Healing Us: Sports Romance, A Comeback Uncovers Love (2 page)

“You look fantastic Ben. I had no idea that you were
interested in physical therapy.” Beth pasted on a smile.

“I needed something to focus on after the track and field
program fell apart. We didn’t go to regionals after you left because our star
bolted and the men’s relay broke up. Our team anchor was on scholarship, which
went away after you left the program. Thanks to a lot of hard work and
community college, I found my way and now I’m in charge of your therapy.”

Seth spoke up. “I had no idea that you two shared a past. My
job just got a whole lot easier because you can hit the ground running. Ha –
get it, I made a pun. You can have Beth for the rest of the day and then she
hits the track. My assistant is working on her calendar so we have a good
balance between rehabilitation and workouts. I have to run so I’ll leave it to
you.”

Seth walked out the door, leaving behind Ben and Beth who
didn’t see eye to eye, which was a gentle way of saying they didn’t like each
other.

“The way I see it, we can either rehash the past, which you
already started to do in front of Seth.” Beth wasn’t happy but she was trying
hard not to show it. “Or, we can wipe the slate clean and work together and try
to win a medal.”

Ben was quick to correct Beth. “You mean a gold medal. I was
pissed at you for a long time and dreamed of the day in which we’d meet again.
I couldn’t wait to tell you a million different ways to go to hell but
considering your injury, I think Karma took care of you.”

“It sounds as if you think my injury was well deserved.”

“Did I say that?” Ben replied.

“No, but it was implied and I hope your last few years were
equally as delightful.”

Ben’s phone rang, he looked at who was calling. “It’s Lizzie
and I have to take this.” He walked into the vacant bedroom. Beth heard him
cooing and telling Lizzie how much he loved her and that hardly a moment passed
that she wasn’t in his thoughts. Beth was sickened by the saccharine sweetness
of the exchange. After several minutes Ben returned.

“You have someone special in your life, I assume from the
phone call,” Beth said inquisitively.

“Yes, that was Lizzie and she has become the reason I get up
every day. She has been a pleasant surprise in my life.”

“You look happy Ben and if Lizzie has something to do with
it then congratulations.”

“Thanks, hopefully someday you’ll know what it’s like to
love another person as much as I love Lizzie. I would have her with me but with
school, it’s better if she stays in Colorado.” Beth noticed the dreamlike look
in Ben’s blue eyes when he talked about Lizzie.

Beth was jealous because Ben’s love life appeared idyllic
while hers was non-existent. Lizzie, whoever she was, represented what Beth
wanted. A person who she could count on and someone to love completely – more
than Olympic medals. She was convinced Trevor was that person and then Elijah
but neither were everything she wanted as Ben had apparently found.

“Enough about love and finding the one, let’s get to work. A
shortened stretching session is what I need, if there is such a thing. I’m convinced
there’s a better way to stretch than I’ve done in the past.” Beth said changing
the subject.

“We’ll come up with an efficient program but I’m no magician
and there aren’t any shortcuts. I’m big on hydro workouts so I hope you have a
swimsuit.”

“I’m going to have to rely on one that Apex supplies because
all I have are bikinis.”

“I hate wearing anything when I swim but I’m forced to
comply. My favorite swimming hole is in a remote location and I can skinny dip
there for hours,” Ben said.

Beth was tired hearing about Ben’s idyllic life but it was
too soon to complain. She would stand her assigned physical therapist for as
long as she possibly could. They made their way down to the facility so Beth
could pick up her Apex gear and they could gather baselines. Ben would have to
know her weight and all her measurements that he would share with Seth. He
would be in charge of monitoring her speed on the track and they would work as
a team to maximize Beth’s performance. Apex was a high-tech organization and
their goal was to create fast humans. They walked in the door and the smell of
chlorine smacked Beth in the face.

“I take it there’s a pool in this building,” Beth commented.

“Observant. We’ll be there tomorrow; today I’m just taking
your measurements and I want to feel that knee of yours. I hear they performed
miracles and your case is one that orthos will be talking about for decades.” Ben
glanced at his watch. “It’s been an hour and we haven’t beaten the crap out of
each other – this may work.”

