4 years on at the London Olympic games and things for Raegan had changed. She had spent the last 2 years in Italy training and riding in various competitions over Europe and South America. She had gained a lot of experience and improved on her world ranking. Raegan and Hanna’s paths never crossed, but she had on a few occasions ridden against Ingrid, but they never conversed.
Raegan and her Australian team had been in London for over a month acclimatizing to the conditions. As the opening ceremony was drawing nearer, Raegan and any member from the Netherlands had not crossed paths yet. They were practically on the opposite side of the large athlete’s village. Now that Raegan was the captain of her woman’s cycling team, her responsibilities to media and sponsors meant she just couldn’t take off to look for her former Dutch lover.
Day after the opening ceremony the Australian team was about to go on their training ride. The woman’s road race was due in a few days so they didn’t relent on their training schedule.
Raegan was about to straddle her bike when something caught her attention. She got off and left bike with her team mate
“Wait for me”
Raegan couldn’t help but smile when she sees the person. “hey hey, ummmm “ Raegan caught up “Ingrid hello”
Ingrid turned around slowly but said nothing. Raegan felt awkward “Ummm I’m”
“Raegan, yes I know” spoke Ingrid.
Her English was a lot better than Hanna’s
“right…. Yeh…. the Paris race. Ummm you rode well” holding back a smirk because she won and Ingrid finished 3.
“Anyway….. I was hoping to catch up with Hanna”
Ingrid face went dark and she looked away immediately
Raegan thought that Ingrid still couldn’t be brooding over Beijing, but she treaded carefully
“I mean she did make the team, surely”
Hanna as of the beginning of the year was ranked 3 in the world, with Raegan at 7 and Ingrid 10th.
Ingrid eyes watered “Ja…. She did” Ingrid went to leave
“hey, now wait up.” Raegan was now insistent “look Beijing was a long time ago and I only want to say hi and wish you and her good luck. That’s all honestly”
Raegan was surprised at Ingrid’s tears
“ummmm 3 months while our team was preparing for the Olympics. We were on a ride when” Ingrid caught her breath
Raegan looked at her confused “when what”
“A car…. it…… it..tried to overtake us…. and somehow lost control hitting some of us. It killed 2 of my team members.” Ingrid trying to catch her breath “Hanna was one of them”
Raegan eyes bored into Ingrid, first anger and disbelief, she shook her head “na…. No way, look you don’t have to keep up this.” But seeing Ingrid crying was the realization that she wasn’t lying. This was too much for Raegan to handle
“oh no…. no” Raegan had no rational thoughts
Her team mate came over “Raegan, we need to go” she grabbed Raegan, but she was pushed away
“no….. no I can’t… I can’t do this. I can’t ride in these Olympics.” Stuttered Raegan
“Hey what’s the matter, what did she say to you” her team mate eyes narrowed at Ingrid “Raegan, cmon lets”
“I said no….. I’m not doing this” she ran off as fast as she could down the road.
Raegan kept on running until her legs ached. She slowed down and walked through a park and collapsed against a tree. She dropped her head and sobbed.
Raegan eventually wandered back into the athlete’s village after 11pm. She went to open her door when she found a message stuck to it. She opened up her single room and sat on the bed. She was exhausted, her mind was numb. She read the note and picked up the phone and dialed
“You left the note……. I don’t think I can. Ok ummm give me 20 minutes I want to take a shower.”
Raegan walked across the athlete’s village enclosure. She had changed into shorts and a light hooded shirt. She entered the café going over to the only person in the place. Raegan sat opposite but didn’t look up.
Ingrid felt her pain and wanted to touch her hand “You can’t quit now. She would not have wanted that.”
“I can’t do this, not now” Raegan covered her face as the tears fell again
“Raegan, you can’t tell me you trained for the last 4 years just to see Hanna. You could have taken up her offer and lived with her”
“It was complicated back then. Things are different, I am”
“Hanna would still ride if you or I died. It is what she lived for.”
“I wanted to apologize to her for Beijing. I wanted to say things are different. Now I will never get that chance” she growled to no one in particular.
