Dancing in Circles (Circles Trilogy) (30 page)

As Julie arrived, she could see both boys sitting on the top railing of a park bench. When Jason settled into the car, he jerked a thumb towards Robert. "Do you know who this is?"

Julie checked for traffic then pulled back onto the street. "Yes, his name's Robert."

"No. Geez, sisters can be so dumb." He shook his head. "He's the team captain of the North Shore Raiders. I never put the two together. This guy's one of the best b-ball players in the area. The Raiders won the championship for the past five years. He's been team captain for three. I asked him why he didn't play for Westland and he said…." Jason rambled on about Robert and his skills at basketball. Robert, on the other hand, sagged against the seat and said nothing.

***

Julie reached for her robe when a knock sounded on her door. "It's open."

Robert stepped in, dressed in his blue jeans and no shirt. His right side near his ribs and left side of his stomach still taped with hospital bandages. She wanted to slide her hands along his chest and feel the curves of his muscles. She liked the hard flatness of his stomach and yet the softness of his skin.

He rubbed his forehead. "Look, I'm sorry but I can't go this weekend. I won't know what to do, and I can't just hang around ya like a lost puppy dog."

"I'll miss you." She stepped close and slid her hands along the muscles of his back.

Robert held her close and rested his forehead on hers. "I don't know if I'm gonna be able to keep from makin' love to ya here." The passion emanating from his voice made her shiver.

He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose and her lips before tickling little ones down her throat. Julie put her hand on his chest and pushed him away. She waited until the shiver that raged through her body settled, then took a deep breath and exhaled. "We can't. I'm so sorry. But, we can't."

She nudged him backward until she could reach the door. Opening it, she propelled him out into the darkened hall. "Good night," she whispered and closed the door.
Damn!

Robert stood for a moment staring at the closed door then sighed, rubbed his face and returned to his bedroom.

***

The next afternoon, when Julie returned home from school, the house bustled with activity. Her sisters and brother ran in every direction gathering clothes, books and toys to take on their trip. Julie dropped her book bag and purse on the kitchen table and sat. Her father passed through carrying two pieces of luggage. "The Anderson bus leaves in fifteen minutes." He opened the backdoor.

"Where's Robert?"

"Downstairs watching TV, I think." The door closed behind him.

Julie walked down the stairs to the family room and stood at the bottom step. Robert glanced towards the stairs to see who had lost what now. His smile quickly faded. "What's up?"

"Nothing." She stepped off the bottom stair, trudged over to the couch and plopped down.

"Why so glum?" Robert grabbed the TV remote and pressed the off button.

She shrugged and stared at the carpet.

"Ya should be full of energy. No school for four days, your audition's tomorrow and the wedding. Instead, ya look like the cat died."

"We don't have a cat."

"Figure of speech."

Julie lifted her gaze to meet his. "You aren't coming?"

He shook his head.

Her bottom lip trembled. "Hold me."

"Scared?" Robert encircled her with his arms and held her close.

She nestled in his embrace. "Uh-huh."

"I'm not." Robert pulled back and cupped her face with his hands. "You'll do great. That's not just me talkin'. That's those ladies at the studio. The ones who gave ya your dance thing."

"My exam?"

Robert released Julie and settled back on the couch. "Yea, they was talkin' and your teacher said ya had this audition thin' and they said you'd do great. See, I'm not the only one who thinks you're good."

The corner of Julie's mouth hinted a grin. "They said that?"

"Yup. They didn't know who I was, so they just kept talkin' and I kept listenin'." He nodded his head towards the stairs. "Now go pack. Ya got nothin' to worry about."

Julie started to rise then dropped back onto the couch. "I need my good luck kiss."

"Gladly." Robert reached out and pulled Julie onto his stomach. He placed his hands behind her head and pulled her face closer. Their lips met in a passionate kiss that swirled heat within Robert. His heartbeat drummed against his chest. He didn't want to let go. He wanted to hold her and be held by her for the rest of his life. With heart-wrenching reluctance, he released her. Robert pasted a smile on his face. "That should keep ya most of the weekend."

