Linda darted for the edge of the stage before anyone could stop her. She hopped down and raced in our direction, leaving her teacher staring at her in consternation. Her fellow dancers milled around in confusion, a few looking like they wanted to follow.
The teacher clapped to get their attention. Like little guppies, they grouped around her and let her shepherd them toward the wings.
Linda reached our row, her face alight with excitement. “Aunt Aileen, you came!”
“I told you I would.”
Whatever my failings, I at least tried to keep my promises. Even if I was late.
Linda scooted past her grandfather and mother, pretending not to see my sister lean down to give her a hug. Jenna frowned at me as her daughter wiggled away from her arms.
I stuck my tongue out at her. “It’s because she likes me better.”
Jenna’s glare was fulminating.
“I’m so glad you got to see the recital, Aunt Aileen. I was worried work would keep you late. I know how important your job is.” Linda barely paused to draw breath, already launching into the next round before I could respond. “What did you think of my dance? Ms. Dinkle said I’m one of the best in my class. She said my arabesque’s and jeté’s are advanced for my age, but that my pirouette needs work. It’s really hard.”
My eyes began to glaze over with the influx of information. I pretended to understand all of her words as I nodded at appropriate intervals.
I owed Jenna an apology. If this was what she’d been dealing with as a single mother all these years, she was beyond impressive.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure how she was still sane. Were all kids like this?
From Linda’s exuberance, you’d never know that a few months ago she’d been sick enough for a hospital stay. One where words like cancer had been bandied about. Doctors were stunned when she made a miraculous recovery.
No one but Thomas, Liam and I knew it was because of my sire. Evidently, a powerful vampire’s blood acted like a panacea for most human ailments. Cancer included.
I owed Thomas. He’d saved Linda when I couldn’t. There was no getting around that.
It was a debt I had to remember.
“Alright, miss.” Jenna’s perfectly timed interruption coincided with Linda’s need for breath. “I don’t think you’re supposed to be down here. Why don’t you return to the stage before Ms. Dinkle takes back all the nice things she’s said about you? Your aunt will be here when you’re done.”
“Mom, you can’t take back complements already given.” Linda’s scowl was adorable. “Everyone knows that.”
Jenna made a face at her daughter. “Oh, they do, do they?”
“But you’re right. I shouldn’t miss Ms. Dinkle’s after performance review.” Linda waved at me. “See you later, Aunt Aileen.” She slipped through the narrow gap between the seats before stopping in front of her grandpa for a hug. “Are we still going to the pancake house afterward, Grandpa?”
Dad enfolded Linda in a bear hug, pressing his cheek to the top of her head in the process. “I have to reward my best granddaughter somehow, don’t I?”
“I’m your only granddaughter, silly.”
“I thought you were joining the rest of your class,” Jenna said.
Linda danced away from my dad. “I’m going. I’m going.”
Jenna shook her head as Linda wove between adults in the aisle, her figure quickly disappearing into the crowd.
“I swear, I don’t know where she gets it from,” Jenna said with a shake of her head. “She gets more stubborn every day.”
I lifted my eyebrows at Jenna. “Really? You don’t know?”
Did she not remember who had raised us? Our mother was the queen of stubborn. The empress of the sharp retort, and a woman who could silence her children with a single glance.
Jenna gave me a dry look. “Ah, right. I forgot she has you as an aunt.”
I made a face back at her as we moved into the aisle and toward the exit.
