Original subtitles

And good morning, Lakeville.

Weatherman's calling for sun and local highs just below freezing

for the rest of the week. So break out

that long underwear, Michigan. It's a long time 'til...

Let's finish it off with a curtsey. Ready?

Great job, you guys! Awesome work!

I'll see you guys next week, OK? Bye!

- Emily! - Nikki!

What's up? You're here early.

I want to get in a couple extra hours of practice.

I start work with my new coach tomorrow.

That's great! You're gonna be all ready for the Midwest Regionals.

I'm still kind of nervous though. I barely know him.

Are you kidding? He's coaching one of the best skaters in the country.

He is the one who better stay on his toes.

Well, thank you.

Sometimes, I still wish I was in your class though.

It was so much fun having you for a teacher.

- I know. - It was fun for me too.

But this is the part where all of your hard work pays off,

...so just remember to enjoy it.

- Nikki. Time to warm up. - Hi, Mom.

- Morning, Mia. - Hello, Emily.

Her triple-triple needs a lot of work.

- I should go. - Come on, kid.

Got a couple of birthday parties coming up, Em,

they wanna get the little ones out on the ice, you interested?

- Yeah, definitely. - Good, I'll let 'em know.

There... we go.

Thank you.

No one sharpens my skates as well as you.

Darn tootin'.

So you're heading over to the cafe?

- Well, say hi, to Hildy for me, huh? - I will do.

- Have a good one. - Bye!

Hey, guys. Take your time, OK?

How is everything? Good?

Hildy, I noticed we were running low on eggs,

so I went ahead and called in the order.

Aw, thanks, kiddo.

If you broke down and got a laptop, like we talked about,

you could order it online and save lots of time.

Yeah. Call me old-fashioned, but you know what?

I still kind of like talking to people over pushing buttons.

Alright. What time did you get out on the ice this morning?

- Stop it, I'm fine. - Don't give me that.

- There you go. - Thank you. No, no, no, no.

No, no. Listen. You have been up since the crack of dawn,

I want you to go in the back, I want you to put your feet up.

- We're kind of busy right now! - I can handle it. Go on, shoo!

Those better be fresh. Are they fresh? Phil?

Go ahead and sit anywhere you like.

- Thanks. - Got my hands full, Em.

It's OK. I got this, Hildy.

- Hi! - Hi!

- Can I get you something? - Yeah.

- Do you still have breakfast? - Yeah, all day.

Great. And I'll take some coffee too.

- A lot of coffee, please. - You got it.

Excuse me. Do you know where the Swizzle Ice Rink is?

Yeah, you just make a left at the light, and it's about 4 miles down on the right.

- You can't miss it. - Great. OK.

- Are you a skater? - I'm a coach.

I'm working with one of the skaters over there.

- Nikki Lee? - How did you know?

I teach classes at the rink, and Nikki used to be one of my students.

I'm Spencer Patterson.

Emily James. Welcome to Lakeville.

Thank you. Wait. Emily James?

The skater Emily James?

It was a long time ago. I will be right back with your coffee.

How was everything?

- It was great. - That's what we like to hear.

Where's Emily?

She had to run out.

- Are you a friend of hers? - No. Just a...

- ... big fan. - Well.

Thanks for coming in. Have a nice day.

It's been eight years. What happened to her?

She came home.

Thank you.

So the way I heard it,

after my new marketing campaign for the Lakeville Tourism Office

went on their website, this guy who owns SunStyle Juice saw it.

Wait. SunStyle, the juice drink? I love that stuff!

The owner's looking for something different, you know,

for his new campaign. He saw what I did

with the Tourist Office, and he wants me to pitch him some ideas!

Cate, that's fantastic!

This would be like my biggest client ever!

I'm trying not to have a total meltdown.

Come on, you're gonna be fine.

You always have great ideas. You're gonna knock it out of the park.

It's what I love about you, Em. Since we were kids, you've always had

this confidence about how things would turn out.

I wouldn't even have had the nerve to go into advertising if it wasn't for you.

- Come on! - Remember?

You were gonna go to the Olympics,

and I was gonna handle all your endorsement campaigns.

Yeah, I remember.

Sorry. I didn't mean to...

No, it's...

I've just... I've been trying to stay focused today.

What do you mean?

Tomorrow will be my mom's birthday.

- Usually, I do OK, but just sometimes... - I'm so sorry.

I know how much you still miss her.

But hey, this is a big deal.

- So, congratulations! - I haven't got the gig yet.

No, but you will, and when you do,

I want a lifetime supply of SunStyle.

- You got it. - Alright.

Alright.

Hold on.

Mom, not so tight.

You have to keep your hair out of your face.

I can do my own hair, you know?

Well, someone woke up grumpy this morning.

I'm not grumpy, I'm just saying.

- Hey! - Spencer!

How are you doing, kiddo? How are you?

- Ready to get to work? - Absolutely.

- Good morning, Spencer. - Good morning.

We normally get a full two hours of practice in

before Nikki has to go to school.

Mom, it's like 5 minutes.

No, no, your mom's right. We should get off on the right foot.

Nikki, you go warm up while I talk to Spencer.

Why don't you go 10 minutes of cardio.

See you there.

Do you understand, Spencer, what an opportunity this is for you?

My daughter had her choice

of some of the best coaches in the world.

You did mention that.

Frankly, I would have gone with someone more experienced,

but Nikki insisted on someone younger, someone more energetic.

So I agreed to give you a chance.

I appreciate that.

- Nikki's a great kid. - She's also a great skater.

Which is the only reason you are here...

to make her better for the Midwest Regionals next month.

