Chapter 24
Apparently, I now own dancing shoes
Alex
We don’t spend as much time in Seattle as we expected we would, and are on our way back after just a few hours. “We just might make it in time to check out the classes Minnie’s teaching.” Lizzie smiles from the passenger seat as I drive down the freeway.
“Sounds like a plan to me. You going to join in?”
“Oh, we both are. Put those new sneakers you bought us to good use.”
“No.” I shake my head to emphasize my refusal.
“Yes.” She nods hers just as hard. We fight about it for the last half an hour of the drive, and even as we pull into the studio’s parking lot.
When we step out of the car, Lizzie waves at Haven as she and another girl walk along the side of the building.
“Did you just get off work?” Lizzie asks her.
“No, a couple of hours ago. Now I’m going to go try and sweet-talk Gloria into giving me a couple of espresso shots to wake my ass up before Minnie kicks it in class.
I’m tired as fuck today. Raelynn figured out how to set an alarm on my phone, so I’ve been up since four. ” Haven stifles a yawn. “Sorry.”
Lizzie shakes her head and laughs. “That kid’s so damn smart. I can’t wait to see her be my flower girl.”
“It’s like the only thing she talks about, except for The Nutcracker and our new neighbors.” Haven uses her thumb to motion toward the girl next to her. “She thinks Piper here and her brother Dax are pretty cool.”
Piper laughs. “We think she’s pretty cool, too. I’m going to run in and use the restroom before class starts.”
“Okay, I’ll be right behind you after I hit Gloria up.”
“Did you say The Nutcracker?” I ask Haven, puzzled. “It’s August, not December.”
“Yeah, but auditions were last week, so Angela can figure out the parts and start rehearsals next month,” Haven explains to me.
“Ah, okay, that makes sense. I’ve never really been a part of this kind of thing.”
“Haven’s been dancing here since she was little, just like Minnie, only a few years behind her.” Lizzie frowns. “Saying that makes me feel old.”
Haven shrugs. “You are old.”
“Jerk. You’re all cool shit now, going into your second year of college. Wasn’t it just yesterday you were forcing us to play dress-up?”
“No,” Haven says with a laugh. “Although I did play dress-up yesterday. Raelynn threw a princess tea party in the backyard.”
Lizzie turns to me. “Did I tell you that Minnie and I used to babysit Haven?”
“Oh, jeez,” I say, shaking my head at the thought.
Haven chuckles. “See? This guy gets it. I don’t know what my mom was thinking, letting me hang out with the two of you during my formative years.”
“Who knew you would end up being the snarkiest of the bunch?”
“Not my mom, that’s for sure. Major regrets.”
“And now here I am babysitting Raelynn whenever I get the chance,” Lizzie says with a grin. I’m enjoying sitting back and watching her interact with her friends while I’m here. It’s something I’ve never really seen in New York.
“Gotta keep the corruption going.” Haven smirks at my daughter.
Lizzie cocks an eyebrow. “So, the new neighbors, huh? They seem cool.”
Haven’s cheeks turn pink. “Yeah. Raelynn loves them.”
“Don’t think I missed that adorable blush,” Lizzie teases. “You do that every time Dax’s name comes up. You like that cute boy who moved next door to you!”
“Ugh, I don’t know. Maybe. Probably. Yes.
Shut up.” Lizzie smirks at Haven’s answer.
“What’s not to like? I mean, yeah, he’s gorgeous, but he’s also nice.
And sweet. Raerae invited him to the tea party, and he came dressed as a Jedi.
But it’s complicated, you know?” Haven shrugs, and Lizzie smiles softly at her.
“Anyway, I need to go get my caffeine fix.”
“Tonight’s jazz, right?”
“Yeah. You should come join us! Then stay for the dance-off.”
“I’ve been trying to talk my dad into taking class with us tonight for the last hour.” Lizzie elbows me in the ribs and winks at Haven. “I think I’ve almost got him convinced.”
Haven grins and heads into the coffee shop. My daughter wags her eyebrows at me and walks toward the studio.
“No dice, kiddo.” I shake my head again, but she just laughs as I follow her through the door.
“Beanie Weanie!” Raelynn runs and throws her arms around Lizzie’s legs.
“Raerae!” Lizzie leans down and picks Raelynn up, propping her on her hip. “How’s my little buddy?”
Raelynn smiles brightly. “I’m good good good!”
“Did you have fun with Minnie today?”
The little girl nods emphatically. “We colored and played on da slide and danced sooooo much!”
“What an awesome day. I saw your mommy outside. Are you staying here, or is your grandma picking you up?”
“Gram Gram’s coming. Oh, dere she is! Hi Gram Gram!” Raelynn grins at a woman who is clearly Haven’s mom. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen such a strong family resemblance.
“Hi, baby girl. Let’s go grab some dinner. I’m thinking tacos.”
