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through it.”
    “Yes, we did work through it and there have been moments during our career that both of us questioned the wisdom of skating full-time, especially after you kids were born. But we managed to find a solution that worked for all of us and kept us together more often than not. It wasn’t perfect, by any means, but we all worked at it and if I do say so myself, our family didn’t turn out too bad.”
    “With the exception of maybe Dani.” Sergei mumbled, a hint of a smile touching his full lips.
    “Dani,” Aleksei sighed, running one hand through his hair; his baby girl was growing up before his eyes and, try as he might, he couldn’t stop it. For the hundredth time he wondered how he was going to survive the next few years.
    Sergei cast a sideways glance at his father, and recognized the expression on his face, one of confusion, amusement and bafflement all mixed together, it was the same look he’d often seen on Whittaker’s face. “Is it worth it?”
    Aleksei looked at his son, their identical dark eyes blending in understanding. “Skating or having a family?”
    Sergei’s broad shoulders lifted in a small shrug. “Either? Both?”
    “Skating has brought me more things than I certainly deserve, but if I had to decide tomorrow between skating and keeping my family within arms reach, I’m afraid the guy who sharpens my blades would be looking for work. The three of you mean more to me than life itself; without you, I’m nothing.” Aleksei stated huskily, his eyes shining brightly with tears.
    Sergei looked deeply into his father’s tear-glazed dark eyes and saw the strength; the deep emotion and determination that had made their dreams come true. At that moment, he hoped one day he could look into his own son’s eyes and see the same reflection.
    “I want what you’ve got, Dad. Is that asking for too much?” he asked softly.
    Aleksei ran a hand through his son’s dark, wavy hair, tussling it as he had when he was a youngster and smiled. “You can ask for anything you want, whether or not you get it is strictly up to you. Ball’s in your court son, time to take your best shot,”
    Sergei gazed over the calm water, his father’s few words sinking in and taking root. Suddenly Sergei’s head swirled with images of the possibilities before him and he couldn’t wait to get started. “I won’t disappoint you, Dad.”
    “You haven’t disappointed me so far, why would you think that’s a concern now?”
    Sergei’s shoulders lifted in a small shrug. “There’s always the chance I might screw up along the way.”
    “Welcome to the club, son. Screwing up is a part of life, get used to it!” Aleksei stated laughingly and with a knowing look offered his son a last piece of advice. “And, Sergei, when it comes to women, don’t ever make the mistake of thinking you know what makes them tick. If you only take one lesson I’ve taught you to heart, let it be that when it comes to women: you are always going to be wrong, you will never understand the way they think and I’ve found groveling will take you a long way on the road toward forgiveness!”
    The sound of deep male laughter drifted across the gently rippling pond as the gentle breeze stirred the leaves in the trees surrounding the pond’s banks, the mocking laughter-like sound returned by the ducks that drifted lazily in the water a soft echo.
     

CHAPTER 4 
    T he classical music pulsed toward its conclusion, the beat steady and powerful as the pair skaters practicing on the ice prepared for their final move, a throw double salchow. The move was dangerous enough at the beginning of a program when the skaters were fresh and energized, but was rarely attempted at the end of a four-minute long program when legs were ready to collapse. Still, the pair back-stroked into position, held their backward spiral and the man powerfully propelled his partner into the air, sending her flying and watched as she struggled to keep her body