The Dance

by Barbara Steiner

  Hardly paying attention to her mother’s excited chattering, Melanie pulled on black stirrup pants and a soft yellow sweater. She’d wear her dressy boots. They would probably be at an indoor mall.

  She took as much moisture from her hair as she could with the towel, then blew it dry the rest of the way. She styled it as she dried, so that it had some body, swirling softly around her shoulders.

  “Here’s all the money I have.” Katherine had disappeared at some point and now came back into the room with her old black leather purse. She stuffed some bills into Melanie’s small shoulder bag. “I’ll pay half the heat bill and tell them I’ll catch up next time.”

  “Mother, I can’t spend money you need to pay the utilities.”

  “You can’t say you don’t even have enough to get a snack. You know they’ll want to have tea or something. You don’t want to be embarrassed.”

  No, she didn’t want to be embarrassed. But she felt awful taking the last of her mother’s cash.

  “I should get a job, Mom. I could work on the days I don’t have a dance class. And part of the. weekend. Bryan would understand.”

  “Bryan? What does he have to do with this? And you can’t work and still have the energy to go to school and dance in the ballet. Look at you now, you’re half sick. Maybe you should have stayed in bed all day, but you can’t miss this opportunity to get to know Madame Leona’s friends better.” Katherine started to fuss again.

  “Mom, thanks.” Melanie leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek. “Now go fix me some breakfast—lunch would be better. I can’t go shopping if I’m starving.”

  “Oh, I forgot you hadn’t had breakfast.” Katherine practically ran from the room.

  Melanie didn’t feel hungry, but she knew she had to eat. She put some finishing touches on her makeup, then hesitated over putting on Madame Leona’s necklace which was resting on her dresser. Should she wear it? She held it up against the sweater. Sure, why not? It looked dramatic and expensive. It would make her simple outfit look more elegant. She slipped it over her head and went to the kitchen. Blocking out her mother’s conversation, she forced down a cheese sandwich and two cups of hot tea with lemon and honey. By the time the last crumb disappeared, she was bursting with energy.

  When the doorbell rang, Katherine ran to answer it. Melanie waited in the living room, pretending to watch something on the television, which was always on. Her mother had it on even when she was reading. It was company. For just a second, Melanie wanted to empty her purse, hand the bills to her mother, and say, “You get out of the house. All you do is work, come home, and hide here.”

  Her mother would have a heart attack. Melanie smiled at the thought. “Hi, Nicol. Where are Anne and Janell?”

  “Waiting in the car. Ready to go?” Nicol was wearing a gray wool coat with a fluffy gray and white fur collar. It framed her face beautifully. She had on boots, too. Expensive black leather fashion boots, reaching to her knees.

  You won’t let them make you feel like the poor relative, Melanie promised herself. She knew she wouldn’t be dressed as well as the trio her mother had called Madame Leona’s friends. They worked at the school, teaching the beginners, but did they make enough money doing that to dress like they did? And to furnish that apartment even if Leona paid the rent? Melanie knew she couldn’t ask, but she wondered. Maybe they were all three from rich families. They had huge allowances they lived on until they inherited fortunes.

  “Hi, Anne. Hi, Janell,” Melanie said, as she slid into the front seat of the new silver-gray Honda Nicol was driving. The two girls were seated in the back, leaving the front passenger seat for Melanie.

  “Hi, Mel,” they said together. “Glad you came along.”

  “I can’t imagine staying home on Sunday afternoon.” Anne smiled. “Were you going to study?”

  “I am so glad to be out of school,” Janell added, pulling her imitation leopard coat closer until the heater took out the chill Melanie and Nicol had let in.

  “It’s winter break, so no studying,” Melanie answered. “I hoped Bryan might call. We usually do something on Sunday.”

  They laughed and chattered as Nicol found the thruway. Melanie let Anne and Janell lead the conversation. But when Nicol pulled into traffic smoothly, she said, “Where are we going?”

  “The city. Where else?” Nicol smiled, then turned back to her driving.

  “You are ours, Melanie.” Janell laughed.

  “What?”

  “For the day, she means.” Nicol’s smile turned into a grin.

