Dance With Me
Part Two
Story and Art by Angie Dargo
Sandor felt so awkward about kissing Miss Forrester’s hand that he went back to the studio the next day; Wednesday. He did not want her to feel uncomfortable with him and he felt he had to fix this situation right away. He just couldn’t wait for Thursday. He approached the studio with his head down and went into the back entrance. He used his key card to go into the small office and was quite relieved that the lock hadn’t been changed.
He sat in the chair by the two-way mirror and was happy to see it was Miss Forrester in the studio. She had the big studio door wide open this time and he could hear her laughing. He almost felt bad that he was peeking in on her with a patient until he saw who she was teaching. About 10 three to five year old girls dressed in little pink fluffy tutus were shuffling about on the tips of their tiny toes. They called Miss Forrester, “Miss Nova” and were following the music like butterflies. “Miss Nova” put a finger to her lips and told the children to “Shhhh…quiet now, you beautiful butterflies are going to sneak away from the big old crow!”
Her little class squealed with delight as “Miss Nova” donned a long sheer black scarf. She started to run after each little “butterfly” and dance them one at a time over her head after each girl was “captured”. The little girls lay on the floor and laughed as Miss Nova declared triumphantly, “Caw, caw! My belly is full of little butterflies now! Hee! Hee! They tickle me on the inside!” At that the little butterflies jumped up and pulled Miss Nova onto the floor with them, all of them laughing and tickling her. Sandor couldn’t help himself. He smiled a broad smile as he realized that this must be a game that was played frequently at the end of their class. In time, each child was taken to the door as a parent or family member came to ask for them. Miss Forrester took the time to say something to each one. Sandor felt sickened when he heard Miss Forrester talk to several of the mothers and fathers about chemotherapy or radiation therapy for the youngsters. One young mother made a point of hugging Miss Forrester and saying with tears in her eyes,” I believe seeing you each week is better for Rachel than getting that medicine pumped into her little body.” Miss Forrester hugged her back and said goodbye.
After the last child had gone, Miss Forrester closed the door softly and slid down the length of the wall hugging her knees close to her body. She began to sob softly.
Sandor didn’t know what to do. Should he sit here? Surely she would hear him leave now. If she turned off the lights she would see him in the two-way mirror. He felt like he could not invade her privacy any longer. He went over to the door to the office that led into the studio and knocked softly.
Nova stood up and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. She briskly stepped over to the office door. When she opened it she was surprised to see Sandor standing there looking like the cat who had just caught the canary.
“Mr. Sandor! Your appointment isn’t until tomorrow, sir,” said Nova.
“I know. I just needed to talk to you about something…if I could have a moment of your time,” said Sandor. He couldn’t believe how nervous he sounded! He also realized he was wringing his hands so he quickly put them behind his back.
“Of course! I don’t have any other appointments tonight. And I don’t have to be at my other job until 1900 hours. I have all the time in the world for you, sir!” said Nova genuinely.
Sandor relaxed. She hadn’t made a move to go and open the big studio door again. And she hadn’t moved the slightest bit away from him. Maybe he had overreacted?
“Well Miss Forrester, you see last night…I’m afraid I may have stepped over a line when I kissed your hand. I just wanted to say I am sorry and it will never happen again. I hope that it didn’t put any mistrust for me in your head. I am a professional man and…”
“Oh, that was such a lovely gesture!” Nova gushed. “I’m afraid I have to apologize to you sir if I made you feel uncomfortable! You see, I’ve never had a gentleman kiss my hand before. I’m not used to such gallantry.”
Sandor was stunned. He didn’t know what to say.
“Sir?” said Nova. She knew she had caught him off guard. She had thought about this all night and all day long. She had made up her mind that if he was polite enough to bring it up and apologize for it, she would make sure that he didn’t feel bad.
“Uh…thank you. I thought I had offended you,” said Sandor. He still wasn’t quite sure if he had blinked yet.
“Not at all. Of course I want you to know that, as dance partners, we will be very close to each other. Dancing is very intimate. So is the physical therapy aspect. I mean, we have to touch quite often and if you and I feel uncomfortable with each other then, well, we might as well give it up now. I am so glad that you felt comfortable enough with me to make such an endearing gesture as you did,” said Nova looking into Sandor’s eyes.
Sandor knew he was grinning like a dork, but just couldn’t do anything about it.
“Would you like to have an appointment now, sir?” asked Nova.
“Uh, no…that’s okay. I have to get back to the lab. I just wanted to make sure you were alright,” said Sandor as he turned toward the office door although he really did want to stay.