“We’ll see.” Beth wasn’t so optimistic. They had yet to
really talk about CCU and it was only a matter of time until their pasts caught
up with them.

Ben got the stats he needed and did a thorough inspection of
Beth’s knee which had been poked and prodded too many times to count. No one
cared about her ear that was sewn back on or the fabulous dental implants she
received. It had been a long year of recovery and the mental part of her was
still a long way from healed. Sailing off a cliff (6-foot ledge), Beth saw her
life flash before her eyes. That had always sounded like a figure of speech but
it was a reality. The saddest part was that Beth wasn’t satisfied with the life
she saw. She wanted to accomplish everything that she didn’t like win a gold
medal, fall deeply in love, run a marathon and have a kid. The first one was
something in her near future but the other three would take time. Finding a
person who would complement her was not as easy as going to the mall and
picking one up. Running came naturally but a distance as long as 26.2 miles was
a goal far out of reach. Having a child was a dream but she might have to
settle for adopting a dog.

“Beth.” Ben said loudly when he realized Beth was in a
different world. “You haven’t listened to a word I said.”

“Sorry. I tend to check out when I’m tired.”

“It’s been a long day. I asked if you could tell me what
type of brace you’ve been wearing and when you wear it?”

“I have it back at my room. I always wear it on the track
because my patella’s slippery. I also have a neoprene one that I’m supposed to
wear around the clock.” As they chatted Beth noticed that Ben’s touch was
soothing, which she thought was taught in PT school.

“You can relax Beth. I’m almost done feeling my way around
you knee and surrounding tendons. You’re tense and I can’t believe you’ve been
running a 4:14 mile like this. I hear they used a 3-D printer to create your
artificial patella.”

“They had no choice because my own patella was shattered and
all that was left was powder.”

“Sounds gnarly. The massage staff is going to do wonders
with you. Time will shed off your PB when these muscles are loosened up”.

Beth was disappointed that Ben wasn’t going to be doing the
massage because he knew what he was doing. As a former runner and a good one, he
knew a runner’s body.

“Are we done here? I’m exhausted and I might have a suite
mate by now that I’m anxious to meet.”

“O.K, I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon and we’ll start with a
rubdown. Good luck with the new mate.”

Beth didn’t have a suite mate yet and she was homesick so
she picked up the phone to call her former coach and friend Jonathan.

“Hey lady! How’s Utah?” Jonathan answered in his always
cheerful tone.

“Lonely and scary. My coach is a ball buster and I know my
physical therapist from years ago.”

“That’s good Beth because it means you already have a
friend,” Jonathan said optimistically.

“More like an enemy but you never know because maybe he changed.”

“Or maybe you did. You’ve been through a lot in past year
and you aren’t the woman you once were.”

“I guess but Ben has it all together with a girlfriend and a
steady job. He even looks better than I remembered.”

“Do I note a sense of jealousy over Ben’s girlfriend?”
Jonathan asked.

 “It only makes me jealous that Ben has with Lizzie; what I
wish I still had with Elijah. How’s he doing Jonathan because you see him every
day at the track.”

“He seems good but we aren’t in eighth grade; why don’t you
give him a call?”

“We didn’t leave things that way because he wants me to move
on and forget about him. He thinks that he’ll hold me back. It’s probably a
relief to Elijah that I’m gone. I sensed that he was ready to end our
relationship and my leaving presented him with a perfect excuse.”

“I can see where he’s coming from as far as not wanting to
hold you back. You have a real shot at a gold medal and you don’t want a single
thing distracting you. Elijah wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he
turned out to be that thing.”

As Beth and Jonathan were talking, the door to the suite
opened and Beth looked up to see her new suitemate.

“Hello, you must be Beth Barker.” She extended her hand.
“I’m Heather Morgan.”

“Hey Heather. I’ve been following your career since you were
a young phenome and then you fell off the map. I didn’t know you were running
professionally or what happened to you.”

Heather was 18 and from Texas. She was an up and coming sprinter
when she was 13 who was expected to have a long career ahead of her.