Giggling, she rose to leave.

Robert grabbed her hand. "I can't explain why I don't wanna go. I'm gonna miss ya. I've spent all day missin' ya. Don't meet any pretty boy, rich guy. I don't wanna have to go beat nobody up. I can be very protective of my woman, if ya haven't already noticed."

Julie smiled, then chuckled at herself for smiling. "I like that – your woman. I think I'll get it tattooed right here." She slid her hand along her backside then scurried upstairs to pack.

Soon the minivan was full. The only ones not buckled in were Julie and her mother. "By now, you know where everything is." Mrs. Anderson picked up a paper and put it under a fridge magnet. "This is where I always leave feeding instructions for Jangles."

At the mention of her name, Jangle scurried off her pillow and sat next to Robert. He bent down and scratched her ears.

"Remember, the doctor said take it easy this weekend."

"I promise no hang glidin', no off-track dirt bike racin' and no sumo wrestlin'." He crossed his heart and held up his hand. Julie's mother rolled her eyes, picked up her purse and headed out the door.

 
Julie and Robert stood facing each other. Neither said a word nor moved a muscle. Mr. Anderson honked the horn. Robert pulled Julie close. "Dance your cute little butt off and knock'em dead." He brushed a kiss across her cheek. "Good luck and hurry back." He spun Julie around and pushed her to the door. "Go. The faster ya get out of here, the faster ya come back." He closed the door behind her and watched as she walked towards the van. A cold sense of dread filled him. He shook off the premonition that someday he'd stand by and watch her walk out of his life. He rubbed his face.
I need a beer. No, somethin' more hardcore.

***

Highgate, where Aunt Kathy and Uncle Benjamin lived, was an hour from Westland. The trip was uneventful. Aunt Kathy's house resembled an English castle. On two ends were round turrets with rooms at the top where Julie and her cousin, Kelly, had spent hours pretending they'd been captured by an evil wizard and were waiting to be rescued by Prince Charming.

The only Anderson staying at Aunt Kathy's was Julie, as she was Kelly's maid of honor and was given one of the guest rooms in the west turret. The windows faced southwest, and the late fall sun streamed through.

She dropped her luggage on the bed and stood next to the window.
Well, I've got my Prince Charming, just not here. Wouldn't it be so romantic if he'd just burst through that doo?. Right now. Okay, now.

After a short knock, the door swung open and in bustled the bride-to-be, cousin Kelly. With lots of hugs and squeals the two cousins greeted each other. Kelly glanced at her watch. "Supper should be ready." She stood and walked towards the door. "Oh, by the way. Heads up. Ralph's here."

Julie stopped on the first step. "Tell me you're joking."

"'Fraid not. He's even staying here. Talked Aunty K into it." Kelly paused on the stairs and turned. "Actually, I think he talked at her until she gave in and agreed just to get him to shut up. He's so annoying."

"God's gift to woman-kind."

"A legend in his own mind." Kelly continued down the stairs.

Julie scurried down to catch up. "He repulses me."

"You and me too. And the other three billion women on this planet." Laughing, the two cousins entered the dining room.

Aunt Kelly sat across from her husband. Her gray hair wrapped in a tight French braid and her piercing blue eyes twinkling when she looked at her nieces. "Kelly. Julie. Sit there. Ralph can sit… oh, here he is."

The repulsive cousin entered from the other door. Julie's stomach lurched when he smiled at her. She didn't understand her reaction, but at a gut level, he was one-step shy of repulsive vomit.

"Well hello, Julie. Long time no see." His voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard.

"Hi. Ralph." The skin on the back of her neck crawled up to her head. Julie didn't know whether to laugh or cry at his attempt at looking fashionable. The clothes were the latest style but on him, they looked like clown's clothes. His dull brown hair and eyes, only added to the bleah she felt when she looked at him.

