Entangled Hearts

by Anastasia Sweet

  If he has to choose between loving Ciana as a friend, in the way he’s always loved her as long as he’s ever known her, and loving her in a way that makes her feel like she has to compromise too much of herself - that isn’t a choice he has to second-guess. He loves her enough to let her go. And he knows she loves him enough to do the same.

  “We are okay now, really.” He’s starting to get weary of having this conversation over again every time. He hopes Aviana hasn’t been getting too much of this. He’s talked to her about it already and she’s been very understanding, but still. “Cia and I are always going to be friends, you know that right?”

  “Oh yes,” she says, sounding a bit relieved. “As long as you’re happy. Both of you.”

  “I am, Mom. I really am.”

  Because the truth is now Weldon looks at Aviana and does feel truly happy. He feels lucky not just to have found someone but that he’s found her. This kind, smart, compassionate woman who spends her days trying to help young people learn things, and spends her evenings and nights with him. It grounds and humbles him in a way he hasn’t felt in a while. And it makes him want to stop waiting and let himself have the life he wants.

  *

  Weldon spends New Year’s Eve with Aviana - they attend a party put on by one of her teacher friends, lots of couples and no shortage of food and bubbly. Even a few party games and ridiculous hats and noisemakers. He likes her friends - a lot of them share her sense of humor, her outlook on the world.

  It’s nearing eleven when her hand finds his, pulling him off to one end of a corridor. “What do you think about heading back? You can come back to my place, it’s closer.”

  “Sure,” he says, putting down his drink on a nearby bookshelf. “Are you feeling tired?”

  Aviana shakes her head. “Not at all,” she answers. “But I do want to go home with you. When midnight comes I just want to be with you.” She starts out sounding like she’s trying to be seductive, but then ends up just smiling at him, even blushing a little.

  He smiles back. “Okay. Yes, I’d like that too.”

  Her smile broadens. “I’ll say goodbyes while you dial us a cab. But for the record,” she adds, “if anyone asks we are leaving because I am tired. And so are you,” she says with a wink.

  He has his phone out of his pocket and punches the taxi app in three seconds flat.

  *

  True to her word, once the New Year rolls around Ciana collects her transcripts, finalizes arrangements for her reference letters, and submits her application to the MBA program. While she begins her wait to hear back, she books a few days in New York to meet with her management team. It’s been a few months since she was able to set up the next round of sponsorship appearances, and with a potential two-year program looming it occurs to her this is really the time she should be ramping things up, rather than winding them down.

  This time she books not only not just a entertainment company and coffee franchise but a nail polish line as well. Cosmetics haven’t been her first selection in the past, but she decides to try it out for fun and sets up a few sponsored Instagram posts. All in all she should have enough material for the next six months.

  In the meantime her regulars have still been supportive brand partners. She makes contact with her representatives there and finds they have already planned out some ideas for a spring campaign with her - online ads, billboard posters, the works. It feels familiar enough to not stress her out too much, but still exciting and expansive.

  By the time National Ballroom Dance Competition rolls around her head is spinning a bit, mostly in a good way. She’s glad she’d already decided to fly out to attend the championships. Besides wanting to support Weldon’s pairs and everyone else from the dance studio, it’s Wanda and Gus’s last year of competition and she wants to be there in the stands when they get their titles.

  Estabella seems to have pulled enough strings so that Ciana’s access includes everything up to the dancers’ box. She meets her backstage just as warm-ups are getting going for the first dance.

  “Estabella, this is too much, I don’t need to be at this level with you,” she says, kissing her cheeks in greeting.

  “Nonsense, have you not been helping our dancers this season as an artistic consultant? Of course you have.”

  “I still think it’s too much, but I have to admit it’s nice being back here again.”

  “You are welcome with us any time. I know they are all so boosted by your support, even the experienced ones.”

  “I hope I’ll be able to keep up with it still next year.”

  “You haven’t heard anything yet?”

  “Oh goodness no, I’m sure my package has just barely landed on the admissions desk. And I’ll have to do an interview if they want to consider me.”

  “Good. Any solid program should have a good vetting system. And then you’ll know you deserve to be there once they take you,” she winks at her.

  “Thanks, I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as I’m in,” Ciana says, her superstition eventually no match for Estabella’s warm optimism.

  Then she sees the dancers start to file in for the next group, and Wanda and Gus walk by in the background. She hugs Estabella again and tells her she’ll see her later, then makes a beeline for her friends who she hasn’t seen in far too long.

  *

  “We did it, Avia! Justine and Karim were third. It was pretty close, too, closer than we’d thought - they were only 3 points behind. Really not too bad at all for their first time out at seniors, but we’ve got some room to grow.”

  “Ah, that’s great!” Aviana answers. He wishes he could tell her in person and not just over the phone. “Oh, but they’ll be extra hungry for it now, won’t they? Finishing so close behind.”

  “Oh yes, you should see them. Karim’s not saying very much at all, which means I’ll hear about it back at the dance studio.”

  “So let me guess, Justine’s already planning what you should do next?”

