“See you Thursday at the house.BringAintínif you’d like.Roisin would love to see her.”
“She can’t leave the hospital.I’ll see you soon.”He turns and walks out, leaving me with more questions than answers.
Daria
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and we have a full-dress rehearsal today, with final fitting checks.I’m standing at the barre, stretching as I wait for my name to be called.Another dancer is beside me.Masha moved into the soloist group when I moved up to principal.She’s been with the company for a bit longer than I have.
“Are you ready for Friday?”Masha asks me.
I smile and try to make small talk, but Masha hasn’t been very friendly with me over the months since I joined the company.I know she has a problem with me, just like most of the other dancers do.Not only because of my dancing skills but also because of my job.The girls in the corps felt I should have started there instead of in the soloist position.A few of them have applied for positions at Lucky Dice and either didn’t get them or were told to apply for waitress jobs instead of hostess or executive hostess.Even though Vegas is a large city, sometimes it feels like a small town, where everyone knows you or is vying for the same jobs.
“I’m ready.How about you?”
“I’m so excited.I can’t wait.”
I nod in agreement.“I also can’t wait until it’s over and we move on to the next piece.”
We’ve been preparing for this show since August, with auditions held in September.I thought I’d get an understudy position or maybe one of the three backup Sugar Plum Fairies, since the prima usually gets this role.But the prima for the troupe was injured, and they moved me into her slot.I was ready for it.I’d been practicing nonstop.
“Don’t you normally work on Fridays?”
I cock my head to the side as we move to the floor to continue stretching.
“I have a flexible schedule,” I answer.
I want to ask her how she knows my schedule so well, but I ignore the icky feeling in my gut.Trust is hard for me after being raised the way I was and just the fact that I’m so close to the Bratva and Mafia.
“I’d be very careful around her.”Masha tips her head.
I look over to where the corps de ballet is practicing a routine for Friday.Teena is staring straight at me.She and I haven’t gotten along since I joined the company earlier this year.She flat-out told me she doesn’t like me.When I first started here, she insulted me for weeks, calling me a Russian immigrant and telling me to go back home and stop stealing Americans’ jobs.I asked her what her problem was and explained that I was born here and barely speak Russian.That’s when she told me to go back to whatever small town I came from.That I wouldn’t make it here.It irks her that I’ve succeeded this far.
“She looks like she wants to Nancy Kerrigan you.”Masha giggles as she’s called up for her final fitting for the Dancing Doll role.
I just laugh it off, and when I’m called, I focus on what I need to do.I confirm with the costume staff that I’ll have body makeup on to cover my tattoos.My calves, hip, and thigh tattoos will show through the opaque tights under the lights, and my hand tattoo will also have to be covered.This isn’t anything new for me.The small dance company I was with in Laughlin had the same rule.Of course, I didn’t have as many tattoos then.Mymammawould get upset whenever I got a new one.I like that I can put permanent expression on my skin.
After my fitting, we do a full-dress rehearsal.Masha’s last comment replays in my mind, and I keep an eye on Teena.I don’t want to get hurt.The way she watches me bothers me.
Something feels different today as I dance.I can feel the music flowing throughout my body and in every motion.It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like this.I almost quit ballet because it didn’t feel as fulfilling as it once did.But this feeling as I leave the stage is exactly why I didn’t.I’m out of breath and energized at the same time.
When the choreographer and director finally release us, I’m pleasantly exhausted.Tomorrow, we have an all-family Thanksgiving dinner at Yelena’s.Babushka said the family was getting too big to have it at someone’s home, so we’re going to the restaurant, which is closed for the holiday.I knowMammaand Babushka are preparing entrees that everyone will enjoy.I offered to make a dish, but they told me to focus on my rehearsals, and I’m glad I took their advice.
The drive out to Summerlin and the Ridges, to the house Alek bought us next door to his, is calming.I have my window down, letting the cool desert night air in.My mind wanders for a moment.
What if this is the last show I ever do?Maybe I’ll finally make the decision to leave the desert and go in search of a new life away from everyone I know and love.But I don’t want to leave.I like Vegas.I love the desert.
Tonight, I feel better than I have in a long time.
Settled.
ChapterThree
Paddy
Ifollow the hostess through the glitzy restaurant.She isn’t shy about checking me out, but I ignore her.I have two beauties with me this evening.Myaintín, with her long light strawberry-blond hair, and my sister, Ro.I’m in the lead, with JJ taking up the rear.Broderick didn’t allowAintínEireen to come with us.I had an extra ticket, just in case.
As we’re about to be seated, Morrigan moves past me to another table where Aleksei Belyaev and his wife, Lyric, are dining with another woman.Lyric is JJ’s half sister and someone Morrigan counts as a daughter.Alek lets his wife out of the booth, and she hugs Morrigan.I walk over and hold out my hand to him.
“Belyaev.”He shakes my hand.“This is Roisin.”I introduce my sister.I don’t mention we’re related—he already knows.The less I spotlight that, the safer she should be.At least, that’s what I hope.
