“I was about to ask the same thing,” my father added on. He made his way around the center island and once my mother closed the door to the over, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him, their lips meeting in a soft kiss before they both turned toward me.
My parents might not have been the most attentive to me as a child, but there was one thing they taught me more than any school could. That was love. I watched my parents show each other full attention and affection my whole life. My father always made sure to have a hand on Mother any chance he could. He always stole kisses when he thought I wasn’t looking, but I always caught them. That’s why I was hoping they would understand just why I was planning to leave this state. That I was chasing after that man I loved.
They both stared at me, waiting to answer my mother’s question. I cleared my throat and sat up straight on the stool. I just needed to say it.
“I’m leaving New York.” There, it was out in the open, and neither of their faces showed any reaction. At least, not at first.
My mother’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
“Why would you do that?” she asked and pulled away from my father to move closer to me. “Did you get accepted into a traditional company?”
Her excitement lit up the whole room and she turned toward my father again.
“We need to get the girls over the weekend and throw a little lunch-in together to celebrate. Bring some of the guys from the office to join us and—”
“Mother.” I spoke the word as sternly and sharply as I could to get her to stop. “I didn’t get accepted into a traditional company.”
“Then why would you leave?” She huffed out the last word and threw her hands up in defeat. “It doesn’t mean anything if you aren’t in a reputable company, honey.”
“First off, Anne’s company is reputable. Our latest show was featured in the Times as one of the most up and coming companies in the area.” I held up my hand to tick off my fingers. “Second, I don’t need a traditional company because I won’t be dancing anymore.”
“What?” my mother screeched and reached for my father for support. “We’ve invested so much into your dancing. Even letting you venture out and do”—she shuddered in my father’s arms—“modern.”
The word was like venom coming from her mouth, but I refused to let it bother me.
“We had hoped by now you would find a traditional company, but we can wait longer for you, Anya, if that’s what you need.”
“It’s not what I need, Mother.” I clipped at her.
“Don’t get an attitude, young lady. We’ve given you everything for dance that you ever wanted. What is it now?” She rolled her eyes at me.
I still held up my two fingers and then raised a third to continue my list.
“Third, I’m leaving New York to go to Alabama.”
“What the hell is in Alabama?” my mother asked and held a hand over her heart.
My father was silent as he stood there watching the encounter between us, not taking a side. I had managed to change the conversation from dancing to Law, but I knew it wouldn’t be that simple to sneak out of here after dropping two bombs on them.
“His name is Lawson,” I said proudly. I thought back to how Law had talked about Alabama and had been so proud of talking about something that was his. I understood it now. That sense of pride washed over me completely. I wanted my mother and father to see that. That even if they didn’t agree with what was happening, they could see how invested I was in this.
“Ah.” My mother moved toward me again and took my hands from across the counter. “So, this is about a boy?”
“A man,” I clarified.
“It doesn’t matter, honey, you can’t just uproot your life for some guy. This is your career. Your livelihood.” She tried to justify for me.
“I know it is, Mother, and don’t think I haven’t thought about this, because I have, but I just don’t care about dancing. I’m not focused on it, and if that doesn’t say that I should pursue this, I have no idea what kind of sign I should be looking for.”
“You and your signs.” She pushed my hands back toward me. “What have I told you about those? You can’t live your life looking for signs. You have to be logical, Anya.”
“I don’t want to be this time.” I stood up from the stool and looked my mother directly in the eyes.
“Anya, you aren’t a child anymore, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make mistakes.” She tsked at me.
“And so what if I do?” I stared down my mother, who had pursed lips and refused to answer me, knowing it would just go back and forth. “For once, Mother, I want to follow my heart. I want to know what it’s like to love unconditionally.”
My father took this moment to step forward and move to the sight line I had on my mother. He pulled me into his arms, an embrace I wasn’t all too familiar with, since he always had hands on my mother.