  “You guessed right. She’s already talking out all of the lifts, saying they should increase the difficulty level on their entrances.” He shakes his head. “I’m going to have a lot to keep up with when we’re back.”

  “Just don’t start living at the dance studio too much,” she says. “I miss you.”

  “I miss you too. I wish you were here with me.”

  “Well, I guess you should have thought of that before taking up with a schoolteacher. It’s hard to get away for a week so close after the holidays.”

  “You’re coming to Professional International Ballroom, though, no getting out of that when it’s right at home.”

  “Yes! I can’t wait. I want to see you in action with these guys at a real competition. Coach Fensworth, so intense, I bet.”

  “Hah, well...you’re not all wrong about that,” he admits. “But yes, you will get to see everything. I’m excited for you to.” He pauses then, both thinking out loud and finally letting the adrenaline of the day catch up with him.

  “Hey, you okay?” Aviana asks after a moment. “What are you thinking about?”

  “I’m thinking that I’m really happy for my pair. And I’m thinking I can’t wait to get home and see you again.”

  “You will soon. I’ll be there tomorrow at the airport with bells on.”

  “Me too.”

  “You’d better. Or else I’m going to find a different ballroom dance coach to fall for. Maybe the one that coaches the pairs that do win the first and second place.”

  “Oh, it’s like that, is it? Well then I’d better get back to my pair and tell them they’ve got some work to do.”

  “I love you, sweetheart,” she says then.

  “I love you too, Avia.” They’ve said this few enough times so far that it still thrills him every time, to say it and to hear it. “I’ll see you so soon.”

  “You will.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “So what do you think, Cia, one more go at a publicity stunt?” />
  It’s just a few weeks post-National Ballroom Dance Competition and Weldon’s still riding the high of his pair’s finish on the podium. In the absence of anything else new to work on, he and Ciana have just finished a run-through from their holiday program, working through the gears and thinking about what elements they’d like to modify for something else.

  “Really?” Ciana asks, and to be honest he’s a bit surprised that she’s surprised. He hadn’t thought it would be that out of the question - after all, her program doesn’t start until the summer and he’s in a good post-competition period right now.

  “Yes, we could do it. Garry didn’t ask you?”

  “Well, he mentioned it, sure, but gave me a couple of weeks to think about it.” She looks back at him as they walk back over to the benches in search of their water bottles. “Sounds like he’s been a bit more heavy-handed with you, though,” she says knowingly.

  “Yes, I think he figured I would be the harder catch this time. I swear it feels like I did that industry coaching course like, a minute ago, and now here we are in January and I’m just coming up for air between competitions.”

  “Well, when your pairs starting winning medals at Professional International Ballroom, just be sure to remember us little people that helped get you there,” she jokes.

  “Hey, don’t even joke about that. I just got Justine calmed down from missing National Ballroom Dance Competition silver by a couple of points.”

  “I know, I’m just teasing,” Ciana says. She grabs her water bottle and takes a welcome drink, as he does the same. “But yes, it would be fun. Let’s do another exhibition tour. I think I can still be in tour shape in a couple months.

  “Get into? Come on Cia, you’re totally tuned up.”

  “I’m glad you think so,” she says a bit glumly. “I’ve had a lot more sitting around time than I’d like, lately.”

  “I’d hardly call studying ‘sitting around,’” he counters. “But I’m in for whatever you have planned.”

  “You think we should do the holiday dance show routine?” she asks. “And then maybe one new one? Estabella and Sam are always game, you know that.” Their holiday dance extravaganza show had been a more formal style. But another routine with a bit of humor to it, something upbeat, that would go nicely to pair it with.

  “Yes, I was thinking the same thing. No more going back to old routines, right?”

  “My thoughts exactly. We’ll start anew from now on.”

  And that’s just what they do.

  *

  To the surprise of absolutely no one around her, Ciana completes her interview and is accepted to the MBA program not long after. She breathes a sigh of relief knowing her hard work of the last several months has paid off.

  “You feeling ready, sis?” Joslyn asks her over the phone one Saturday morning. Ciana’s in the middle of sorting her clothes, trying to figure out what to pack up first.

  “About what, school or the move?”

  “Well, the move goes along with school, right?”

  “Sure. In that case I guess both. But mostly the school part.” Within a few weeks of getting her acceptance letter she’d finalized a lease on a new apartment, a little closer to Abel. Aviana - and now Weldon, really - always speaks so highly of the neighborhoods west of there and she’d decided to try it out. New place, new start, had become her new mantra.

  “When’s the moving van coming? Before or after Professional International Ballroom?”

  “Oh, way after,” she says. “I’ve got time to pack up, I’m just trying to do bits at a time.”

  “It looks great from the pictures,” Joslyn affirms. “Hardwood floors and a view of the city, not too shabby, Cia.”

  “I know, it’s so great. If I can’t be in my own little house I can try to get close to the same style, right?”

  “Yes, how about that, anyway? Are you going to take the offer to rent it out?’

