Baby May

Ice Show

July 2001

To make sure Alyssia and Victoria are ready to compete again, they are performing in London's annual ice show.

Katie gave them the freedom to go off and create a fun routine to a song of their own choice, Alyssia has of course chosen a Queen song.

Alyssia and Victoria are backstage helping each other get ready for the show, it feels like old times for Alyssia. She can't wait to perform, regaining the weight she needed then sticking to Katie's diet plan is exactly what she needed.

She's found a new lease of passion for skating again and it has boosted Victoria's passion too.

When she hears that her family has arrived, Alyssia goes out to see them. Her entire family is there, her mum and dad, her siblings, the Taylor's, Miami, Zoe and even Veronica and John have turned up to watch. Victoria's mum is also there along with Victoria's nana.

Roger laughs seeing what Alyssia is wearing, "Freddie would love it."

"Where did you get that jacket?" Brian asks surprised to see her wearing it.

Alyssia grins, giving them a twirl, "Katie found it for me. It's obviously not the original." She hadn't told her family she's performing to a Queen song.

"I think you look brilliant," Veronica compliments hugging her.

"Thank you for coming to watch," Alyssia directs it to John really, he doesn't do a lot with the Queen family anymore, so it's an honour for him to be here for her.

"I wouldn't have missed it," John pulls her into a hug, "I'm glad you healed well."

The fear with Alyssia's leg injury had been that she wouldn't be able to skate again but with extensive therapy, she made sure that wouldn't be the case.

"You're using a Queen song then?" Roger brings the attention back to her outfit.

"That would be telling," Alyssia smirks, pulling Victoria's arm when the lights go down, "Enjoy the show!"

There are a fair number of skaters in the show before it's their turn, Victoria goes on first with a beautiful routine then it's Alyssia's turn.

Unlike at sectionals last year, Alyssia isn't nervous to perform, she's excited. She steps onto the ice and stands on her mark.

Watching Alyssia perform this time around has Brian beaming, not just because she used a Queen song but because he can see her passion for skating again.

She puts all her energy and emotions into the routine and shows her character too, the Queen family cheer very loudly for her.

Alyssia chuckles hearing her family cheer like that, she can't stop smiling. She couldn't care less how she skated compared to the others, it's her favourite performance to date.

"Amazing," Roger picks her up in a tight hug once Alyssia comes out of the locker room later that evening, "You did us proud."

"Freddie too," Brian adds, "He would have loved that."

"Thanks," She blushes looking around for John seeing him heading for his car with Veronica, "I'll be right back."

"Uncle Deaks!" She runs to catch him, he turns and waits for her to reach him, "I know I said it before but thank you for coming tonight, I know it's not easy for you. Me wearing that jacket probably didn't help but it means a lot to me that you came."

"Honestly, I wouldn't have missed it, you were incredible out there. When you make it to the Olympics and I know you will, you're too talented not to, I'm placing my bets that you that get a medal. I might even place my bets on you getting gold too," He flashes his famous toothy grin and pulls her into another hug, "I know you've had a tough year, your dad told me everything, but don't let it affect your dream."

He lets go and opens his car door then stops looking back at her, "I'm glad you're okay. When I heard you'd been hit by a car my heart sank, I came to see you in the hospital but you were still unconscious. You've come back from that stronger than ever, let that show you that you're stronger than you think."

"Thanks, Uncle Deaks," She watches them go then goes back to her parents.

------

"Lissy, still not up?" Brian frowns coming in from the garden. It's the summer holidays so Alyssia has the luxury to enjoy a few lie-ins but she's never usually this late sleeping.

"No, Freddie hasn't come down for food either," Anita looks over at Freddie's full food bowl, "I'll go and see if she's awake."

"Lissy," She knocks on her daughter's bedroom door, "It's nearly 11 o'clock. You planning on getting up?"

She receives a moan, "Don't feel well." Anita opens the door and Freddie breaks free, running down to his food bowl.

Alyssia is curled up under her covers, face screwed up too, "What's the matter, love?" She feels her forehead but there's no fever.

"Insides hurt."

"Insides?" Anita is at a loss for a moment then gets an inkling, "Is it your lower abdomen?"

"Yeah," The young girl groans curling up more, tears in the corners of her eyes, "And um... I'm bleeding down below," She blushes embarrassed to tell her mum.

"Oh, love, there's no need to be embarrassed but I know what this is," She helps Alyssia to the bathroom getting her cleaned up, stripping her bed and getting her some food and painkillers.

"This is normal?" Alyssia looks disheartened eating the last of her breakfast.

"You've learnt about puberty at school, right?" She can remember Alyssia coming home very embarrassed.

"Yeah we did, I guess I just didn't realise."

"Your monthly cycle is part of it. It can be alarming for most the first time around but it's normal for most women, they get it once every month and can last anywhere from three to five days. Your friends will go through it too if they haven't already. Best pain management is painkillers, a heating pad or both."

"Most?" Alyssia frowns, if there's a way out she'd like to know.

"Some women don't get their cycles usually down to an underline healthy condition but it means that when you're older..."

"Much older," Brian adds walking past.

Anita rolls her eyes, "When your older and meet someone you can have children if you want them."

"Oh," She blushes again but changes her mind on wanting a way out.

Brian comes back, "But that's not going to happen because boyfriends are not allowed, understood."

"Yeah, okay," Alyssia shrugs, not bothered about that stuff.

"You say that now but wait till you meet someone and you'll change your mind," The day Alyssia brings home a boyfriend, is the day Anita has an ambulance on standby for her husband and the poor young lad.