  “I just love New York City at Christmas time, don’t you, Melanie?” Anne said. “It’s so festive.”

  “I—I’ve never been there at Christmas.” Melanie thought the city had meant Bellponte. And she didn’t want to admit she seldom went to New York City. She and her mother had talked about taking the train in, but they hadn’t done it. Bryan kept saying he’d take her, but they didn’t have time. He had promised they’d make the trip during the winter break.

  A part of Melanie regretted not having this experience with Bryan. Another side argued that it didn’t matter. She’d enjoy the trip with Bryan just as much. It would be different from going with three girls.

  “What fun! We can show it to you.” Nicol got them there in less than an hour. She obviously knew her way around the narrow streets and huge buildings. Melanie held back from craning her neck so she could see everything. She rarely saw buildings this tall. She sure didn’t want to act like a country hick.

  Nicol, Anne, and Janell sailed in and out of the huge department stores, where carols filled the air, propelling Melanie along with them. She let herself be led, realizing she wouldn’t even know what to suggest if anyone said, “Where shall we go next?”

  Bergdorf’s, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s—they hit all the places she’d heard of but never dreamed she’d go to shop. Christmas shoppers jammed the stores, but Melanie didn’t mind. It just made the atmosphere more exciting.

  “Let’s get new party dresses,” said Anne, leading the way to the holiday fashions when they were in Saks.

  Melanie was on holiday. She didn’t need a new dress, but she got caught up in the excitement of trying them on. The sales women treated the four girls like they were debutantes, bringing them accessories to match the dresses they slipped in and out of.

  “Oh, Melanie, that is you. It’s perfect, isn’t it Nicol?”

  “It sure is.” Nicol pushed Melanie’s arm so that she twirled around.

  Melanie wore a black dress with a softly pleated chiffon skirt. The skirt swirled around her legs sensuously. It was a very simple design, the bodice sleeveless and scooped deep like a tank top.

  “Here.” Anne took a black, green, and gold sash the sales lady handed her and wrapped it around Melanie’s waist. “Just that much color. Green for the holiday and your eyes.”

  “Tights with lace on the bottom are a must.” Janell held up a pair. “And these little slippers with gold trim.

  Nicol started holding up dangling earrings to Melanie’s ears. She finally settled on a pair that were like a cascade of lacy gold coins. “And at least five gold bracelets.”

  Five gold rings. The line from the song flashed through Melanie’s mind. I’d like to give you one gold ring. Bryan’s words bombarded Melanie’s mind while the expensive clothes heightened her senses. Nicol’s exotic perfume stayed in her nostrils as she fussed over Melanie.

  “There, imagine the tights, and it’s a perfect outfit for the holidays. You’ll be the star of all your parties.”

  Melanie dared look at herself in the mirror that reflected back three Melanies with shimmering light brown hair. The heavy medallion, looking a bit out of place, rested between her breasts on the black background. The red stone glowed.

  “I—I may not be going to any parties, and I can’t afford the outfit anyway.” Melanie was honest on both counts.

  “Of course you’ll be going to dozens of parties,” said Anne. “I thought you h
ad a steady guy.”

  Melanie tried to laugh. “Well, I do, but I don’t think we’ll go to any party where I could wear this.”

  “So—” Nicol shrugged. “Find somebody rich to go out with. Maybe we know someone.”

  “With your looks, Melanie, you can have any guy you want. Don’t go steady with someone who can’t treat you like you’re special.” Janell teased the earrings with one finger and they tinkled slightly in Melanie’s ear.

  “Listen, we know some terrific guys,” Anne added. “We’ll introduce you. They’ll make your guy seem like he belongs in junior high.”

  Nicol looked deep into Melanie’s eyes, holding her captive for a moment. “Listen to us. You don’t need that guy.”

  Melanie took a deep breath and touched the red stone in her necklace. She felt suddenly warm, powerful, and sure of herself. Nicol was right. She didn’t need to go steady with Bryan.

  Nicol laughed, bringing Melanie out of her thoughts. “We’ll take all this.” She indicated Melanie’s outfit and handed the sales woman the tights with the lace on the cuffs.