“Of course. I’ll be here until 1830 if you change your mind,” said Nova as she began to put away the black scarf from her previous lesson.
“Well…if you don’t mind. I think I will if it’s alright with you,” smiled Sandor.
Nova grinned at him and went to start the music.
Chapter Two
Nova once again was walking Sandor around the room. This time she had him with his arms up and the white cane tucked under his shoulders.
“I feel so stupid like this,” he said.
“Keep complaining and I’ll make you wear a tutu,” Nova smiled. “We are working on your stance again. You need to be dominant and forceful when we start to dance. In addition, your shoulders need the work for your new arms. By the way, how was the shakiness today?”
“You know, now that you mention it…it wasn’t bad. I didn’t even notice it!” And it was true. Sandor had been through the whole day working on warp theories and didn’t notice the pain in his legs or twitching in his arms once. But was that because of the nervousness of apologizing to Miss Forrester or because last night’s session had indeed helped?
Nova took the cane from him and went over to the sound system. She put on an old scratched piece of music that sounded familiar to Sandor, although he couldn’t quite place it.
“This is called ‘
“Do you feel the tempo and the rhythm, Mr. Sandor?” she said with a dreamlike quality to her voice.
“Yeah…it is a great song. It’s really old isn’t it?” he asked.
“Oh yes. My father taught me to dance with my tiny feet on top of his big feet when I was a little girl. He would sing this song to me. It’s very special to me.” At that she turned and faced Sandor and walked backward. Sandor continued to walk forwards still maintaining the up and down movement.
“May I ask you a question?” said Sandor.
“Of course,” said Nova never breaking stride.
“How come you’ve yet to touch me while we’re dancing? You’ve not laid a hand on me. Are you afraid of me?” He asked this and stopped moving. The concern in his voice startled him a little and he wasn’t aware he was going to ask that question until it had popped out of his mouth.
Nova walked back over to the sound system and stopped the music.
“That is an excellent question. You see, my theory is, when a person thinks of themselves as having a deformity or abnormality, they build a wall around themselves. I noticed it right away with you, Mr. Sandor, that first night in the hospital. You looked almost sick when I came to take your blood pressure. I could tell you did not want to be touched, nor were you used to being touched. But I can assure you that I do not think of you as having an abnormality or deformity, not at all. I think you have a gift. You are going to be able to do wonderful things with your arms and legs that no ordinary man can do, although I’d be willing to wager that all you’d ever want to be is an ordinary man. Am I right so far?” she asked as she stepped a little closer to him.
Sandor just nodded and took an unconscious step back.
“So, I want our first couple of sessions to be just us. Just being in the same room together; nothing uncomfortable. It takes time to become comfortable enough to allow someone to touch you again. And you, sir, need to gain confidence. It’s there. I can tell. It probably stays in your lab. There you are a genius and can work miracles with numbers, chemicals, and logistics. But you took a step out of your box here. I’m just giving you a little room to get used to me.” Nova smiled at him, and took another step closer.
Sandor did not step away this time.
“So…uh, you’re saying, you think I’m uncomfortable with you. You’re not uncomfortable with me?” he asked genuinely astounded.
“No sir. Would it help you to know that I was the surgical tech that aided in your attachment surgery?” said Nova. “I know all about you. Even that cute little mole on your…”
“Holy God NO! That doesn’t help!” yelled Sandor as he put his hands over his face. “Are you serious?”
Nova started to laugh. “Yep! So are you ready to take a walk with me again?”
“I guess…” said Sandor as he pulled his hands off his reddened face. “I want to crawl into a hole…”
“You can do that later. Now…Let’s waltz!” She led him around the room again and was amused that he couldn’t look her in the face anymore. When she glanced at the clock she noticed it had been over an hour already.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’ve got to get ready for my night job,” she said as she walked across the room and stopped the music.
“Oh, uh…sure. So where do you work at night?” Sandor asked.
“I’d rather not say. It’s kind of a dive. Have a great night, Mr. Sandor!” Nova held her hand out to him again.
Sandor was careful to shake it and not plant a kiss on it this time.
“Be careful, Miss Forrester. The news of you working in a ‘dive’ does not please me,” said Sandor with genuine concern in his voice.
“I know how to take care of myself. And thank you,” said Nova in a flippant way.
Sandor walked out of the room through the office door and out the back hallway.
No, that information did not please him one bit.