  Around the same time as she’d signed her new lease Ciana got a message from her housekeeper in Morsely asking if she’d be willing to reconsider renting out her house. There’s a new professor in the area looking for a place for himself and his husband, just the two of them and no children. They come well recommended, one of her mother’s friends already knows them as it turns out.

  “I’m still not sure yet. I still don’t know if i want to give up the house, even temporarily.”

  “How long do they want to lease it?”

  “They said at least for the year but would be open to longer. I guess he’s there on a three-year appointment that might become permanent.”

  “Then just do it for a year,” Joslyn reasons. "You can extend it for longer, or not." Ciana can practically hear her shrugging in reassurance.

  “I’ll think about it,” she says, and changes the conversation to other much more important things, like the fact that Joslyn and her husband recently decided to start trying for a baby. It turns out they haven’t any results yet, which is why she’d been reluctant to bring it up.

  True to her word, though, Ciana thinks about the house rental offer for a couple of days before deciding to go ahead with the it - she’s never been completely sure about the idea of renting out her home, and still isn’t if she’s honest. But she reasons that she’ll realistically be in Boston permanently for the next two years for her program, and the additional income certainly wouldn’t hurt anything.

  She works out a contract with her new tenants and arranges a start date that allows her a bit of time to put her belongings in storage. It’s more than a little bit strange, the feeling of giving up her home, even on a temporary basis. But at the same time it feels somewhat freeing, getting to commit more to Boston for at least the next little while.

  After all, she’ll be here, Weldon will be here, and her dancing and business connections, while a little different from a couple of years ago, haven’t gone anywhere.

  *

  “Aviana, over here!” Ciana waves at her from her place in the stands, just a few rows from the floor. The other woman sees her and waves back, making her way down to where Ciana’s waiting.

  The Professional International Ballrooms have finally arrived in Boston. Ciana’s excited to be watching in support of all the local dancers, but especially Wanda and Gus. They’re fresh from their gold medal finish at National Ballroom Dance Competition, and since they’ve said - privately, at least - that this is their last competition year, she’s hoping so badly for them to get the silver they deserve. Well, gold would be even better, she thinks, but keeps that to herself.

  Aviana arrives at their seats and Ciana hugs her in greeting. “It’s good to see you!” she says. “I hope we can go skiing again soon,” she adds. They’d followed through on the plan to try cross-country together in the New Year, but since then had been stymied by a combination of scheduling challenges and a relatively dry winter.

  “Me too,” Aviana says. “I wish we had more snow this year, it doesn’t feel like winter without it.”

  “I’m with you,” Cia answers as they sit down. “It’s so strange not to have more snow on the ground, I keep expecting a blizzard and none ever comes. Did you get a program booklet?”

  Aviana reaches into her purse and pulls one out. “All set. Weldon’s given me the run down a few times so I think I’ve got it, I’ve just never gotten to see one of these in person before.”

  “Oh, it’s so different in person,” Ciana confirms for her. “We move a lot faster on the dance floor than you think.”

  “Weldon said that, too,” she nods. “And I’ve learned more than I care to about the judging,” she says with a glum expression.

  “Yes, that. Probably best not to get me started on that score.” She thinks again about Wanda and Gus. While she’s glad to not be caught up in the stress of backstage politics and expectations, she can’t help but feel for her friends. She hopes they get the top three finish they want.

  Aviana opens her program to the day’s page. “So, tell me about
the dance. I can’t remember anymore, all the YouTube videos Weldon showed me are blurring together.”

  Cia laughs. “Then I’m your girl.” They watch as the first group of couples take the floor, and Ciana explains all about step patterns and dance holds and requirements. Aviana pays special attention to Weldon’s pair and the others from the studio, cheering loudly for them and blowing a kiss to Weldon when she sees him down by the benches. He sees her waving and blows a kiss back, also sparing a wave just for Cia.

  A couple of hours later Aviana’s fully on side, and by the time the final dance is just as indignant when unfair scores are posted. She ask questions about the differences between the top handful of competitors, reacting with the crowd when the showstopper moves come out. At the end of the day they both wind their way down to meet Weldon, who’s excited to tell them everything. Ciana bids them goodnight and leaves Weldon and Aviana to catch up on their own, making sure to find Wanda and Gus before she leaves.

  The next day Aviana’s next to Ciana again as they watch Wanda and Gus take silver - a little too close a margin ahead of bronze for Ciana’s comfort - and she’s glad to have someone there next to her to share her excitement.

  “Oh they’re so beautiful on the dance floor,” Aviana says. “I love that the song they chose, it’s been a favorite of mine for years.”

  “Mine too,” Ciana says. “They spent a long time figuring out their music but I guess Wanda won out on this one. I think it was the right choice.”

  “Clearly. I’m glad they got silver.”

  “I’d love it if it was gold, but...sometimes that’s just not how it goes.”

  Aviana nods sympathetically. “How does that feel, when the medal’s not the right color?”

  Ciana thinks for a minute. “It’s always a bit of a letdown, for sure. It’s hard for it not to feel that way. But then, if you’ve worked hard and done everything you can, then...sometimes silver can still be a win.”