Page 21 of Nutcracker with Benefits
Clara shoots me a surprised look, but the music builds, drawing our attention back.
The grand finale is a pirouette, Ioann spinning in place, tighter and tighter, his head stationary, a feat I’m not sure how he manages on a makeshift stage in Central Park, but he does, and the crowd cheers and screams as it goes on for longer than should be possible. Finally, with a flourish, both musical and physical, Ioann stops on one knee, a hand on his hip and his other in the air, with a beaming smile on his face.
Clara and I clap with the masses, people whistling and shouting as Ioann rises to his feet and takes a bow.
“That was amazing,” Clara shouts over the noise. We shuffle with the crowd toward the donation collection and talk about the strength and physics required to perform the stunts. My phone dings and I slip it out to check.
How was Ioann? Kara texts. If you get to talk to him, tell him I said hello. I still can’t believe his only requirement for putting on a show the day after Christmas was to make a big donation. What a sweetheart.
He’s busy with adoring fans and we have a schedule to keep, I text back.
True. I just left Nikita’s. Have a great lesson!
Bea chimes in. I called Nikita to make sure she’s going to get some pics or a video of you two dancing.
Thanks! I respond.
While I put my phone away, Clara slips a bill out of her wallet, and even though I told her I would pay for everything, I let this one slide.
I take a hundred-dollar bill out of my own wallet and slip it into the can.
7
Clara
“What are you thinking about?” Nash asks. We’ve been walking quietly through Central Park, Nash guiding us in the right direction.
I sigh. “Ethics,” I tell him.
“Oh, so nothing important then?” he teases.
I smile, chagrined. “I know. Sorry. Seeing his sign,” I gesture back towards the Russian dancer, “just made me think about some things. Like, I would love to go to Russia because it’s such a unique place. But obviously, there are some problems with it. And where do I draw the line?”
Nash nods. “It is complicated.”
“Freddy mentioned the ethics of the civet coffee in Indonesia, and I know there are other problems there, but I’m still going. There are problems with every place, too. Even home has problems that make me nervous.”
“Like what?”
“Well, I’ve gotten medical care all over the world whenever I’ve needed it. And so many times the care has been very good, with doctors trained in the US or UK. And it’s way cheaper. I basically come here and hope nothing happens to me. And I am lucky enough to be able to afford it if something does happen. But being uninsured in the United States is scary.”
Nash hums next to me.
“Anyway, the point is that I was thinking about deep, important questions that probably aren’t setting the mood well for our day of adventures.” I smile up at Nash. “Let’s talk about something else, okay?”
He wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Don’t get me wrong, I love having fun with you, but I like these deep discussions, too. It reminds me of when we were teenagers and talking about my parents.”
I lean into Nash. Those were some long and deep conversations. While I talked with the rest of my friends about boys or music or summer vacations, Nash and I were talking about conservative religions and emancipation and the right for queer people to marry.
“I enjoy talking to you about deep things, too.”
“But,” Nash says, nudging me, and I lift myself back up, “it’s the day after Christmas and we’re in one of the greatest cities in the world where we could do almost anything we want to. Including,” Nash stops at a carved wooden door, grabbing the handle and pulling it open for me. It’s a nondescript apartment building, and we’re still in Manhattan, so it’s a nice one. “Dancing.”
“What? We’re going dancing?”
Nash tips his head toward the building. “Come on.”
We ride a fancy elevator up and then walk down the hallway, where Nash knocks on a door.
