The Dance by Barbara Steiner Read Free Book Online

life if she could.
    Melanie knew her greatest weakness was a lack of confidence in herself. Knowing it, acknowledging it, had helped her work on improving her self-image. Bryan didn’t have any idea how tough it had been to decide to look into Paulie’s death. It was certainly something she wanted to do, something she felt she had to do, but it had taken all the strength she could muster to say “I’ll do this.”
    Mom didn’t know how much surrounding herself with strong people like Seth and Bryan helped. Her mother had made the big decisions for her all her life. Bryan was strong. She’d seen that the minute she met him. It was one of the things that had drawn her to him. Melanie usually followed his lead. He really didn’t want her to get into the ballet troupe. She realized that this was the first time she’d gone against his wishes since she’d met him.
    Hank had confidence to burn. She’d certainly given some of it to Melanie today. Melanie felt she could gain by taking Madame Leona as a role model, too. Well, only if she discovered the woman was innocent of any wrongdoing in Paulie’s death. Leona had obviously given her whole life to dance.
    â€œI don’t know how you’ve had time to be lonely, Melanie.” Katherine cut into Melanie’s soul searching. “You spend a lot of time with that boy—against my better judgement. You should listen to me. I don’t want you making the same mistake I did.”
    â€œFalling in love couldn’t be too big a mistake, Mom.” Sometimes Melanie tried to reason with her mother. But she knew better. Katherine had an answer or an excuse for everything Melanie said.
    â€œI just thought I was in love. I was so young. I didn’t have good sense. And my mother didn’t care what I did.”
    Melanie had a fleeting thought that it would be a relief to have a mother who didn’t care what she did, who didn’t have to share every moment of her life.
    â€œIf you hadn’t gotten married, you wouldn’t have a daughter.” Melanie teased softly, even though her mother had assured her she never considered having an abortion.
    â€œYou’re the only good thing that came from that disastrous relationship. And, and …”
    Melanie knew her mother didn’t think having a baby was a mistake, too, but she did harbor a lot of regrets about not continuing to dance. She couldn’t forget them, put them behind her. Her mother loved her, almost too much, Melanie felt. It was difficult being a person’s only source of happiness.
    â€œHey, what are we doing talking about me?” Her mom returned to the present. “I want to know every detail of the tryouts. Dance it for me. Right now.”
    â€œOh, Mom, I’m tired. I don’t want to dance. It was the Tchaikovsky. You know it. Swan Lake . Everyone knows it. It’s almost a cliché for ballet dancers.”
    Quickly she detailed the afternoon for her mother, telling her about Frau Voska, making her mother laugh. About Madame Leona, how beautiful she was, how warm, once she’d accepted Melanie. “And she gave me this, Mother.” Melanie pulled the medallion from under her sweater and showed it to her mother.
    â€œHow—how unusual. What a strange thing to do. But exotic. Madame Leona is so exotic.” Mom laughed. “She gave it to you to keep? It looks expensive.”
    â€œI don’t think she means for us to keep them. All seven of the girls in the ballet have them. We’re just wearing them while we’re in the troupe.”
    â€œI never heard of such a thing. But it’s a nice idea. Girls in a troupe bond together. I guess this is a symbol of your being Madame Leona’s girls. That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it, Melanie? Madame Leona’s dancers. Oh, it’s what I’ve dreamed of.
    â€œWhen I first put you in Ilene Greenway’s class, I didn’t