Rebecca went through the motions, getting into position, readying herself. Alpe d’Huez stretched out beneath her, and she could feel the crisp air being sucked into her lungs. She nodded at the crew next to her, and the signal was sent that she was ready. She could hear the buzz in the crowd, see people with banners. They looked like ants waggling confetti. She always used to tell herself that, when she was up here, in this moment. They can’t see my fear up here. I look ready, coiled. Looking at the lights, she waited for the signal.
Ready …
She took a deep breath. She wanted this, but it didn’t define her anymore. She was a ski champion, and she would always love that, but she was more than that. She was a baker, and a lover. A daughter and a friend. An auntie to the future King of Asgard.
Set …
Another breath, and she focused on the poles laid out in front of her like a runway.
‘Come on Ice Rebel, let’s show them what we’ve got,’ she whispered to herself, and the light changed. Go …
She pushed off, her feet leaving the floor and her skis flying through the air, snow flicking off in all directions as she took flight. She listened to the wind, and her body, and braced, getting her feet and body into the perfect alignment to connect with the snow once more. She felt a flash of panic as she looked down at the people below her. She felt like she was soaring down the slope in slow motion, everything slowing down but her heartbeat.
‘Don’t panic, don’t panic, keep it together!’ she said out loud, her hands gripping the handles of her ski poles. ‘You are going to land. You are going to be fine.’
She got a flash of something, the memory of how she felt when she’d landed the last time. How her feet had fallen out from under her. Her ski had snapped, detaching the boot and sending her half cartwheeling and half crashing to the snow. The panic she’d felt when her body finally came to a stop was something that she would never forget. She wouldn’t survive that again.
‘So don’t fall,’ Luke’s voice came into her head. She thought of him down there, how scared he must feel too. It helped, to think of him, waiting for her. Win or lose, she’d be fine. She’d recover.
As she began the final descent to the slope, a calm washed over her with that new nugget of information, and she took a deep breath, dipped her knees and watched the ground come up to meet her. Contact. Her skis stood fast, and everything worked as it should.
‘Still on my feet!’ she crowed, taking a second to pump the air with a pole-clutching fist. She landed perfectly and headed towards the first set of poles. Traversing them easily, she ignored the crowd whizzing past, the cameras that would be focused on her determined face, the fact that the man she loved was down there watching. She just flew.
Before she had a chance to blink, she was at the bottom. The snow was spraying up from her feet, and she could feel the crowd erupt around her. Pulling off her goggles, she turned to look at the huge clock display, and saw her dad. He was waving at her like a maniac, dressed like a camping shop had exploded all over him. Her mother was standing next to him, waving a banner saying THAT’S OUR GIRL! GO BECKS! whilst drinking out of a pocket flask.
The announcer sprang to life, and Rebecca pushed her fingers to her lips quickly, putting it over her heart. Her mother burst into overwrought tears, and her dad blew her a big smacker back. I’m so glad they came. It’s how it always should have been.
‘The official time for Rebecca Atkins, The Ice Rebel, is …’
The Tannoy went all Charlie Brown in her head when the screen display sprang to life. Wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh.
1:37:18. Oh my God. That says 1:37:18.
The announcer popped back into her bubble of shock.
‘Alpine Gins has a new champion ladies and gentlemen! Rebecca Atkins, the Ice Rebel, and now, the Alpine Champion!’
‘Noooooooo!’ Robbie exploded behind her. His whiny voice was unmistakable. She watched as two women danced around him like little yappy chihuahuas in snow suits, trying to soothe his ego.
The place was going wild, and before she had much chance to process anything, she was in the thick of the crowd. She looked for her parents, but they were making out with each other against the barrier, so she gave them a moment. She wanted Luke. She kept scanning the crowd, talking to people, smiling for photos, letting the crew behind the scenes take her out of the ruckus, to get ready for the ceremony. Her poles were whisked off by a crew member, and she had autograph books and microphones shoved in her face. She saw a flash of something ginger and suddenly Luke was in front of her, basically being used as a shield by Hans, who was weaving through the crowd with surprising ease.
‘Hans! When I said get me to Rebecca, I didn’t mean as a battering ram!’
Hans ignored him, fist bumping Rebecca.
‘My friend, you were better than ever. Congratulations!’ He hugged her, pushing Luke’s face away with one hand as he tried to wiggle in.
‘Hans, bugger off!’
Hans gave him a dead arm, laughing hysterically as Luke span like a top.
‘Ha ha, that will cheer me up for a bit. You still owe me.’
‘Whatever Odin, let me kiss my girl.’
Hans formed a human shield for them to hide behind from the masses.
‘Bubble,’ they said together. Luke kissed her, pulling her tight to him.
‘Hey, do you think you could wear the skis later? That was HOT!’ He fanned himself theatrically. ‘You were amazing. I don’t think I took one breath or blinked the whole time. Your mother gave me a tot of whisky though, saw me through.’
