A Prelude To A Dance

by Kay Edwards

Helen was on her way to the dance lesson. She felt uneasy for some reason. Helen prayed for protection but could not help looking over her shoulder. An uneasy feeling set in, so she quickened her step. Helen was so relieved when she pulled the door open to the building and walked in. She looked outside as the door closed behind her. She was not sure, but she thought she caught the glow of a cigarette. Helen went quickly into the studio. “Please help someone to be here” she whispered another prayer as she quickened her pace.

  “Hello.” Ty greeted Helen as she walked into the room.

  “Hey there.” she greeted back. Relief washed over her. Helen knew it was probably her imagination but knowing the camera crew was already in the studio helped her relax. She looked around and caught sight of Logan. He was going over something with one of the team members.

  Logan heard Helen come in. He was going over some things with the camera that covered Helen the most. Logan wanted to make sure her privacy was protected. He was not sure how his touch was going to make her react when they started dancing and wanted to cover all bases. She seemed very relaxed the previous night, but the one thing Logan knew about Helen was that her demeanor could change in a second.

  Helen watched Logan finish what he was doing. When he looked up, she greeted him with a smile. Helen suddenly felt shy. She knew she was being silly, but after last night Helen was a bit confused about how she should act around him. The thought of them doing dishes brought a blush to her cheeks.

  Logan watched Helen as he walked toward her. She was blushing and looking a bit uncomfortable. He wondered if she was having some of the emotions about last evening that he was having. He stopped in front of her and waited for her to make eye contact.

  Helen looked up at Logan “Hi.” she said a bit breathless.

  “Hi,” he said as he took her hand. He caressed her palm with his thumb before letting go.

  Helen looked into his eyes. She suddenly realized how good looking Logan was. She blushed at her thoughts and looked away.

  “Me too.” was all Logan could say. It was enough for Helen to giggle nervously and look up.

  “Are you ready?” Logan asked.

  “I am” Helen smiled.

  “I think we can start practicing the turns.” Logan started “It has a bit less contact than some of the rest of the dance. The International Waltz is pretty close at some points.”

  “So, we are going to ease into it?” Helen asked in relief.

  “That is my plan” Logan answered and then turned and led the way toward the mirror.

  The practice was not what Logan had anticipated. He had been almost positive Helen was going to be pretty tense, but that was not the case. He thought he knew why. The girl kept falling on her butt. She was getting dizzy with the turns. The first time that he held her for the turn, she was a bit tense, but after he had maneuvered her into the turn, she started laughing and promptly hit the ground. No matter how many times he tried to help her get her bearings, she could not seem to figure it out. Every time he held her she started laughing in anticipation of the next spin. She was not at all worried. He was laughing too, but he was also trying to figure out how to get her to stop getting dizzy. As cute as it was, it would not work with the dance. It took him an hour to figure it out. Logan realized that she was not listening to anything he was saying. She was completely ignoring him and just enjoying the moment. As much as he wanted to watch her laugh, he knew he had to call her out on her playful behavior.

  Helen was having fun. When she was a little girl, she had loved spinning until she dropped. When Helen felt that feeling again, the fear of Logan holding her too close vanished. She laughed and then fell. Spinning was turning out to be a good time. She knew she should pay more attention to what Logan was trying to teach her, but Helen was having too much fun and didn’t want to listen to him. He had some muscle, and that propelled her spin. She just could not help but take advantage of the circumstances. The last turn was a good one when she reached for his hand and looked up into his eyes, she knew she was busted. She tried to look guilty but could not pull it off.

  “Is there something you want to share with me, Helen?” Logan tried to sound upset. His eyes were full of laughter, though.

  Helen busted out laughing. “That was so much fun.” she did not even try to hide the fact she had been playing like a little kid. “Those spins were wicked fast!” her laughter was contagious, but Logan knew it was time to start getting down to work.

  “It was nice to see you have fun. I won’t lie, I was starting to worry about how to teach you not to get dizzy. It is a relief to know that you were doing it on purpose.” Logan then added, “However, it is now time to work.”

  Helen gave him a sheepish smile. “One more?” she asked.

  Logan did it one more time, and Helen laughed in delight. Logan reached his hand out and helped her up. “Now, we work,” he said in her ear as they got in position to do a proper spin.

  Logan instructed her to look into his eyes as she turned. They spent the rest of the day working on foot placement before and after the spin. They talked about arm placement. Time after time, Logan took her into his arms and instructed her. She never seemed tense or uncomfortable. He whispered encouragement into her ear. She leaned into him when he asked. She looked up at him when it was time. The spark that was between them brightened as the day wore on. They knew their time was limited. She had afternoon classes and would soon need to leave.

  They practiced and practiced until lunch. The camera crew captured everything and at times looked up at one another giving each other knowing glances. Helen listened to Logan’s instruction, and Logan gently instructed. They were starting to move more like one each time they executed the move. It was disappointing when Helen’s alarm sounded on her phone.

  They had just lined up to do the spin when it sounded. Logan pulled Helen closer to him he leaned down and whispered into her ear “It seems our time is up.” his lips were touching the side of her head. Helen turned and looked into his eyes. She did not seem uncomfortable with his closeness.

  Her breath caught at the look in his eyes. She smiled up at him. “I will see you on Sunday at church?” she asked a bit shy now.

  He nodded yes before releasing her. “I will see you Sunday.”

  “Can I walk you out?” Logan offered.

  “If you promise a fun spin before we practice turns on Monday, you may.” Helen answered with laughing eyes.

  “Little Lady, you drive a hard bargain, but I think we can do that.” Logan tried a southern drawl.

  They walked out together laughing at the day’s lesson. One lesson Logan learned was to keep an eye on Helen because if she is having fun, she would play instead of work.

  The man hissed. He had waited all day for her. He knew she had class. He was giddy with anticipation when he saw the door open and her come out. He was livid when he saw her laughing up into the face of that instructor. How dare she treat him like this? There she was giving another man looks that should be for him. He hit the side of the building with his fist. He would not stand for this. If she did not stop this, he would take her sooner than he planned. Anger engulfed him, and he ran down the alley hitting garbage cans as he went. Every time he kicked and every time he punched one, it seemed to ease his rage just a bit.

  Logan and Helen were in the street saying goodbye. “Well,” she laughed “I guess it is on to class. I have a test today, so I need to be there early.”

  Logan started to say goodbye, but a sound from the alley across the street drew their attention. Helen leaned closer to Logan. She was uneasy. The feeling from earlier came back. She was afraid.

  Logan looked down into Helen’s face. “Are you ok?”

  “I just had a feeling today when I came that I was being watched from that alley. I even thought I saw a lite cigarette or cigar. The feeling just came back.”

  Logan
was alarmed “Why didn’t you say anything this morning?”

  “I honestly thought it might just be my imagination. I’m not so sure now.” Helen was leaning closer with every word she spoke.

  “Did you drive this morning?” Logan asked.

  “I’m only a block away. I walked. Everything is so close I walk everywhere.”

  Logan did not want to alarm her, but he also wanted to make sure she was safe. “I think it would be best if I picked you up in the mornings. It is still dark, and I would hate it if something happened that could have been prevented.” Logan was not done. “I also think I should drop you off and pick you up from your school. What do you say?”

  Helen almost declined. Her pride almost made her ignore the offer, but there was a part of her screaming to accept. She took a breath and agreed. “Ok.” She tried to laugh it off. “Better safe than sorry.”

  Guiding her to his car, Logan opened the door for her. His eyes scanned the alley as she got in. He closed the door behind her, and they left.