Are we clear?

Clear.

Shalon?

I'm so sorry, I've been busy. Busy, busy. Yeah.

No, I can this afternoon.

Alright.

Great job!

Alright, ladies, Good job on your turns.

You're doing so much better. Keep practicing, OK?

OK. Thank you.

OK.

OK, Nikki.

Nice! Very nice!

OK, axel!

Beautiful landing.

Hydroblade.

Keep the speed.

Great, Nik. OK, Salchow.

Nikki! You need to land that!

Try it again!

What are you doing out there?!

- We got this. - Yeah?

Yeah. Thanks, Mia.

OK.

Great job! Let's call it a day.

- Hey. - Hey.

I forgot my water.

Hey, you're great with those kids.

Thank you. Thank you. It's a lot of fun.

Is that where you met Nikki?

Was she in your class?

She was a lot younger.

I think her mom had her on skates before she knew how to walk.

Why doesn't that surprise me?

Yeah, Mia can take some getting used to, I know.

But the way that I see it

is if this is what Nikki wants, then we're all on the same team.

Yeah, it's just some of us have to learn

to stay on the sidelines and be quiet.

Yeah, good luck with that.

Hey, I'm sorry I threw you a curveball yesterday.

- You didn't. - Well, it's just, I...

You kind of disappeared on me at the cafe,

- so I thought I might have... - My shift was over.

I was a really big fan of your skating.

Actually,

I competed before I realised I had a better future

as a coach than a skater.

But when I watched you compete, I was mesmerized.

When you vanished, I couldn't believe

how somebody with so much talent could just walk away.

I just wanted to tell you that.

Thank you. Bye.

Great.

Can I help you?

Yeah, I hope so. I'm Spencer Patterson.

- I'm Nikki Lee's new coach. - Right, right, yes.

Spencer, I heard you were starting with Nikki today.

Dave Shelton. I kind of run things around here.

Great! Just the guy I'm looking for. If Nik and I wanna get in here earlier,

leave late, do we have to run it by you or anything?

Might be easier if I just gave you a key.

- That way, you can come and go as you need. - It's great.

Of course, on the other hand, Emily could just let you in.

Emily James?

Yeah. Yeah. She's here half the time anyway, I swear.

She'd move in if she could.

You've known her a long time?

Yeah, yeah. She grew up in Lakeville.

Yeah, tried on her very first pair of skates right here.

I loved to watch that girl skate.

- Yeah, we... we all did. - Listen, swing by tomorrow.

I'll have that key for you. I gotta take this phone call.

- Yeah. Thanks so much. You too. - Nice meeting you.

Yeah. Sorry. Thanks for waiting.

Three exclamation points?

Tada!

- You remembered. - Honey...

...your mom was my best friend, how could I forget?

Now, let's have a little party in her honour, shall we?

I just don't know how she did it.

Raising me on her own and putting me through college,

and to this day,

I have no idea how she paid for all of my skating lessons.

She was a wonder.

And she never complained.

She kept moving forward. She never let anything get in her way.

She never looked back.

And that was the promise I made to your mother...

...to remind you of that from time to time.

Sometimes, it's hard not looking back.

You know what? The most important thing to remember

is how proud your mother would be of you.

- We're closed! - I got this.

Hey. Hi. I'm so sorry,

but I need to speak with you. It's important.

What's going on?

Hildy, this is Spencer Patterson, Nikki's coach.

Yes. You're letting all the cold air in, so...

- Yeah. I'm sorry. - I remember you.

I know it's late. I'm sorry. I really need to speak with Emily.

- About what? - About Nikki...

...and her mother.

Sounds like you guys are gonna be here for a little while,

so I'm gonna let myself out the backdoor.

Can you get the lights and lock up when I go?

OK. Thanks.

18 text messages.

And that's just today!

I try to ignore them, and then she sends three more.

Mia can be very... focused.

Well, I was... I was wondering

maybe, um, we could team up, we could coach Nikki together.

- You want me to run interference on Mia? - No, no. Absolutely not.

Well, yes, but that's not why I'm asking you.

Then why are you asking me?

I'm a good coach.

I know what I'm doing.

I just need a chance to prove it.

Nikki, she's one of the most talented skaters I've ever worked with.

I think she has what it takes to go all the way,

and I want to be the one to take her there.

Because if she gets there, then you get there too, right?

Yeah, I'm not gonna lie.

This could launch my career.

But Nikki is first, and that's why I need your help.

- What do you mean? - I mean...

...she likes you and she trusts you. You were her teacher.

But I'm afraid that if we don't work together,

her mother's gonna get in the way. And I know neither of us want that.

- Yes? - Yes.

Yes?

So I gotta lock up now.

- OK, uh... - So we, uh... Tomorrow?

- Yeah, sure. Tomorrow works. - OK.

Alright.

See you tomorrow, partner.

- OK, see you. - See you.

- Bye. - Bye-bye.

Oh my! Hi!

So, I'm gonna have both of you coaching me?

This is so cool!

I think so too. I just wanted to be sure

that you felt comfortable working together again.

Are you kidding me? We're gonna be like the Three Musketeers!

I guess that settles it.

Alright. Well, let's get to work.

What's going on?

Emily has agreed to come onboard to help Nikki get to Midwest Regionals.

OK...

Nikki likes her, we'll try it.

It doesn't change anything.

If I see you sluff off one little bit...

I wouldn't dream of it.

Why are we doing this? I'm a skater, not a runner.

To build endurance. You'll thank me later.

Trust me, no, I won't.

Come on, Spencer, keep up.

