That left Autumn. Probably the one I least wanted to check up on me. I was envious of her. Envious for so many reasons. For her chance to fly the coop, her chance to do exactly what she’d always dreamed of and make a name for herself, and she married the most perfect man for her. She had it all, and it killed me. But I didn’t want to be jealous of my sister. I was so happy she got everything she worked for.
“Are you going to let me in?” a voice called out after the second round of knocks, and I jumped up from my couch.
“Tami? I thought you were in Paris!” I exclaimed as I began undoing the newly installed locks and opening the door for my best friend. She wasn’t alone.
“Mom?”
“Yes, sweetie. We’ve called an intervention.”
“A what?” I asked as they strolled into my apartment. It was the first time Tami stepped foot inside. She’d taken back-to-back jobs all summer, and I hadn’t expected her home for another two weeks. For her to come here was huge.
“An intervention. I’m tired of seeing my girl like this. We all are. So, I’m stepping in. Tami is here to help me. Now, take a shower and get dressed. I have somewhere I want to take you.”
“Where?” I asked as Tami dragged me toward the small hallway, her nose scrunching as if she smelled something rotten. It was probably my T-shirt I’d been wearing the past three days.
“Like I’m going to tell you.”
“Fine. But I don’t like it.”
“That’s why it’s called an intervention and not a girls’ day. Now, hurry. We’re on a time crunch.”
One very hot shower later and in an outfit chosen by my best friend, I sat in the back of my mom’s sedan while she and Tami sang together to some 1980s pop song. Tami really was born in the wrong decade. With her style and music choices, she definitely fit the ’80s aesthetic better than today's.
It was the middle of the day, so traffic was sparse as we hopped on the interstate. I still had no clue where we were headed, but my eyelids began drooping about five minutes into the highway portion of our trip.
I wasn’t sure how much time lapsed when I came to, but the car was parked in front of a strip mall. I wiped at my eyes, the dryness making me want to scratch them out. Then my grogginess subsided, and I realized where we were.
“Mom?” Fear clawed like nasty spikes all over me. How could I not recognize the place? It was where my dreams fell apart.
She turned around in her seat. It was like I was seeing her for the first time. Mom was… tired. Those wrinkles around her eyes deepened, and there was a misery there I’d never noticed.
“I should have said something back when I noticed you changing. I spoke to other dance moms, and they said you were just being hormonal. It was a girl thing. But then I watched you step back from dancing, and it killed me. Youlovedit. I’d never seen anyone light up the way you did when you danced. And then I saw that again when you danced for Molly and Eloise.
“This was the place that took that joy away from you, and I want to give you a chance to take it back. Own it. I can’t do much to that no-good ex of yours, who I am certain convinced you to give it all up, but we can all rest assured that he will get what’s coming to him. Rumor is his daddy recently lost their fortune gambling.
“Regardless. We’re going to go in there, and we’re going to dance our hearts out.”
“You’re coming?”
“You’re damn right I am. Right now, they have a class open to the public.”
I wasn’t sure I could go in there and face the teacher who wore me down with Stephen, but the temptation to go inside was overwhelming. I hadn’t stepped foot into a dance studio in years.
“Is it ballet?”
“I think it’s a mix. Either way, it will be fun,” Tami chimed in as she unlatched her seat belt. Now, the choice of spandex shorts and an oversized shirt made sense. Mom and Tami wore something similar. I don’t know why I didn’t catch on to that before.
For the first time, I was excited about something that wasn’t the cake shop. I needed this, and I told Mom and Tami that as we strolled into the studio. Then I stopped dead in my tracks. Along with some regular students, Autumn, Rory, Aspen, Colton, Sadie, and Andrew stood inside, anticipating my arrival.
“What are you guys doing here?” My smile was stretched so wide my cheeks hurt. God, when was the last time I smiled?
“You didn’t think we’d let Mom and Tami haveallthe fun, did you?” Andrew prompted as he adjusted his basketball shorts over a pair of spandex shorts. Colton was dressed the same.
“I can’t believe this.” I rushed over to my family, squeezing them with all I had. “Rory, how did you get out of school?”
“I took a sick day and called in a substitute. No big deal.”
“Wow, you guys. This is… too much.” In the corner, I found my mom’s purse and tossed my phone inside.