  “But, Nicol, I can’t—”

  “You’re not buying it, we are. It’s your Christmas present. We were wondering what to get you.”

  Not wanting to, Melanie had glanced at the price tag on the dress when she put it on. It was a hundred and eighty-six dollars! Add all the accessories and shoes and the bill was going to add up to way over three or four hundred dollars.

  “This is too—”

  “We don’t want to hear any more about it. It’s done.” Nicol tossed several hundred-dollar bills on the counter, piling up the things she’d chosen to add to the ticket.

  In a daze, Melanie took off the dress, put her own clothes back on, and said no more. But she didn’t feel right about accepting such an expensive gift from Nicol, or all three of them if they split the cost.

  She didn’t want to make a fuss. She didn’t know how to get out of being the recipient of their generosity. So she gave up, and smiled. “How can I just say thanks? It’s a beautiful dress.”

  “You can dance like you did the other day.” Nicol handed Melanie a bag to carry. “You’ll make all of us look good. I can’t believe how well you’ve fit in with the troupe. I couldn’t resist telling Leona she should have picked you over Pauline McMasters in the first place.” Nicol smiled, and her blue-gray eyes sparkled.

  “Thanks, Nicol.” Melanie shook her head. She was having trouble focusing. But she managed one question. “Why didn’t Paulie work out? Do you know?”

  “Oh, she was super spoiled. And she hated working hard. Leona said she had an attitude problem right from the first. It takes a certain personality for ensemble work. You know that. You’re the type we needed.”

  Melanie wasn’t sure just how to take that. She had never been a trouble maker, until now, she thought, but she did have some backbone. Nicol meant what she’d said as a compliment, she thought, scolding herself.

  She realized she was looking desperately for a reason to dislike Nicol, to resent what she’d said about Paulie. But it was probably a leftover from Hank’s introduction. Hank didn’t like Nicol, and her feelings had rubbed off on Melanie. But look how great Nicol was treating her. All three members of the troupe were acting as if Melanie was their best friend.

  “Now, where shall we eat dinner?” Nicol interrupted Melanie’s thoughts.

  Dinner? Melanie wasn’t going to get home in time to call Bryan. But then—she’d forgotten. It didn’t matter. She was going to cool their relationship, maybe even give him up. She didn’t need him anymore. She had new friends.

  twelve

  MELANIE FELL INTO bed, exhausted from the shopping trip to New York, but she couldn’t get to sleep right away. She was cold—her mother kept the heat turned way down to save money—and on top of that, she was annoyed that her mother had made her go over every detail of the day’s trip before she would let her go to bed. She marveled over the new clothing Nicol had bought Melanie, handling every piece, making Melanie put it on again.

  Sometimes Melanie fantasized about having a mother who had a life of her own, or a family with a bunch of brothers like Hank did. She was sure Hank’s mother didn’t have to know how Hank spent every single minute of her day. She wouldn’t have time to listen.

  The trip had been fun, but Melanie was left feeling puzzled, something she could never talk to her mother about. Anne, Janell, and Nicol had been so nice to her, too nice. She didn’t trust them, but her feelings were all intuitive. She couldn’t put her finger on anything wrong with them. Just like she couldn’t find anything concrete wrong with Leona. They just didn’t seem—well, real.

  Melanie had never been around really rich girls; maybe this was how they all acted. A bit artificial, spoiled, able to buy anything they wanted, and able to give expensive gifts to anyone they wanted to impress. Had they been trying to impress her? She didn’t know, and there was certainly no reason to cater to her.

  It wasn’t like Melanie to look for trouble where none existed. Maybe that was the source of the uncomfortable feeling when she was around the three girls that Hank called the witches. She wanted to find something suspicious, and she couldn’t. Because there wasn’t anything. They were good dancers. They spent their money, wherever they got it, rather frivolously, but there was certainly nothing wrong with that.

  If you had tons of money, who’s to say how you’d spend it?

  She lay in bed, smiling, thinking how foolish she was going to feel when this investigation came to naught. Of its own volition, her hand felt for the medallion still around her neck. She clutched it, pressing the metal into her palm. The stone felt warm, comforting.