- I'm a coach, not a runner! - We're building endurance.

I like how she comes into the sequence. It's just brilliant.

And she has to come in a little more tight and upward.

- You know, her hand. - Yeah, and it's her eye line.

- Her head needs to tilt up, up. - It's a very good point, yeah.

- It's the eye line, right? Head up? It's up? - It's the head. Yeah, up. Yeah.

See the way she finishes her positions?

Emily, that was so good! You could still be competing.

Yeah, right after I finish swimming the English Channel.

I bet you could do that too.

Thank you.

Alright, you're ready to train?

- Yeah. OK. - OK. Let's see.

- Pull up! - Yeah, what she said.

- What? - Nice job.

- Stop it. - No.

Hey.

You're as good as you ever were.

- Maybe better. - What are you talking about?

The way you landed that, there's only a handful

of skaters who could have pulled that off.

Yeah, well, it's very kind of you, Spencer.

I wanna coach you.

You wanna what?!

I wanna coach you. You're already in great shape,

but if we start now, you could be ready for Midwest Regionals.

You're funny.

I'm not trying to be funny.

What you're doing out here is incredible!

What do you say?

Well, I think you are about eight years too late.

- Will you at least think about it? - I already did.

Wait, he wants to coach you? As in to compete again?

He actually thinks I could be ready for the Midwest Regionals.

What did you say?

What do you think I said? It's been eight years, Cate!

Yeah, I know, it's a crazy idea.

I mean, so what if you work out every day and you've got tons of experience.

Some of these skaters are, like, half my age,

and have you watched the kids lately? I'm not even

- in the same league as them. - I'm not saying you wouldn't

- have to work hard. - Wait, do you actually think

that I should do this?

No. Not if you don't want to.

I just... I remember how much you loved it.

And whether you'll admit it or not, I know much you miss it.

Yeah, but that was a long time ago, Cate.

I've put all that behind me.

You can't blame me for trying.

You know, I loved watching you as much as you loved doing it.

I gotta go. I gotta meet the SunStyle-juice guy.

Good luck!

- I'll see you later. - Yeah.

Good morning.

- Can I help you? - Hi. I'm Lindsay Tuttle.

Right. Ms. Tuttle, sure!

Yeah, I recognize you from television.

Dave Shelton. Dave's Skate Shop. I'm a big fan.

Thank you. I'm supposed to meet Spencer Patterson here.

Lindsay! Hey!

Thanks for coming. How are you doing?

Well, after you called, I did a little due diligence,

and I've heard some interesting things

- about your new protege. - Well, it's all true,

every word of it. Nikki could go all the way.

- Where have I heard that before? - I'll let you be the judge.

She's really excited to meet you. Why don't you follow me.

Stand up straight,

Nikki. Smile.

- Smile. - Mia, why don't we...

why don't we go over here actually. Let's get behind the camera.

Nikki likes me to stay where she can see me. Right, honey?

Right.

OK, I'm ready to go.

Hi. I'm at the Swizzle Ice Rink,

in Lakeville, Michigan, where I'm talking to Nikki Lee,

one of the most promising young skaters to come

on the scene in a long time. So why don't you start by telling us

a little bit about yourself? When did you start skating?

Well, I was 3 years old the first time that I stepped

on the ice.

You OK?

I need to ask you something.

That promise that you made to my mom

to remind me to keep moving forward,

I just...

How can somebody even know what that means?

You just have to look in your heart, honey.

You know, there's that feeling that you get that tells you

what to hold onto, what to let go.

You need to learn to trust that feeling,

and then you have it.

But I did that when I stopped competing for her.

Well, I think if she was here, she would tell you

to take another close look in your heart,

to learn to trust that feeling

and to move forward again.

Doing what I love the most.

Nothing would make her happier.

Thank you.

I got this.

OK, let's, work on spins

and focusing

- on centering. - OK. Where's Emily?

I don't know if she's gonna show up today.

Look who's here.

Hey, hey!

Sorry I'm late. What did I miss?

Not much. We got a little bit of a late start today.

And I did an interview

- with Lindsay Tuttle. - That would explain

why I see everyone in the bleachers.

What do I do? Spencer, tell me what to do.

- Do Stars To Butterfly, OK? - Cool!

Hey,

after yesterday, I didn't think you were gonna show up.

Yeah, neither did I.

Who's that with Spencer?

- Just... - Emily something.

Emily... Oh, my gosh!

That's Emily James.

She's been off the grid for years.

What's she doing here?

She grew up here,

and, now she...

just waits on tables in a cafe, I think.

Really?

She was so good.

A long time ago.

Wanna listen?

Yeah. I do.

This is loud!

Only time I can't hear my mom.

That's...

It's great.

- What do you work out to? - Excuse me!

How would you feel,

about me competing against you at the Regionals?

What? You mean, compete for real?

You and me?

Spencer thinks that I'm ready, and I would

like to give it a shot, but if you're not comfortable...

- I think it's a great idea! - You do?

Yeah! You're the best.

And I know if I compete against you, I'm gonna do my best,

so, yeah, let's do it.

- Yeah? - Yeah!

Look at you!

- Alright. Alright. - Alright.

Better get your butt back over there and work out

'cause I'm gonna kick it!

OK, bring it!

Hey, why do you want to coach me?

- Excuse me? - You heard me.

Because you haven't lost a step,

and I think with my help, you could be

a contender at Regionals.

But you already have a contender.

When you walked away, I couldn't understand why.

I couldn't stop wondering, "What if?"

What if she stuck it out?

What if she got past whatever it was

that made her walk away?

I'm still wondering. And I think deep down inside,

you are too.

What if?

OK.

OK? Like, we're doing this?

Yeah.

See you later, Coach.

See you later.

Hello?

It's a new day!

Alright, let's have some fun, guys.

Split jump, Nikki.

Get up. Get up there.

Alright, Emily. Hydroblade.

What happened?

Did you lose an edge?

My gosh, this was a lot easier when I was 16.

The competition's right around the corner.

- OK? Who's gonna win this? - You should show us.

I'll do it any day.

- Wanna see how it's done? - Yeah, I really want to see how it's done.

- OK, you sure? Yeah? - Yeah.

- Good start. - Alright. Alright.

You see, right there?

Angle of your upper body?

It's slowing your rotation.

- You're slowing down on the axel. - You can really see that?

- It's what I do. - Now, maybe you can

tell me what's wrong with my SunStyle pitch.

- Still no inspiration? - I've got plenty of ideas,

all I need to do is figure out which one's gonna

grab him, because this is definitely my last shot.

Here we go!

Three of Hildy's famous grilled-cheese

sandwiches. No work now, please, Spencer.

Why didn't you call me? I could have helped you with these.

Well, something tells me now that you're back

in the game, I'm gonna have to get used to you not being around.

- What are you talking about? - Of course I'm gonna

keep working.

I'm not really a grilled-cheese kind of guy.

We've had these since we were kids.

Trust me, this will change your life.

Excuse me, I'm still waiting to hear

what Hildy's folksy wisdom has to do with my problem.

OK, all I am saying is that anytime I'm stuck working out

what the dinner's special gonna be, I always

remind myself why people came here in the first place.

Like a retro, sort of nostalgia thing.

I mean, we all drank SunStyle when we were kids.

- I still do. - Why else would I keep it

- stocked up in the fridge? - And nothing else goes better

with grilled cheese.

This is some seriously good stuff, Hildy.

Well, you know what? I've had a little practice.

Seems you and Emily have known each other for a long time.

Since she was a little girl.

Yep, her mom and I were best friends,

and after she passed way,

I promised that I would always look after Emily.

- That's... that's really nice. - Yeah.

How is she doing? Like, in training, I mean.

She's doing great.

I mean, I think she's gotta get back in the rhythm

of doing it full time,

block out all distractions.

I think you were right about her working here.

I think she's got to stop.

She still has bills to pay.

I know, it's a problem with a lot of skaters.

If they're lucky, sometimes they find

- a sponsor. - Here you go.

The piece de resistance.

Alright. Save room for some dessert.

- What?! - Done.

Well, I have to admit, that was pretty great.

Told you it would change your life.

Yeah, I just gotta run a couple extra miles now

to work off that sandwich.

This building's been here a while, huh?

Some of my best memories are sitting at the counter talking to Hildy.

I think that's why she hired me.

I was there so much, she put me to work.

Yeah, she really cares about you.

Yeah. She got me through some rough times.

I know, she told me about your mother.

- And what did she say? - Well, just

that they were best friends,

and she promised to look after you.

Couldn't imagine how hard it must have been losing her like that.

Well, I'm gonna take off because I got

this really strict coach who puts me through the ringer!

- Sounds like a piece of work. - Yeah. He's alright.

This is so weird.

I don't know if it's frozen or what's going on.

There we go.

- No problem. - Thank you.

After you.

- Good night. - Have a great night.

Wait, aim for 3rd place? Really?

I don't think it's that bad. It really isn't that bad.

No, it's the worst. Of the three

- you could get, it's the worst. - A lot better than 4th place.

- But still, you're training people to go for number 3? - You're in top 3.

But that's still 3rd place!

Hey, Em! Are you headed over to the cafe?

Say hi to Hildy for me?

You know, if you went to the cafe, you could say hi to her yourself.

Sure, yeah, I know, of course. But, you know,

we're both so darn busy these days. Who has the time?

- Right. - Speaking of which,

I got one of those birthday parties tomorrow

and I know you're busy

working with Nikki and all, but I could really use the help.

- Yeah. - Sure, of course.

- Great! Thank you! - We're on a very tight deadline

and we don't have the day off tomorrow.

Well, Dave

needs me for the party,

so...

We have Regionals in three weeks.

You're sure you couldn't get along without her

for just one day? It's not like Emily's the one in training.

I'll make up the time!

I promise.

Alright!

- Awesome! Thank you. - Great! Say hi to Hildy.

The way the two of you carry on, a fellow might get the idea

she's the one going to Regionals.

Hey, Emily. You know, we're not exactly fooling anyone.

- What? - With keeping your training a secret.

Especially since you already told Hildy and Cate.

- I told Nikki. - What?!

- Yeah. - What did she say?

- "Bring it on". - Wait. What about Mia?

When Mia finds out, I think Nikki should be the one to tell her.

I have a feeling this may be about more than just skating.

OK...

Don't be so nervous! We're the Three Musketeers, right?

"One for all, and all for one".

It's gonna be good. OK?

Gonna be good.

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Go around. Nice!

Good job! I like it!

Nice!

OK.

- Ready? - No!

- Hey. - Hey.

Wanna throw on some skates and come out?

I'm not really a "kids' party" kinda guy.

OK.

Well...

...maybe now,

you're a kid-party kinda guy.

I got... I got stuff I have to do, so...

Hey, you guys,

- I want you to meet my friend, Spencer. - Hi, Spencer.

And he is a champion skater.

Do you guys want to see his moves?

Yeah!

- I know! Me too! - Come on, Spencer!

OK, alright. OK, alright.

I'll get my skates.

Here you are.

What do they do in here?

Want some help?

- Yeah, I'd love some. - OK.

You know, I... I had fun.

Yeah, it was fun.

You know, I kind of want to go some place

where adults hang out.

What do you think? You game?

I would like that.

I did love competing though.

That feeling when you're out there on the ice, it's...

There's really nothing like it.

But I guess competing just wasn't in my stars.

That's why I started looking

- for other career options. - Such as?

You name it, I pretty much did it... construction, real estate, office work.

- I even went to culinary school at one point. - Stop it. You learned how to cook?

You haven't lived until you've had my spinach-pesto fusilli.

And we're sitting here having pizza?

You play your cards right, I might cook for you.

Really?

Really.

How about you? I mean,

you just stayed in Lakeville after you finished competing?

Yeah, it's home.

Then, it must have been a big adjustment for you.

You were short-listed for the Olympics, and now

you're teaching little kids how to stand up on their skates.

- I didn't... I didn't mean it... - No. No, no, it's OK. Umm...

There's no place that I'd rather be.

I can't remember the last time that I went out.

Well, you're in training, so let's not make this

- a regular thing, OK? - Yeah, OK.

You have a good night.

Yeah.

My mom got sick

during the qualifying trials,

so... that's why I came back.

I just, uh,

didn't want to do it anymore, so I stayed.

I'm... so sorry.

- No, it's OK. - I had no idea.

No one did.

I mean, not really. There was speculation,

but I didn't talk about it

with anyone.

I just didn't care what other people thought.

So what made you change your mind now?

Something that Hildy said about keeping a promise.

And then you came along and you started asking, "What if?"

And it just made me curious to know the answer.

Let's find out.

OK. One more time. You have a better one in you.

Great work! Great job!

- That high. Really? - Yeah.

Spencer!

Spencer! I'd like a word with you, please.

We're just in the middle of something, Mia. One second.

Yeah, well, I would like to know why Emily is out here

practicing what appears to be a routine

when all she's supposed to do is help coach my daughter

for the most important competition of her life.

- I can explain. - While you're at it,

why don't you also explain why you two get cozier every time I see you.

- Wait a minute. - Excuse me, Mia,

there is nothing going on with Spencer and I.

And even if there was,

it wouldn't be any of your business.

Mom, what are you doing?

I'm taking care of this, Nikki. Go back

to your practicing.

No. I should have told you already.

Tell me what?

Emily's competing at Regionals.

Spencer's coaching her to get ready.

It's ridiculous.

No, it's not. She's got a real shot.

Eight years ago. Not now, not anymore...

...and especially when the future of my daughter is on the line.

OK, Mia, I would never let anything get in the way

- of her training, ever. - Too late!

Spencer, you have a choice, you can drop Emily right now

or I will find Nikki a new coach.

- What? - I talked to Leslie Adams.

She is on board to get you ready for Regionals.

Leslie Adams?

That would be a big mistake. She is the wrong person for Nikki.

What's it gonna be, Spencer? Nikki or Emily?

Get your things, Nikki, we're leaving.

- Let's go! - But, Mom...

No, I promise you, this is for the best.

We're not gonna let anyone get in our way.

- Emily. - Hey, Leslie.

- It's been a long time. - Eight years.

So I guess you heard I'm coaching Nikki Lee now.

Yeah. She's a great kid. She's one of the best skaters

- I've seen in a long time. - As I recall,

that's what they used to say about you back in the day.

But, I hear, you're making some sort of a comeback.

I just hope Spencer knows what he's getting himself into.

Oh, well, Spencer's nothing like you

because he's about a lot more than just winning.

Such as?

- You wouldn't understand. - You're probably right.

'Cause I didn't understand eight years ago when you quit

- on me. - I didn't quit on you.

You walked away from the chance of a lifetime.

Leslie, you were my coach, she was my mother...

what did you think I was gonna do?

It is good to see you again.

Hey! Nikki, how are you?

OK.

OK. Emily.

Hey!

- We need to talk. - OK.

What is this?

Roasted chicken risotto with caramelized onions...

No, not the... What is this? What are you doing?

This is dinner. You hungry?

No, I am not hungry. I came here to talk about Nikki.

- What about her? - You need to call Mia and tell her

that you should be coaching Nikki, not Leslie.

I'm not going to. I want to coach you.

We both know that Nikki is the better skater, and she has a better future.

- That's not what this is about. - What about your future?

When Nikki starts moving up, you'll get a lot of credit

and you'll have your pick of skaters.

Look, anyone could coach Nikki, and she'd succeed.

She really is that good.

The thing that I could do, the reason why she wants me

as her coach is to keep her from being trapped

by her own talent, and to remind her

that there's a world beyond skating.

And so she could

be a kid sometimes.

It's not what Mia wants.

Mia wants a coach

who's all about the skating.

I want a skater who's all about the passion

that she has in her heart for what she really loves.

- And that's you, Emily. - Are you sure about this?

Yeah, I'm sure about this.

There is one thing, though.

What?

If I don't get the chicken out of the oven,

it's gonna burn.

The chi...

It smells really good.

Yeah. Well, it's too bad you're not hungry.

I mean, I could eat something.

Plates are above the salad.

I'm just really nervous.

Just remember

you don't have to prove anything to anyone.

You belong on that ice.

Alright.

Let's go, pick it up!

Get your speed up!

Hildy?

Hello?

Surprise!

I told you we'd figure something out.

- What is this for? - A fundraiser for you!

- Dave! - Great to see you too.

Hi! You didn't tell...

- I'd have worn something cute. - Can't believe you didn't know.

My gosh!

Well, what do you think?

I think you're crazy and the most wonderful

person in the world. Thank you!

Well, I think there's somebody else that you need to thank.

I don't suppose you had anything to do with this?

I don't know what you're talking about.

This is a little above and beyond for a coach.

It depends what kind of coach you're working with.

- OK. - Hey, Dave,

- I'm so glad you're here. - Anything for Emily.

Cheers.

- Cheers. Well, I'll... - OK.

Emily, surprise!

- Cate! - Sorry I'm late. Spencer.

Folks, can I just have your attention for a minute, please?

Can we cut the music?

I just want to thank you all for coming tonight,

to support our girl... Emily James.

Yeah, Emily!

- And we know why we're here. - This is a fundraiser tonight

to support our superstar. It is so nice to see

so many familiar faces. Thank you for your generosity.

And you know what?

All your donations are so appreciated, but this isn't filled yet.

So let's get going, shall we?

I also want to introduce you to a guy who helped make this happen.

This is Spencer Patterson. He is Emily's coach

and the guy who's gonna get her back to Regionals!

You know, gang, a lot of us here in Lakeville

remember Emily when she was growing up,

and I think it's safe to say that it was a rare occasion

when she was not skating

or going to skating or coming home from skating

or yapping about skating.

But you know what? She has grown into a wonderful woman.

I am so proud of you.

We all are. And you know what?

We're gonna be there for you cheering,

'cause as far as we're concerned, you've already won

because you are back on the ice where you belong!

Come on up here, honey. Come on.

OK!

I don't know what to say.

I just... Thank you for all of your support.

Not just tonight, but for all of these years.

And I just want you to know how grateful I am.

And I'm gonna give this everything that I have.

I promise you that.

Yay! Good girl! OK,

who hasn't given? Frank, cough it up. Come on, let's go!

Come on, guys. I'm not kidding. I'm really not kidding.

Hey, find your line.

Smooth it out. Bring it in.

Easy, easy!

No, no, no!

Alright, stop!

Nikki, come here, please.

What's wrong?

Nikki, we have less than two weeks before Regionals, OK?

We have a lot of work to do if we're gonna be ready.

Spencer said I should just...

OK, you know what? Honey, a big part of my job

as your coach is to undo what Spencer told you.

Undo it, OK?

I need you focused out there.

Really focused. Got it?

OK.

Let's go again.

We're fine.

Thank you.

Chin up. Chin up.

Remember, if you look like a winner, you're gonna be a winner.

Hey, Dave.

Hildy.

This place hasn't changed a bit!

Well, no. I guess it hasn't.

It was really nice of you to come to Emily's fundraiser.

Listen, I wouldn't have missed that for the world. Yeah.

It's unbelievable how hard she's working these days.

Actually, that's why I'm here. I brought her some lunch.

Unfortunately, she's not here. She's out for a run

- with Spencer. - Oh! Oh, well.

I'll be happy to give it to her though when she gets back.

- Oh, thank you. - Yeah. Oh, boy!

- That smells good. - Don't you dare.

- You look good, Hildy. - Please.

Then again, you always did.

Well, that cafe is not gonna run itself.

Right you are.

It's nice seeing you again, Hildy.

Yeah. You too, Dave.

I told you how I have been racking my brain trying

to come up with a new campaign for SunStyle Juice.

- Yeah. - I was ready to throw in

the towel, then Hildy called to tell me about the fundraiser

she and Spencer were planning for you,

and that is the moment when I knew I was

indeed a genius.

- I don't understand. - It's perfect!

It's win-win! SunStyle gets

a new ad campaign, and you get a sponsor.

- Why would they want me for their campaign? - Are you kidding me?

Word is getting you about you and your comeback.

It's not a comeback, it's just I'm going to Regionals.

Call it whatever you want, Em.

People still remember you...

how good you were, how good you are... and they liked you!

I just don't understand what this had to do with SunStyle.

Come back!

This is your dream, Emily.

That's why this isn't about selling juice. Not really.

It's about believing in a dream. It's about believing in you.

Will you let me pitch it to the company,

please?

Ah... Uh, well,

I mean, if you think they'll go for it, I guess.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

Sorry. "Spencer".

- What's going on? - Lindsay Tuttle wants

to interview me for her show.

- Seriously? - Yeah, she's gonna call

in a couple of days and let me know when she's available.

Emily, this is unbelievable. I mean, timing

- is everything. - What are you talking about?

I'm talking about all the free publicity we'll be getting

from this interview. SunStyle's gonna love it.

Yeah, they will.

Loop-toe combo.

OK, bring it in.

Great work!

Are you OK?

- Yeah. Let's just do it again. - No, no, no.

Just take a break for a second.

Maybe you can tell me what's going on with you this morning.

- I'm fine. - Yeah?

Everybody gets nervous as they day gets closer.

I'm just worried you're pushing it a little too hard.

You know, you...

The pressure builds, you tighten up,

you get in your head. Everybody deals with it differently.

Sometimes, it's...

it's better to talk about it, you know?

You are such a nice guy, do you know that?

If I could talk to anyone, it would be you.

Thank you.

Mia, I'd say your decision makes a lot of sense.

He's a great coach.

Well, we'll find out at Regionals.

Spencer? Hey. We haven't officially met.

Leslie Adams.

- Good to meet you. - Listen,

I just want to make sure there's no hard feelings, you know.

Me stepping in, shaking things up a bit around here.

No, I completely respect Mia's decision.

I think she just wants what she believes is best for Nikki.

We all do.

Hey, and it's great, you coaching Emily

and helping her with her big comeback.

- I wish her all the best. - Thanks.

Hey, it's a smart move for you too though, right?

Well, let's face it, everyone expects Nikki to do well,

but if you can bring Emily back...

It's gonna be quite a feather in your cap.

I wouldn't say that.

Well, you're talking to another coach here.

Don't tell me you haven't thought about it.

I... Yeah, I guess it wouldn't hurt.

Well then, good luck to both of you.

I'll see you at Regionals.

See you there.

I'm sorry! Hildy, I'm so sorry. I was practicing and I lost track of time.

That's OK. It's alright. Take a breath. I got you covered.

But I was supposed to be here an hour ago, I know that.

- I know. But look. See? - You remember Betty?

Well, she's home from school, and she said that she would

fill in for you while you're doing all your extra practicing.

No, no, no. But I told you that I can keep working.

And run yourself ragged in the process? I don't think

that's such a good idea. And besides, you need

- to focus on Regionals. - I can't just stop working.

Honey, it's... it's only for a couple of weeks, OK?

- We will figure something out. - What?!

- No, Hildy. - Come on. I'll make you

something to eat, OK? Come on.

Sit.

And Emily's open to this idea?

But she needs a sponsor.

This would be your company's chance to show their support

- for competitive skating. - Both my nieces are skaters...

this would put me in really solid with them.

Is that a yes?

I love the idea...

...but I'd like to meet Emily before I say for sure.

She's at the rink every day.

I'll stop in, introduce myself, maybe get an autograph for the girls.

Sounds good.

- Thanks, Mark. - No, thank you.

My job suddenly sounds like a lot more fun.

You can sit at the same spot. I'll start setting up.

Lindsay Tuttle?

Hi. I am Leslie Adams, Nikki Lee's coach.

I really enjoyed the interview you did with her.

Thank you.

But I thought Spencer Patterson was coaching Nikki.

Her mom decided to make some changes.

I'm supposed to interview him today with Emily James.

- He's still coaching her? - Yeah.

And I think, under the circumstances,

she's doing fine.

- What circumstances? - Look, I...

It's none of my business what goes on between

those two, but I would just hate to see Emily

waste her last chance at this.

Especially since I was there when she dropped out

- eight years ago. - What do you mean?

You didn't know? I was Emily's coach.

So then, maybe you'd be able

to shed some light on what's behind this comeback.

Sure.

So, Coach, I'd like to start by asking you

what happened with Nikki Lee

and why is she training with Leslie Adams now.

Nikki is a wonderful and talented skater.

I loved coaching her.

I think she has a long, successful career ahead of herself.

So your decision to coach Emily was to advance your career?

It's clear from my sources that coaching Emily and being part

of such a high-profile comeback would be

a much bigger boost to your own career.

- Is that a factor? - No, that has nothing to do

with me. It's important to me,

but this has everything to do with Emily.

Which leads me to my next question for the both of you...

how much of Emily's decision to return to competition

had to do with your,

- personal relationship? - What?!

It's common knowledge around here

that you're more than just coach and skater.

Even if it was, it's nobody's business.

So are you confirming the story or are you just denying...?

- Leslie. Let's go. - Well...

Lindsay, Lindsay.

This, it's over. The interview's over, OK?

- Emily! Wait a second. - I believed you.

Everything I told you was true!

- But why did she ask you that? - I don't know!

She surprised me too.

I might have said something to Leslie Adams.

Leslie?

We were talking, and it doesn't even mean anything, OK?

OK, this doesn't matter. It was a mistake.

- Look, I can't do this. Spencer, I'm sorry. - Emily, hold on.

- I quit. - Emily.

Nice! Very nice!

OK, axel.

Presentation!

Nice!

Well, hey there!

Hey, have you seen Emily this morning?

No. Shouldn't she be practicing with you?

- She quit on me yesterday. - What do you mean, she quit?

I set up an interview with Lindsay Tuttle,

and she started asking me about why I was coaching Emily.

Why would she ask you that?

I guess... I don't know, I had no idea I was being set up.

Look.

She needs to know that she can trust me,

that I never would do anything to hurt her.

I need to find her, Hildy.

Have you tried the rink?

No. Why would she be there?

She said she was through!

Well, she's been through some rough times before,

and one way or the other, that place just seems to help.

OK.

Thank you!

Hey.

Hey.

Are you OK?

I've just been

thinking

how I've spent probably half my life here.

It was always so important to me.

Every hour, every minute.

Emily...

I don't know what you thought I said to Leslie.

But yes, I did tell her that...

I could benefit my career if I could get you to Regionals.

Spencer.

I didn't want it to come across like that.

I believe in you.

I believe in your abilities as a skater.

I want you to get back to doing what you love again.

Thank you.

But is there something else going on?

People can't help talking about sponsorships

and endorsements and... the competition

and the competition after that, and I'm thinking about what's missing.

What do you mean? What's missing?

My mom was always here when I skated.

It's different now.

She always gave me this red daisy after competing.

And I would skate my heart out for that flower.

It was more important than all that other stuff.

It was just simpler back then.

Do you know how many people care about you?

How many people want to be there for you?

Including me.

I appreciate that.

There's obviously something

more going on here than just coach and skater.

I don't know what it is, but...

...even if you're not skating,

I'd like to figure it out

with you.

Hey, Hildy.

- Dave? - Hildy.

- Everything alright? - Yeah, sure.

Well, actually, no.

Well, I mean...

- Look, you're busy opening up. - No, no! Come on in.

- I'll make you a coffee. - Well, thank you.

That was quite a... quite a do the other night.

- Oh yeah, it was great. - Yeah.

You really fixed the place up some.

Well, it'd been quite a while since you'd been here.

Yeah.

Do you want to have a seat?

Actually no.

Thank you, Hildy. I think I'm just gonna

stand and say what I've come to say.

Hildy, I would greatly appreciate you reconsidering your answer.

What answer?

To my marriage proposal.

Dave,

that was 20 years ago.

Which is plenty of time for you to gain some perspective,

you know, on the whole situation.

What on earth are you talking about?

Hildy...

...when I heard about Emily quitting

and giving up on her dreams, that just about broke my heart.

But it also reminded me

that, you know, we're only here for a certain amount of time

to do the things that we want,

to make our own dreams come true, and,

well, what I want,

Hildy Perdy, is to spend

every last minute of that time with you.

- You're crazy. - You know what's crazy?

The two of us living all these years

here in the same city and avoiding each other,

instead of being together the way we should be.

Dave, we have our own lives, we have our own businesses.

And a hundred other reasons to say no, again.

But, Hildy, we only ever really need one reason to say yes.

Now, will you just please

promise me that you'll think about that before you give me

your answer this time?

I'll think about it.

Well, you know where to find me.

The place really does look great.

OK, Nikki. Hey, do it again.

Do it again. Do it again. Do it again.

This is not how we're gonna win, OK?

Just keep skating. We're gonna go back to basics over and over

and over again if we have to.

Hey, you don't even look why you want to be here, Nikki.

You know where that's gonna land you?

That's gonna land you on the second-place podium.

Excuse me. Hi.

Could you tell me, is this where Emily James practices?

It's where she used to practice.

Sorry?

Emily quit. She's not competing anymore

and probably won't be back any time soon either.

Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Thank you.

You don't have to thank me, kiddo.

What?

For psyching out the competition.

She was never gonna beat you at Regionals anyway, but I figured,

why take any chances, right?

You told that reporter about Emily

and Spencer because you know how much it would upset her.

Oh, come on. Seriously?

I thought you two wanted to win.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Hey, Nikki. What are you doing here?

- Waiting for you. - Where's your mom?

She doesn't know I'm here.

- I wanted to tell you first. - What?

I'm quitting skating too.

Come here. Let's talk. Are you OK?

You can't just quit, Nikki.

- You did. - But it's different.

You have your whole career ahead of you.

Yeah, but it's not like when you were my teacher

and Spencer was my coach.

It's like Leslie's mad at me all the time.

I have had Leslie as a coach, believe me,

I know how intense she can be.

- No, you don't. - What do you mean?

She doesn't care about me. She didn't care about you.

All she cares about is winning.

And that's why my mom hired her.

And that's why

she told Lindsay about you and Spencer.

She told me,

so she could take you out.

Yeah, but...

you can't just quit, Nik.

It's just not fun anymore.

Why can't I just skate?

I know what you mean.

Come on, let's do this!

- Yeah, girl! - What are you doing?

Oh yeah!

- Let's have some fun. - OK.

Having fun now?

- Hi, guys. - Hi!

So, we need a coach.

Interested?

Come on.

Alright. Let's have some fun, guys.

Great. Nice work.

Hey, you!

Hey, Hildy. They're just getting off the ice.

Well, I brought enough for everybody this time.

Hey, did you think about your answer yet?

Don't rush me, Dave.

It's only been 20 years.

What's going on?

Come on, Nikki, it's time to practice.

- She's already been practicing. - With who?

That would be me.

You're just not any fun.

Well, take care. Keep in touch, Leslie.

- Yeah, well, good luck. - Thank you.

Good afternoon, folks, and welcome

to this year's Midwest Regionals Skating Competition.

- Hi! - Hi!

- Hey. - How are you? Good to see you.

This is so fantastic!

Looks like we're in for quite an event today

with all eyes on young gun Nikki Lee

and everyone's favourite comeback kid, Emily James.

Emily, why aren't you dressed?

I have given this a lot of thought, Nikki, and I've changed my mind.

- I'm not gonna compete. - What?!

Sit down.

This is your time, so you're gonna get out there

and you're gonna show the world how good you really are.

You have worked so hard to get here,

you deserve this. And I would just be

a distraction. So I came here

to wish you good luck.

You deserve this too.

You've worked just as hard as I have.

Harder. And whether you want to admit it or not,

I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you.

You're not a distraction, Emily,

you're my hero.

You need to get dressed.

OK. OK.

OK. OK. OK.

Good afternoon, folks, and welcome

to this year's Midwest Regionals Skating Competition.

Looks like we're in for quite an event today.

Looks like we've got a close competition, folks.

After the short program, Emily James and Nikki Lee

are tied for first place.

That means they both need

to really nail their free-skate routine.

You know what you're doing. OK? You practiced this.

When the music starts, it's gonna tell you what to do.

And have fun.

Skating next, from Lakeville, Michigan, Nikki Lee!

- Aw, she's just beautiful. - Yep.

- So exciting! - Yes!

- So happy about it. - It's great!

Awesome!

You know why you're here. You've waited eight years for this.

Just go out there and do what you do best.

- OK. - Alright.

- And have fun. - OK.

Next up, hailing from Lakeville, Michigan,

Emily James.

There she is!

She did it!

It was amazing.

You did such a great job.

- I'm so proud of you. - Thank you.

Please give a warm welcome to our three finalists.

- Good job! - Winning bronze... Caily Favreau.

Emily James.

And our gold medal winner:

Nikki Lee!