He stepped close and slipped an arm around her waist. Julie choked on the fog of cologne that circled him. "From the looks of the boy-girl situation, it looks like it'll be you and me tripping the lights fantastic this weekend. I am currently between
affaires de coeur
and since you're never dating anyone that leaves us to mix and match."

The leer on his face made Julie almost lose her lunch. She pushed his hand off her waist. "I'm seeing someone."

Ralph glanced around the room. "Well, where is the handsome stud?"

She stepped out of his reach. "He couldn't come."
Please Robert, pop up and make Ralph disappear.

"That still leaves just you and me. As I always say," He ran both hands through his hair. "His loss. My gain."

"Julie." Aunt Kathy pointed at a chair. "You sit next to Kelly. Ralph. Over there. Let's get this meal over with so we can get on to the wedding rehearsal."

***

After the family had returned from the wedding rehearsal, Aunt Kathy, Uncle Benjamin, Kelly, Stan, the groom, Julie and Ralph settled in the lounge. Aunt Kathy asked if anyone would like a late night snack. Julie covered her mouth with her hand and yawned. "No thank you. I'm pretty tired. I guess I'll go to bed. I've got a busy day tomorrow." She stood and smiled at Kelly. "One more day as a single woman."

Her cousin squeezed her fiancé's hand. Ralph heaved a large faked yawn and stood. "Yes, I'm pretty tired too. Guess I'll crash early."

Crap.
Julie said good night and walked towards the stairs.

When she reached the first floor, Ralph stepped beside her, puffing. He moved into her personal space. "I'm not really tired. How about you and me? My room."

"How about you dropping dead?" Fighting the urge to throw up, she raced two steps at a time up the next flight of stairs.

In the sanctuary of her room and bed, Julie speed dialed Robert's cell phone. After three rings, it went to voice mail.
Why don't you ever turn your phone on?
"Hi. I miss you. I wish you were here. Call me." She checked her messages. None from Robert. She settled under the covers and imagined Robert's arms holding her and his lips kissing her. She kept shaking off the image of Robert turning into Ralph. A cold shiver ran down her spine.

***

By eight a.m., Julie had showered, dressed and paced the front hall. Her parents pushed open the door and entered. "Good morning." Her mother and father kissed her. "What time are you supposed to be at the studio?" Her dad held out his car keys.

Julie reached for them. "Nine. So I still have loads of time."

Her mother gave her a bear hug. "I know not to wish you good luck, but I've forgotten the word."

"
Merde
."

"
Merde
, dear. Sounds silly, doesn't it?"

"Thanks, Mom. I'm so scared. I've got a billion butterflies. I just want to throw up."

"That's my daughter, elegant to the end."

"Is it bad luck for a father to tell his daughter that he loves her and is very, very proud of her?"

Julie laughed. "No, it's probably very good luck."

Her father kissed the top of her head. "
Merde.
" Her parents left to find Aunt Kathy.

Julie checked her dance bag for the eighth time. Inside were her tights, body suits, soft slippers, toe shoes, hair spray, deodorant, elastics, hairpins, money and countless paraphernalia needed to survive a dance audition. She stood tall, heaved a big sigh and shook herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Ralph walking down the stairs. Julie scurried to the door and out to the car.

Inside the main entrance of the Civic Center Theater were long tables with large signs displaying alphabet letters. Julie stood in the line at the table label A to H. When the queue worked its way forward, Julie smiled at the woman seated behind the table with a pen and list of names. "Julie Anderson or should I say Anderson comma Julie?"

The woman reviewed her list. "Anderson. A-N-D-E-R-S-O-N?"

"Yes."

"You aren't on this list."

Julie's stomach dropped. "But…I have a paper." She opened her purse and rummaged through. "It's here. Somewhere. No, maybe my bag." She dropped her purse and opened her dance bag.