Page 158 of Cross Check

“Catch me up on your life, Han.” I set my beer on the coffee table and face my sister. “What’s it like being a figure skating coach?”

“It’s better than I thought it would be,” she admits. “I’m having a lot of fun.”

Last month, Coach Saunders let us know his daughter, Olivia, needed a new figure skating mentor after hers went on maternity leave. From the guy who never shows any emotion besides annoyance, it was obvious he was panicked about finding a solution to make his daughter happy.

Hannah has been in a funk mentally and took a step back from skating professionally, and I gave her number to Coach in hopes they’d work out an arrangement that would benefit both of them.

I think it’s working. She’s been coaching Olivia for a couple of weeks, and my sister seems happier in the leadership role than when she was competing. She’s laughing and opening up about her feelings. She’s talking to a therapist who has experience working with athletes suffering from burnout, and I’m glad to see her smiling more.

Being a professional athlete can be a real mindfuck. With grueling practices and spending thousands of hours perfecting your craft, how more of us don’t break down and take a step away from our sport is a mystery. Hannah is finding a balance of the things she loves while prioritizing her mental health, and that’s a good thing.

“Does Saunders watch your practices?” I ask, and she chokes on her sip of spiked lemonade.

“No. He doesn’t hang around.” Hannah dabs her mouth with a napkin. “It’s going well with Olivia. She’s eager to learn, and she reminds me of myself when I was that age. I’m also trying to fall back in love with skating.”

“How are you doing that?”

“I’m working with Coach Saunders,” she says, and I frown.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m coaching Olivia, but he’s coaching me. He’s taking me back to fundamentals and the early days of learning the sport, and it’s a relief not to be pressured to perform a certain jump or spin perfectly.”

“You’re one of the best skaters in the world and you’re asking a hockey coach for his thoughts on your technique?” I laugh. “Coach wouldn’t know a triple Axel from a Salchow.”

“But you do. I’m proud of you for knowing the correct names.” She beams. “And he’s not critiquing my technique like a judge would. Take away the goals and the tricks, and hockey and figure skating are almost the same. Why does Liam spend his summers working with a figure skating coach? Because it makes him a better hockey player. I’m doing the reverse, and the drills Br—Coach Saunders—makes me run are basic as hell. But I’m having fun.” Hannah sighs. “I don’t know the last time I had fun while skating.”

“Shit. I’m sorry for not understanding the idea, Han. I’m glad Coach is helping you look at the sport with a fresh set of eyes.” I grab my beer and take a sip. “At the end of the day, you deserve to be happy.”

A flash of hesitation crosses her face, but she replaces it with a smile she tosses my way.

“Is working with Saunders going to solve all my problems? Probably not,” she says. “I’m enjoying it for what it is and trusting the process. Maybe it will help me make a comeback.”

“What is Coach like when he’s not kicking our asses? Does the man actually smile? There’s a rumor that he’s a robot. Do you have to plug him in to recharge him?”

“He kicks your asses because he wants y’all to win. And he does smile, which means he must like me more than he likes you hockey boys. Sorry to burst your bubble, but you’re not the favorite Everett anymore.”

“It was fun while it lasted. I have to tell the guys the bad news.”

I swipe my phone off the table to pull up my text thread with the boys, but there’s a message from Amelia on my screen that I must have missed.

AG

Which is better? Cinnamon rolls or doughnuts?

I smile and type out an answer to her question.

Me

I wouldn’t really consider them the same thing, to be honest?

Cinnamon rolls are a commitment. They’re messy and heavy and sticky. Doughnuts are easy to eat on the go.

If I had to pick between the two, I’d probably say doughnuts. But if it’s a lazy weekend morning, I’ll take cinnamon rolls.

What about you?

AG