Chapter Three
Nova and Sandor met three times a week for the next four months. Nova began to teach Sandor the holds slowly so that he would be comfortable each time they did touch. Little did she know, he was quite comfortable with touching her. He held her firmly when the dance called for it and softly when the dance was more gentle. Each time, Sandor was getting better at the dances and his arms and legs were stronger and more solid than ever before. Soon they were waltzing around the dance floor to several songs. Nova even taught Sandor the Foxtrot, the Mambo, and a Quick Step that Sandor thought would kill him.
Every session, Nova would place objects around the room and have Sandor “reach” for them with his extendable arms. He was getting quite good at this. His legs were as strong because of the dance steps and training. Nova had even convinced him to join her on a few early morning jogs before any of the other soldiers had gotten out of bed yet. He had never been in better shape mentally or physically. Christmas had come and gone and they had even exchanged presents. He had bought her a lovely long ornate scarf (not telling her that he thought this would be perfect for her game with the little ones; she still didn’t know that he had seen that class) and she bought him a pair of ballroom shoes. He smiled and said, “Gee thanks.” She had punched him playfully on the shoulder. He said she would never get him into ballroom shoes. But she had.
Nova took Sandor’s class on Astrophysics with her roommate Elaine that spring. No one, not even Elaine, knew that Nova and Sandor (still Miss Forrester and Mr. Sandor to each other) knew one another elsewhere. They were still as professional as ever although unbeknownst to each other…they thought about one another constantly. Nova fretted over Sandor all the time. She knew that he stayed in the lab when he wasn’t with her, teaching his class, or sleeping. Sandor told her that his roommate Alex would be shipping off soon to the Pluto Base and so would his lab assistant Michael. Sandor would be more alone than ever once that happened. He was so brilliant that he would get an idea in his head for some new invention and be in his lab for hours until Michael had to remind him of his classes or one of his “appointments”. Michael and Alex would be sorely missed.
Likewise, Sandor worried about Nova. His Miss Forrester, he’d found out, was only 17 years old when he had first met her. Seventeen years old! She had turned 18 in February and he had brought her a little cupcake with a candle in it. She was thrilled. That week she had gone home to see her parents. It was one of the loneliest weeks of his life.
Nova was also a lieutenant in the EDF who was an ace at radar, analysis, and living sciences. The papers that she wrote for his class were so good that he knew if anyone did find out they knew each other, they would accuse them of having some kind of teacher’s pet thing going on. She was that good at her assignments and she really had a genius mind. She was also a full-time nurse earning credits for physical therapy, surgical assisting, and counseling. She taught dance lessons/ physical therapy every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at Madame Celeste’s. Also she had a third “mystery” job that kept her out most nights until around 0100 hours. How could she be so young and have that kind of work ethic? Why was she working herself so hard?
When Sandor questioned Nova about her third job she would just smile and say “You really don’t want to know,” in an off-hand manner. He worried that she was a stripper or something, although he didn’t want to believe it and had a hard time even imagining it. So one night after their session, he decided to follow her.
He stayed in the little office room after he’d made an exaggerated slam on the hallway door like he had gone out. He waited quietly and thought that once Miss Forrester had left through the front door he would go out the back way and try to catch a cab to where ever she went. He waited for perhaps ten minutes watching through the two-way mirror while she wrote something in his file. She picked up a mini-recorder and leaned back in a chair.
“This is Nova Forrester, R.N. The date is April 18th, 2199. I’ve just completed a therapy session with Mr. Stephen Sandor. He is in excellent physical shape and is doing quite well with the therapy. Arm extension is above what I expected. Still has a slight hitch in right leg when walking. Will suggest a new dance to him at next session. I believe he can take an Argentinian Tango, and I sure could use the workout.” She smiled to herself and turned the recorder off. She stretched and stood up then walked over to the costume rack. She took a long black dress off the rack and stepped over to the small restroom area in the studio room. He turned his head away, making sure he didn’t see anything he shouldn’t just in case. Sandor could hear her singing scales to herself and could hear water running. She came out with the black dress on and looked at herself in the mirror. She brushed her honey brown hair out with a brush and slipped into a pair of high heeled black shoes at the same time.
Sandor’s eyes almost popped right out of his head. She looked beautiful.
Nova still continued to sing scales as she went over to her purse and took out a small cosmetics bag and a cell phone. She dialed a number on her cell and pulled a compact out of the bag at the same time. Sandor fell to the floor of the office as he realized she was coming over to the two-way mirror to apply her make-up (the light was a little brighter over in this corner of the room).
