Page 75 of Second Dance
“It makes me feel guilty at times.”
“You earned it.”
“Not really. I got lucky,” I said.
“Do you remember how broke we were back then?” Gillian asked.
“You remember that five dollar teriyaki special we used to share?” I asked.
“Five potstickers, a soda, rice, and chicken teriyaki.”
“You’d eat about a quarter of it and leave the rest for me.”
“If my dance instructors had known I was eating potstickers I might have gotten thrown out of the program.”
“You were worried about your weight all the time,” I said. “It always seemed hard.”
“That’s ballet. It’s just part of it. But I don’t miss counting every calorie. I still think about it, but not like I used to.”
“Whatever you’re doing, you look amazing.”
She flushed, dipping her chin, her hair falling over her cheeks. “Thanks. You look good too.”
“You can thank my cruel personal trainer for that,” I said.
Squeals carried on the wind as the kids rode their boards to shore again and again. After thirty or so minutes, the three of them ran toward us, dripping and triumphant.
“We’re starving,” Bella declared, as if this was surprising.
“Good thing Sonya packed enough for a baseball team.” I handed out sandwiches and poured lemonade.
“Grace is really good at boogie-boarding,” Bella said.
“I’m not really. You should see Tyler,” Grace said. “And Annie. They can surf too.”
“I’m getting better,” Peter said. “Grady’s a great teacher.”
“I never got the hang of it.” Grace opened her sandwich and took out the tomato before closing it back up again and taking a bite.
“I’ll stick to the boogie board too,” Bella said, smiling over at Grace.
After lunch, badminton erupted—crooked net, more wild laughter as the kids lobbed the birdie back and forth.
“Would you like to take a walk?” I asked, after the picnic food was put away.
“I would love it.”
I offered my hand and Gillian took it. In bare feet, we strolled along the edge of the water, the surf reaching our toes before heading out again.
“Do you want another baby?” I asked.
She stared up at me, as a wave crashed over our feet. “I’ve never thought about it.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve never had a serious relationship. Not since you, which wasn’t really serious since we were so young. Before I adopted Grace and I was so focused on dance, I used to daydream about having a large family. Not one like mine growing up, but two parents and a gaggle of kids. But as you know, things don’t always go according to plan.”
A wave slipped cold over our ankles. I took her hand and we danced in the surf for a second or two before I pulled her closer and kissed her, forgetting about the kids or where we were, just losing myself in the taste of her mouth and the feeling of her lithe body in my arms. When we parted, she laughed, breathless. “The kids are going to be so grossed out.”