Ingrid nodded “do not let your emotions get between you and the gold medal. You must stay focused”
Raegan looked at Ingrid “that’s ok for you. You’ve had 3 months to deal. I get this dumped on me and I’m supposed to deal with this in less than two days. Fucking hell. She must have been so heart broken when I lied to her.”
“There is a lot about Hanna you don’t know. After Beijing, she was ok.” Ingrid stretched and yawned.”
Raegan nodded “Tell me Ingrid, tell me about her. What was she like?”
Ingrid shifted uncomfortably “ummm this is not the time to discuss her. Just know that she did not struggle after it ended in Beijing.”
Raegan didn’t understand and Ingrid wouldn’t explain, she just left.
The day of the race was upon the group of cyclists. Raegan pulled herself together and made her way to the Netherlands tent. She stood in the door way and was greeted with silence at first. Ingrid stepped forward
“Raegan, is there something”
Raegan pointed to the black arm bands the Netherlands team was wearing. “I would like to wear one, if I can.”
The girls chatted in Dutch and Ingrid put one around her forearm
“dank. The race organizers will hold a minutes silence for your team members”
Ingrid half smiled “dank”
An eerie silence fell over the riders as they bowed their heads in respect to the deaths of the Netherlands team members. The gun went and the peloton took its form.
An hour from the finish line the main group was made up of Ingrid, German rider, 2 from Great Brittan, USA and Raegan.
Raegan had raced them hard. Every time she felt them settle into a rhythm she would increase the rate until she had worn down the final group. Raegan knew the finish line was around the next bend because the crowd was dense and cheering loudly. Her legs burning, shoulders and hands ached. A new sensation was pain coming from her chest. She could only take minimal deep breaths because of the sharp pain.
She looked over to see Ingrid was up on her and ready to overtake. Raegan dug deep and pumped her legs pulling away from the group as did Ingrid. Ingrid moved up on Raegan again and they crossed the line. Bronze won by USA girl and eventually results were Gold to Raegan and Silver to Ingrid.
Raegan brought the bike to a halt. Her support crew gathers around cheering. Raegan started to collapse to the ground with breathing troubles, their celebrations stopped as she was helped down. Raegan grabbed her chest crying out in pain and saying she couldn’t breath.
Ingrid shaking her legs out saw Raegan’s distress and wandered over.
Tears of pain and fear from Raegan. Ingrid knelt down and grabbed her hand
“shhhhhh, try and breath slower”
A paramedic put an oxygen mask over her. Raegan was still wheezing and grunting. Ingrid rubbed Raegan’s shoulder “take a deep breath” she encouraged “It will pass”
Ingrid watched the paramedic wipe something on Raegan’s arm and held up a needle to inject.
Ingrid pushed it away “are you crazy” she growled at him “she has not been drug tested, you could cost her the gold medal.”
“It’s to calm her down” he defended
“neen” she pushes him away again “Raegan….. look at me”
Raegan did and grabbed Ingrid’s hand “it will pass, you did it. You are an Olympic champion. Now just breath deep and slowly” Ingrid continued to stroke Raegan until her breathing had returned to normal.
Raegan received her gold medal and shook the USA girl’s hand and faced Ingrid. Ingrid held out her hand and Raegan didn’t shake it. Instead she got onto her podium and gave Ingrid a big hug “thanks Ingrid, well done.”
“hmmmmm”
It had been nearly two hours since the race had finished. Raegan paid a visit to the Netherland’s team tent. She found Ingrid there alone and packing up last of her belongings.
“So you think she would be proud of us” spoke Raegan
Ingrid looked over her shoulder “maybe, who knows with Hanna.”
“You don’t know much for someone who used to be her girlfriend” spoke Raegan
Ingrid quickly turned around “Is that what she said, that I was her girlfriend”
“Well not in as many words.”
Ingrid grabbed her gear and went to leave when Raegan grabbed her
“Hey will you talk to me…. I don’t understand. Please tell me about Hanna”
“Just remember the person she was in Beijing Raegan. It’s best that way.”
Ingrid left