“I took time off but now I’m back and ready to compete again
in the 400. I started to develop when I was 15 and I lost some of the speed
that took me out of the game. I was rediscovered by the right coach and he got
me into this program, which wasn’t easy because I hadn’t been competing much.”

“Congratulations on your comeback; it’s odd to say that to
someone so young. I’m making a comeback also, which is from a biking accident.
I was in the news a lot but now I’m here and ready to compete for gold. We can
motivate each other.” Beth smiled.

“How’d you mess up your knee so badly riding a bike?”

“It was a bike tour that I was doing through the state of
Oregon. I lived in the state for most of my life and wanted to see the place
close up. I always knew there we mountains in the state but I was out of my
mind to think I could climb them on two wheels. It was actually descending that
was the hardest part because I didn’t like flying down a hillside at 40mph. I
like to say that I lost control and dropped 50 feet off a cliff but it was more
like a few feet off the side of the road.”

“I’ll have to make a note to myself, not to get on a bike.”
Heather threw her bags into the empty room. “This place is sweet and it looks
like we’ll have plenty of privacy if we entertain the opposite sex – if you
know what I mean.”

“No men for me Heather.”

“Do you prefer women? I shouldn’t assume.”

Beth laughed. “No. I’m straight but I’m choosing to focus on
running. There’ll be plenty of time to find Mr. Right in the future.”

“Not me. Having a guy in my life gets my juices flowing not
only off the track but on it to.”

Beth felt like an old lady around Heather and she reminded
her how she used to be. Heather was fearless and confident to a fault. She was
ready to bulldoze anyone who got in her way. Beth wished she was still brash
and cocky. It was the way Ben probably remembered; if that were the case he
would be in for a surprise because she had grown up.

“The dining common serves dinner until 8 and I haven’t had
time to lay in groceries so I’m heading over. Any interest?” Beth asked.

“Absolutely. I’m dying to check out the male athletes. Give
me a minute to freshen up and take my supplements,” Heather said as she popped
a few horse pills.

Beth was going to ask what she was taking but she would
assume that it wasn’t a banned substance. Apex ran a clean program and they
tested regularly. Beth took no supplements because she was paranoid that
something would be tainted. When it came to taking ibuprofen, Beth only took
her own that she had bought from the store that she herself had unsealed.
Heather took her long blonde hair out a messy bun and threw on some black
running tights and a sports bra. Heather was hot and she knew it. Beth followed
in running tights and a t-shirt as she didn’t want to compete with her
oversexed roommate.

The dining common was unlike the one she remembered in
college or even the one from the last Olympic village. It was set up like a
restaurant you’d find in a five-star hotel at a ski lodge. A wall of windows
gave an awe inspiring view of the mountains. A person was set to take your
order when you entered, from a healthy menu. You couldn’t eat poorly if you tried
and Beth got the feeling that everything she ate would be recorded and sent to
the coaches. Heather pointed to a far table next to an exceptionally good
looking group of men, which weren’t hard to come by at Apex. She pointed out
one in particular that Beth recognized immediately as Ben Knight.

“That’s where we’re headed Beth. You might start reconsidering
your no romance policy.” Heather said as she bounced over to the table. Beth
followed wishing that she had held off on eating until breakfast. As the women
approached, the corners of Ben’s mouth curled up and his blue eyes fixed their
gaze on Beth or Heather, which was troubling. Beth felt a twinge of jealousy
when she thought of Heather and Ben together but it went away when she remembered
he already had Lizzie in his life.

“I see that you met your suitemate Beth. I actually already
know who the lovely Heather Morgan is.” Ben Stood up and shook Heather’s hand
while checking out her nubile teen physique at the same time.

Heather was immediately smitten with Beth’s PT. It seemed
that he was similarly attracted to Heather, which made him an ass because he
had told Lizzie he loved her earlier that day. Beth had no idea why she cared
but she did and that was troubling. She hardly knew Ben and she was still hung
up on Elijah.

“Can we share your table? It looks as if you have room,”
Heather asked. “I see you know Beth, explain that one.”