“Hey, I’m ready when you are,” said Nova to whoever picked up on the other end of the phone. “I’m going out the back way so I’ll see you there in 5 minutes, okay? Thanks for filling in tonight. I’m glad the theme for this week is ‘torchlight’, so I’m dressed kind of decent tonight. What do you have on? Ohhh, you’ve got to wear my chandelier earrings! Okay…I’ll see you soon! Bye.” She hung up the phone and pulled out a tube of red lipstick from the cosmetics bag. Sandor was frozen to the ground.
She’s going out the
back way? She’ll see me!!!
Nova went over to the big studio door and called out to Madame Celeste.
“Madame! I’m going! I’ll see you on Monday!” called Nova into the dark studio.
Sandor saw his chance and slipped out into the hallway. He hid behind a corner going the opposite way of the outside door.
Nova stepped out into the hallway. She carried a backpack that she was stuffing her EDF uniform into as she walked down the dark hallway. She waited at the back glass door humming to herself. An aircar came gliding up to the door and she smiled and waved and stepped out of the hallway and into the car. Sandor was relieved to see it was a woman driving the car. “Who the hell else would be wearing chandelier earrings doofus?” He said to himself. The other woman was dressed in an evening gown too.
Sandor hailed a cab as soon as the aircar was on its way. He told the old man driving the cab to follow the aircar at a safe distance. When he got into the car he got on his phone and called Alex.
“Yo, what’s up?” said his friend.
“Hey, are you up to checking out a new place tonight?” said Sandor.
“If there’s booze and broads buddy, I’m in!” said Alex.
“Well, remember that new place that Michael was telling us about? The one with the different themes on different weeks? They have a live band playing old music? What was the name of that place?” asked Sandor as he watched the aircar up ahead cautiously.
“Yeah! The one called
“Yesteryears” on
“Torchlight singers,” said Sandor as he whispered “Yesteryears” to the driver. The old man gave him a thumbs up.
“Aw, I don’t know man. You know I’d much rather see the band that Michael said he saw. The one with that cute chick in it playing the electric guitar with barely anything on? That’s more my speed,” Alex sounded genuinely disappointed.
“Just come on over and I’ll buy your beer all night,” said Sandor.
“I’ll be right there buddy!” Sandor could swear he could hear the grin on his face.
Chapter Four
The aircar pulled into the parking lot at “Yesteryears” and went to the back lot. Sandor told the driver to pull up the front and he paid him and got out. Sandor went in to the place to quickly get a table. The place was not a dive after all. There were mostly men there, and most of those were higher ranking officers in the EDF. Sandor didn’t want anyone to recognize him so he went to a table in a darkened corner. A waitress came over to him immediately and asked him what he would like to drink. He ordered two beers and leaned back against the wall to better conceal himself in the darkness.
The place had several round tables with nice white linen
table cloths. At each table was a lit
candle in a glass votive and a red rose.
There were mirrors all over the place which gave the place a more “open”
feel to it. The bar was a very old and
ornate looking mahogany that had vintage bottles of wines and other drinks
displayed. The bartender was dressed
like an old time Irish bartender and he was leaning on the bar talking to a
pretty red-headed waitress. Meanwhile, a
band came up to the stage in the front of the room and took their places while
the patrons clapped politely. Most of
the band was male with one attractive woman on an ebony grand piano. Sandor thought she looked familiar. She had chestnut colored hair, a heart shaped
face, glasses, and…long chandelier earrings!
“What a minute! That’s Elaine
Hayden! She’s in my Astrophysics class
and she’s Miss Forrester’s roommate!
That’s where I know her from…” thought Sandor as he finally made the
connection. The band was introduced and
Sandor learned that Elaine was filling in for a young man who had just gotten
married. The band began to play a couple
of warm up songs which were rich and soulful.
Sandor recognized the second song as “
“You know, when I see you there in a corner all by yourself smiling it really makes me wonder what the hell you’re up to.”
Sandor looked up and Alex Wildstar was standing over him. Alex grinned and sat down. He grabbed one of the beers and leaned back in his chair. “So, what are we really doing here buddy?”
Sandor looked at Alex with as much of an innocent expression as he could muster on his face. “What are you talking about? We never get out anymore. And you’re shipping off soon. I’m just having a night out with an old friend.”
“Yeah, you know that would fly if I wasn’t such an old friend. You don’t leave that damn lab for nothing. Well, nothing except your “appointments” at a dance studio…” said Alex with an evil grin on his face.
“How in the hell did you know about that?” asked Sandor as he banged his head down on the table.
“I just went to see you at the lab one day about a month ago and Michael said you went to an ‘appointment’. He said you have an appointment like this 3 days a week,” said Alex. “Man, I’m your friend. I was concerned. So I followed you one day to this dance studio. But you went into a back door and I couldn’t get it opened.”