“Woo hoo!” Raelynn’s little arms go up in the air. A minute later, she’s walking out the door with a tiny pink backpack on her shoulders just as Haven is coming in. Haven stops for a goodbye hug.
“Damn, Gloria is a hard ass,” she says once her mom and daughter are gone.
“What’d she make you agree to for your espresso shots?” Lizzie asks with a grin.
Haven rolls her eyes. “Inventory tomorrow. You know how much I hate inventory. Especially if you aren’t there to help keep me entertained.”
“Sorry, we’re going to Tillamook tomorrow.” Lizzie’s shoulders go up to her ears in an exaggerated shrug.
Haven sighs heavily. These two love to play up the drama. “I will accept cheese in place of entertainment then.”
“Is this cheese really worth the hype?” I ask.
They both turn and stare at me. “The curds are. But the drive is my favorite part. I love the forest and river,” Haven says.
Amelia walks into the lobby and claps her hands. “Alright, are we standing around and talking or are we dancing?”
“Dancing!” About fifteen people are waiting, and they all head down the hallway to a big room with a wall of mirrors.
“Got room for a couple more?” Lizzie asks.
Amelia shrugs a shoulder. “Sure. Go find a spot.”
I shake my head and cross my arms over my chest. “I’m not dancing.”
“Scared you won’t be able to keep up, Alex?” Amelia teases me. Holy shit, she even smirks a little bit.
“Ooooh, a challenge.” Lizzie walks past me with a grin.
“Fuck.” I sit down, kick off my old sneakers, and pull on the new ones. If Amelia wants me to dance, I guess I’m dancing.
Haven chuckles and stops next to Amelia. “She do good today?”
“Of course. She’s going to do great when preschool starts up again in a few weeks.”
“Good. Thanks, Min.”
Amelia pulls the younger girl in for a hug. I hear her whisper, “You’re doing great, little mama.”
Seeing her support her friend is incredibly heartwarming and makes me fall even more in love with her.
Once we’re all spread out across the floor, Amelia starts some music and leads us in warm-ups before teaching us moves and combinations.
Almost an hour later, I’m fucking thankful that I work out every day because it was, in fact, hard as hell to keep up not just with Amelia, Lizzie, and Haven, but also with the rest of the class full of people from seventeen to about seventy.
It didn’t help that I kept getting distracted, my eyes naturally finding Amelia every few seconds. She’s captivating. Fucking hypnotizing. I tripped over my own feet more times than I care to admit.
“Great job, everyone! Dance-off will start in five minutes.” Amelia smiles and chats with a few people while we sit on the floor and drink water. A couple others stick around to watch, and two more stay on the dance floor.
“Jazz shoes, no shoes, tap shoes, pick your poison.” Amelia addresses the two girls I don’t know before turning to the other three. Haven’s already tying ribbons around her legs. “Lizzie, get some goddamned tap shoes on. Piper, you do you, boo.”
“I haven’t tapped in years, Min.” Lizzie punctuates her protest by putting her hands on her hips and frowning.
“It’s like riding a bike that’s underwater, upside down, and on fire. You’ll be fine.”
Lizzie huffs but pulls a bin from the shelf along one wall, finding a pair of tap shoes that fit.
Piper keeps the tan shoes she’s been wearing on.
Amelia takes her sneakers and socks off and drops them in the corner.
For the next twenty minutes, an eclectic selection of songs play.
Fast, slow, pop, rock, classical… Just a little bit of almost everything.
Watching them all dance in different styles to the same songs is amazing.
After only a couple of songs, one of the girls from class drops out and joins those of us on the floor.
Lizzie lasts another two songs. After one more, Amelia and Piper sit as well, leaving just Haven dancing.
“It’s all you, little mama. Show us why you’re going to play half the parts in The Nutcracker,” Amelia calls out.
“For real. Every time I turn around, Angela’s adding another one to the list.” Haven spins and leaps and dances on the toes of her shoes.
Amelia and Lizzie take turns calling out moves, and even though Haven sometimes responds with a “Fuck you,” she performs each one.
When the song ends, she bows, and we all applaud.
“God, that was fun,” Amelia says with a smile. “Haven, I swear you get better every fucking time I watch you.”
“You know I don’t even know how to deal when you say shit like that. So I’m going to ignore it, and head home to soak in the tub.”
Lizzie rubs her feet. “A soak sounds good right about now. Dad, your hotel has an actual hot tub, right?”
“Yeah. Feel free to use it whenever you want, kiddo.”
Everyone starts heading for the front door, and only Amelia, Lizzie, and I are left in the studio a couple of minutes later.
“Come sit in the hot tub with me, Minnie.”
“No thanks.”
Lizzie furrows her brow. “But you love hot tubs.”
Amelia’s eyes flick to mine for just a second before dropping away. “Yeah, but it’s been a long day, and I’m ready to just be home for a few hours.”
I know she’s not joining Lizzie because of me, and I hate myself a little more than I already did.