“I’ve been assigned to Beth as her PT. I work for Seth or
Coach Mulligan as you may know him. We both work for the female middle distance
runners. That’s how I know Beth currently but I know her from college before
she bolted and turned pro. Isn’t that right Beth?”

“That’s right Ben but we really just met because I’m not the
person I was in college.”

“How so Beth?” Ben asked her directly. It was as if they
were the only ones at the table as they looked at each other intensely.

“Missing out on the gold and then my accident changed me.
You might say they humbled me but don’t worry, I haven’t completely lost my
edge.”

“The edge must be why Seth insists why you see the Apex
shrink,” Ben blurted out confidential information. 

Beth’s eyes widened. She considered the fact that she was
seeing a sports psychologist private. “I’ll do anything to improve my time. All
you have to be concerned with Ben is the shape of my body.”

“You’re right Beth. I’ll have no problem focusing on your
body. I see from your plate that you haven’t met with the nutritionist yet.”

“They don’t serve anything here that’s not approved by the
food police. I already had Seth tell me that I have to lose weight, which isn’t
true so off my back Ben.”

“There’s the edge you were talking about. Check the attitude
because we produce winners but only with athlete cooperation.” Ben was taking
every chance to belittle Beth.

“I lost my appetite Heather, I’ll see you back at the room.”

Beth stormed out of the dining common. Ben and Heather
called her back but she kept moving. It was a good thing that all they could
see was her back because tears welled up in her green eyes. She was frustrated
that Ben held the power to drive her to tears. It was likely because she was a
diva in her late teen years and she regretted it. She was the mean girl and now
her horrid behavior was coming back to roost.

****

“Sorry that I left in a huff Heather. It’s been a long day
and Ben Knight touched a nerve. I’ll see what I can do in order to get a
different PT because I’m sure there are plenty of qualified people here at
Apex.” Beth was resting on the couch in the living room when she heard the
front door open. “Heather, you’re welcome in here and I promise not to bite.”

“Sorry to disappoint but I’m not Heather.”

Beth sat up ramrod straight to find Ben Knight standing in
her living room. “My bad Ben. I didn’t expect you to be standing before me and
I never would have told you directly that I don’t want to work with you.”

“I didn’t mean to startle you Beth. I came by to apologize
for blurting out that you were ordered to see an exercise psychologist. It was
way out of line and I realize that I’m having a hard time getting over being
pissed at you years ago,” Ben sat next to her on the couch.

“So, you must agree that Seth should pair me up with someone
else.”

“No Beth, I don’t agree with you. With a clean slate, I know
we can make a good team and put you up on that gold medal podium.”

“Do you think you’ll be able to work with present day Beth
and not think of me as the 19-year old bitch.”

Ben smiled, “A very beautiful red haired 19-year old bitch.
You broke my heart every time you ignored my romantic overtures and that was
many times.”

“Come again, I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

“You’re kidding right?” Ben asked. “The way you left CCU
wasn’t your best moment but I knew you were seeking greener pastures and I
would have done the same thing. I had a huge crush on you Beth and you treated
me like crap. I got over it but when I saw you, it all came rushing back. I
wished that you had gotten ugly but that didn’t happen because you went and got
more stunning.”

Beth laughed. “I thought the same about you. I wished you
had a gut and went bald. I was a snob but it was more of an act than anything
else. I’m sorry Ben but now you have Lizzie and seem very happy.”

“Yeah, Lizzie is the best part of me.” Ben looked out at the
mountains and smiled as he thought of Lizzie.

“I’m sorry Ben; who knew how stupid I was because you turned
out better than I dreamed. It seems as though we’re both very different people
than we were seven years ago so let’s agree to work like crazy on our common goal.”
Beth threw out her hand to shake on it. Ben hesitated and then scooped her up
in his arms and kissed her passionately. Beth jumped back and remained
speechless.

“That’s something I always wanted to do. Now I think we can
move forward with a clean slate. See you tomorrow at the pool.”

Ben smiled as he walked out the door, leaving Beth
breathless.