Sandor was relieved. “It’s for physical therapy.”
“Hey whatever man,” said his friend as he held up his hands in a “don’t shoot me” stance. “Whatever it is it sure is working on you. You seem happier and you walk around tall like you’re the ‘cock of the walk’ all of a sudden. So, why are we here?”
So Sandor told his best friend the whole story. The physical therapy was actually dance therapy. He actually liked going to the sessions now. He looked forward to them. He ended with how concerned he was for his instructor and therapist, Miss Forrester, when she wouldn’t look him in the eye to tell him about her night job.
Alex patted him on the back. “Well, you’re a good man, Stephen Sandor. Now where is this chick?”
And as if answering that question herself, Nova came up on the stage. The crowd stood up, applauded, and whistled. The M.C. came over to the mike and announced:
“And now, who you’ve all been waiting for…Miss
Nova Forrester.”
Nova started to sing “Someone To Watch Over Me” as if she were singing it directly to Sandor. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. Alex just sat looking from Nova to his friend. When the song was over and the crowd stood up and applauded again, Alex leaned over to Sandor and said, “She’s a knock-out, I think, I can’t really tell from way back here. But just how old is she? She looks kind of young.”
“She just turned eighteen, but she’s a college graduate and a lieutenant in the EDF and she’s a nurse. You have seen her before. She was the nurse my first night in the hospital after my re-attachment surgery. She’s really smart.” Sandor knew he looked like he had it bad for Miss Forrester and he had to admit he probably did.
Alex waved his hand back and forth in front of Sandor’s face.
“Oh buddy, you are so far gone, I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again!”
“Oh no…I just worry about her being so young and so busy. I mean, when does this kid sleep? When does she eat? She told me about a 9 hour surgery she aided in yesterday, so when did she take a break? And she’s only 18. For goodness’ sake, when does she date?” said Sandor trying to act casual about the last question.
“Well, why don’t you ask her?” said Alex in a soft tone. “I mean, if she is the one that’s made this change in you, she can’t be all bad.”
Sandor just shook his head. “I don’t know Alex. I just think I’m not meant for her. I keep thinking I’m just meant to…I don’t know…protect her. Does that make sense?”
“Not at all. But you know what, buddy? Someone is gonna have to protect that blonde up at the bar from me. See you later.” With that Alex took his beer bottle up to the bar and sat on the red leather seat next to a pretty blonde with a green and white EDF uniform on.
Sandor just laughed and shook his head.
Nova had ended the first song and was now doing a more upbeat tune. This one was “Let’s Fall In Love”. The older gentlemen in the audience were transfixed by the sight of her. The younger men would holler cat calls every now and then but they were mostly ignored. This was too good of a show to pay any attention to them.
She went on to sing two more songs before she curtsied and thanked the audience for their applause. She got down off the stage and strode over to the bar. Her friend Elaine joined her.
Sandor slouched down a little in his chair. He didn’t want her to see him here. If she knew that he had followed her, she would be livid!
Nova ordered hot water with lemon and her friend ordered a hot tea.
Oh crap, thought
Sandor as Alex approached the pair. Please don’t do anything stupid!
“Hello ladies,” said Alex. “Miss Forrester, I just want to let you know that your singing voice is wonderful. You really know how to light up a room.”
Nova laughed a little before she said, “Why thank you Alex.”
“What’s so funny miss?” asked Alex with a confused look on his face. “And wait a minute… how did you know my name? Does my reputation with the ladies precede me?”
“No sir. You see, only my beloved Mr. Sandor ever calls me Miss Forrester. And before you leave you can tell him that I may be young and naïve, but I’m not blind. Elaine and I saw him follow us and we see where he is sitting in the corner. Tell him to enjoy the show, and the next song is just for him,” said Nova with a demure little smile on her face.
Nova finished sipping her water and went back up to the stage where the band was once again taking their places. She turned to Elaine and a young man named Homer who was playing a saxophone and told them of the song change. Then she started to belt out in a sultry alto voice a perfect rendition of “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered.”
“Uh, Sandor?” said Alex as he came back to the table.
“Please don’t tell me you did something stupid,” quipped Sandor.
“No, buddy. She just wanted me to tell you that she knows you’re here and that song that she’s up there singing? Well, big daddy…that song’s for you,” grinned Alex from ear to ear.
Once again, Sandor found himself taken by surprise by this young girl. He was beginning to like it.
To Be Continued…
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