It was the 2nd week of the London Olympics. Raegan was sitting ina lounge chair by the café window. She was reading a magazine when someone cleared their throat.
Raegan looked up and smiled “Ingrid, this is a nice surprise. Please join me. Coffee, oh wait you still have a trial in the vellodrome tonight. Mineral water then.”
Ingrid nodded “ja”
Ingrid drank slowly knowing that Raegan was eyeing her off.
Ingrid finally looked at Raegan “Hanna is, was fun to be around. When Hanna was having a good time, things were…. great. If things didn’t go Hanna’s way, she lets you know. I was glad when you told her you were married and pregnant. To see that look, that rejection was satisfying.”
“Ingrid, how could you say?”
“Because Hanna would have broken your heart if you came to train with us. All the promises she made to you would have been forgotten. Someone else would have caught her eye and things for you would be sad.”
“Ingrid”
“Raegan she no sooner landed back home when she hooked up with that Italian girl who won bronze.”
Raegan looked hard at Ingrid
“Again” finished off Ingrid
“Ohh, gee that must have been hard for you, being her girlfriend. I mean she never said, but the way you two would fight because of me.”
Ingrid blushed brightly and dropped her head.
“What… it’s ok, that was ages ago, all is forgiven” laughed Raegan
“No… we were not fighting because of you. We were ummmm, fighting over….. you”
Raegan sat forward “huh…. I mean…. Huh” Raegan shocked at Ingrid’s admission
Ingrid still blushing “I first noticed you when you rode for the Italian team, I thought you were, ummm oppassend” Ingrid shifted “I mean”
Raegan smiled “cute…. I have been brushing up on my Dutch”
Ingrid didn’t know what to say
"well...it doesn’t explain all of it”
Ingrid continued “I am not confident in talking to women and I wanted to speak to you. Hanna is confident and she said she would…. Talk to you and introduce me.”
“ohhhhh”
“yeh and I thought she was going to help me, but instead”
Raegan smiled “instead you found her with her hand inside my top.”
“ja…. She said that you started it. That she went to talk and you.”
“That’s bullshit, that's isn't true” growled Raegan
Ingrid shrugged “she said it, and also it was a one off moment. Hanna said she was going to watch the boys at the vellodrome, so I went to the volley ball to talk to you. Again she had beaten me, lied to me.”
“Hey I did not know, you should have tried to talk to me later about it”
“What…. After that day I thought you were going to rip my head off. You scared me.”
“I was drunk and horny… and drunk. Ingrid please I am not usually that way.”
“What… drunk or horny” joked Ingrid
Raegan laughed with Ingrid and shrugged
“Hanna was a lovely person, but only when she got her own way. If you are not on her side, you don’t even get a look in. I’m sorry if you think I’m insulting her because she is no longer here.”
“Well I’m glad you told me Ingrid. Now that you have set the record straight it changes things, for me anyway.”
“umm so how is your husband. Your little one must be 3 or 4.”
Raegan eyes looked away and she bit her lip
“It is none of my business, I apologize.”
“No… I had a miscarriage 3 weeks after I returned from Beijing.”
“Oh I’m so sorry” Ingrid shook her head
Raegan shrugged “We tried again and were unsuccessful. My husband wanted me to give up cycling and I just wasn’t ready. So he said if I wasn’t ready to give up cycling then I was really ready to commit to our marriage. We have been separated for a year now, and I will sign the divorce papers when I return home.”
“You must be upset”
“Are you kidding, I just won a fucking gold medal. I don’t give a shit quite honestly. He was never really my type” she finished off
Ingrid wasn’t sure what she meant by that and too embarrassed to ask. “Well I need to get ready for tonight.”
“yeh… up against the German chick. Good luck there.”
Ingrid stood up and huffed “you not big on the inspirational speeches”
Raegan shrugged “I’m sorry, umm good luck and don’t fall off your bike”
Ingrid laughed and left Raegan sitting alone
Ingrid was on the warm up bike in the vellodrome. She was focusing on the race that was due to commence in 10 minutes. She didn’t feel confident. She only made it to the final because her opponent pulled out because of injury.
Ingrid's head was down as she peddled. She felt a light knock on her helmet and looked up
“Raegan, what are you doing here?” happy to see her
Raegan grinned “You are right, I am not good on inspiration, but perhaps I can help out with motivation.”
Ingrid listened, her peddling slowed
“You need to forget that German chick is ranked number 1, forget that she won gold in Beijing.”
Ingrid didn’t think this was going to help her
“but… look at her. That poor woman over there doesn’t stand a chance against you.”
Ingrid looked at her “really”
“ja. I was once told that for glory is to win gold. To be an Olympic champion meant you go home a hero, your name forever in the records books. Nobody will remember if you finish second, but to win gold is going to be worth a whole lot more to you Ingrid”
Ingrid took a deep breath taking in Raegan’s words was unprepared.
Raegan grabbed Ingrid’s face and pulled her into a kiss. It was slow and gentle, her tongue exploring Ingrid’s mouth. Once she felt Ingrid giving in she back up quickly. Ingrid sat up on the bike.
“Now…… if you want this to happen again, in fact if you want a lot more than this, then you better win gold. If you want to see what I wear under my bike suit, I won’t accept anything less than you winning gold, you understand me Ingrid?”
Ingrid stared in disbelief
“Ingrid you can do it, I know you can. In fact you have to, it’s the only way. I only look good in gold, especially when I’m naked.” She grinned and winked “I’ll be watching, good luck”
Ingrid watched Raegan head back to her seat, her legs almost stopped as she replayed the last 5 minutes of Raegan’s motivational antics. Was she serious? or just playing her. There was only going to be one way to find out.
She felt someone hit her hard on the helmet. Her coach growled at her to concentrate and keep her legs warm.
Ingrid was on the track taking deep breaths. She now focused on the moment. She knows that she has more at stake than just the gold medal. She wanted it more than ever.
The gun goes off and Ingrid sets off after her glory.