll be half an hour”
When William got back from his appointment with Travers at late lunchtime, Buffy had been busy from 9.30am phoning companies William had written down.
She’d been careful to only say ‘top surgeon in his field’ and not name him, and she’d got some startling results.
Setting out plates and glasses, she poured them both juice and got all her writing neatly done on a pad
William came in, washed his hands and they sat down
“So kitten, any joy”
“You listen to this! – Most of the drugs companies were like you say, just pens, writing pads, calendars, that sort of thing – but there are one or two who would be willing to come up with more for, as they put it, ‘the right person’, the scalpels and surgical instruments are not much of anything really – unless it was say YOU that came up with an idea for a new instrument, they’d back you and make proto types and that, but they don’t sponsor individuals…
Now, Zimmermans – have you heard of them?”
“Zimmermans, Zimmermans………I know the name, I can’t think – BEDS!”
“That’s it – IF you were willing to endorse their NEW ortho-beds, they’re fully automatic, can be moved by the patient or locked into place by the medical staff into the desired position, they would give you twenty to have – as long as they could advertise to the patients too – they do a home version”
“Twenty beds huh – that would be a tidy sum!”
“And you’ll NEVER guess who would PAY you ten million pounds to endorse their new product?”
William sat up
“Who?”
“The milk board – they are working on a yoghurt based product, possibly a desert and a drink, with extra calcium and vitamins for children to promote strong teeth and bones – it would be all natural, no chemicals”
William smiled
“I could go with that, as long as it was what it said – it is important for kids to get calcium for their teeth and bones…did they give you a number?”
“Yeah, got it here – oops! – There!” Buffy handed it to him, minus the splodge of blue cheese dressing………
After spending nearly an hour on the phone with the milk board, William came away grinning
“I’m going to go see them on Friday – this could be huge – this could pay for my own clinic! – Come with me – after all, I couldn’t be there without you!”
“Great!”
[Reviews - 219]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 2191 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +