The image of Ryan’s empty wheelchair haunts Dante, even after his lover is back in his seat and he’s leaning on the handlebars himself, heading for the first aid station at the rink. But he can’t stop thinking about what he saw when he came through the doors leading from the rink to the locker room. His coach was scolding him about taking risks like he did out there in the relay, picking up the race at thirty laps when he knows the team can’t maintain that speed for the duration, and he nodded, yes, he knows that. Then he saw Ryan’s wheelchair backed up against the wall like a forgotten toy, for the first time he noticed the skaters lining the hall, he heard the scuffle of a fight and oh my God, he thought, his mind numb. Oh my God, Ryan, no, please no, he can’t walk, he can’t be out of th