  Finally she felt secure, cozy, and the thoughts and emotions that tumbled in her head settled to a soft muddle. She’d spend some time looking at the whole situation in the morning when she wasn’t so tired.

  She slept, but as soon as she entered a deep state, tapping into her subconscious, she began to dream.

  It is some strange time between day and night. The sky is brilliant green. She must be in Iowa or Kansas because this means tornado weather.

  She and Bryan leave her house together. He is wearing his wrestling sweats, but she—she is wearing a long white lace dress. The material is crisp and swishes as she moves. The skirt circles when she spins around. Over the dress a fur-trimmed white cloak falls in heavy straight lines from her shoulders to the ground. The cloak has an attached hood, but she’s not wearing it. A slight breeze ruffles her long brown hair and lifts the cloak slightly.

  She carries a sword in front of her, the blade high in the air.

  “If you don’t return that sword to the Arbuthnot, Madame Voska will be angry,” Bryan tells her.

  “I don’t care. She doesn’t scare me.”

  Suddenly Frau Voska steps in front of them. Her hands ride on her hips and she is frowning. “That is from the shop. It is only used for special events. Return it this instant.”

  “Bryan needs it,” Melanie says. “He can’t be the Cavalier of Swords without this blade.”

  She gives the sword to Bryan. He points it at Voska and she disappears.

  “You are good at banishing demons, Bryan,” she says. “You must stay by my side and always carry the sword.”

  As they approach the high school, Pauline McMasters comes out. Melanie thinks this is funny since, first, Paulie is dead, and second, it’s winter break. No one should be at school.

  “I see you still carry the sword, Bryan. He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.”

  “But how else can I be a Cavalier of Swords?” Bryan asks. “And thanks for those great tarot cards, Paulie. Would you like to dance?” Bryan bows, sticks his sword into the ground, then reaches out his hand to Pauline.

  “No, thanks. Melanie will take my place.” She fades away.

  “I will dance.” Melanie laughs. “Can you spin, Bryan? Can you turn like this?” Melanie pulls another sword from inside her cloak and forces th
e point into the ground. “I like this sword better.”

  Bryan groans. “Oh, no, Voska will kill me. She doesn’t want us to handle the swords.”

  Ignoring him, Melanie steps onto the slender, snake-curved bronze dagger. At first she turns slowly, then she spins around and around and around, balancing perfectly on the hilt.

  Seth appears, dressed like a mortician with a black top hat and sneakers. He carries a tray holding steaming cups of spiced tea. Bryan takes a cup and both watch Melanie. “She’s great, Bryan,” Seth says. “I think you’d better keep her.”

  Melanie jumps off the sword and helps herself to tea. “Paulie can’t have any tea, but I’m thirsty.”

  Bryan pulls both swords from the ground. “Watch this, Melanie.” He starts to lift them into the air.

  “Oh, let me. I can do it.” Melanie takes them from him. Laughing, she stands with both swords extended at shoulder level. She starts to spin like a toy top, both blades whispering as they rip the air.

  Faster and faster she turns, faster and faster. The air twists itself into a vortex cutting into the earth. Melanie tosses the swords to Bryan. They watch as slowly, but with a loud rumble, a whirling core of earth rises slowly from the ground, balancing Melanie on its center.

  “That’s awesome, Mel, but get down now.”

  Melanie leaps off the fifteen-foot wide churning column.

  “I think that’s a tornado, Melanie.” Seth watches. “You’ve created a tornado all by yourself.”

  The whirling stones and dirt rise higher into a dark green and dreary sky, disappearing into a cloud. The whirlwind leaves a gaping hole in the earth. From the hole, dozens of great, black birds, much like ravens, fly toward Bryan. He swings with his swords but misses.

  One of the ravens leaves the flock and lights beside Melanie. At it starts to spin, it becomes Nicol, dressed in veils, one for each color of the troupe’s medallions. With each turn, Nicol lifts and releases a veil. When the wisp of chiffon floats into the sky, it becomes another bird and flies away. With five veils gone, Nicol is dressed all in black, holding Melanie’s red veil. She grasps Melanie’s hands, causing her to spin with her.