Page 39 of Wounded Dance
Delay and delay until they can’t afford their lawyer anymore. He refuses to settle, at least for now. The suit is ridiculous, just an angry girl who thought she would win.
I turn the ringer back on and head to the shower. My ownpointeballet class isn’t until the afternoon, but I might as well get the day going. Maybe I can have the driver take me around town. I could go see Irma at church, or drive by the park on the off chance Mom and Andy are there alone. I miss my brother.
I step into the spray, determined to have a better day and not let my past get to me.
Blitz calls late morning and just talking to him lifts my spirits. I tell him a little bit about my run-in with Denham, and that I had spilled that Gabriella is a girl.
“Don’t say anything else,” Blitz says. “Try to avoid contact. We’ll freeze him out on the legal side, don’t worry. He’ll give up eventually.”
“But he’s sat outside the academy every day since he got here!” I say.
“We’ll talk to Danika together about it,” Blitz says. “Maybe we can have a police officer chat him up, make him uncomfortable, even if it’s legal for him to sit there.”
“But what if she wants to tell Gwen about me?”
“We don’t have to mention the baby. Only that he’s an ex stalking you.”
“Okay.”
“I’m heading into the very last meeting with the producers before I get on a plane,” Blitz says. “By tonight, I’ll be back to ravishing you.”
I laugh a little. “Okay, Blitz. I love you,” I say.
“I love you too, Princess. Don’t go to dance if you’re not up for it.”
“I won’t.”
“See you tonight.”
I decide to go for a swim in the indoor pool for some extra exercise that won’t tire my feet before ballet. By the time I’m done with that and cleaned up again, it’s time for a quick late lunch and to head up to the academy.
The same slate blue SUV and blond driver are waiting for me downstairs. Like before, I get in the front seat.
“I didn’t get your name yesterday,” I say.
“Ted,” he says.
“Do you have to wait here all day for me to call for you?” I ask.
“That’s my job.” He pulls away from the hotel.
“How much do you know about what’s going on?” I ask.
“Only that I’m to drive you anywhere you want and make sure nobody upsets you. But not to follow you inside places unless you ask.”
“You’ll come inside?”
“You only have to ask.”
I wonder if I should do that. But that would be weird and obvious and the dance teachers would talk.
“I’m okay there. I might drive by a park, though. And I might have you walk with me there.”
“Works for me.”
I don’t try to be chatty beyond this. I watch out the window as the world passes by. At least I don’t have to worry about Denham spotting Gabriella today. She won’t be there.
When we approach Dreamcatcher, Denham’s green truck is parked in the same place as yesterday. He said he didn’t have much gas for it. I wonder if he’s dead broke. How he can just sit there, no job, nothing else to do? I don’t know anything about his current life.
