Sheila’s face fell. It would appear this was how she planned to spend her Saturday.
‘…but I could really do with an assistant. Just for today, the first day. What do you say?’
‘Oh yes, yes, that would be grand. I’m very good at assisting.Very good. And I wouldn’t want any payment. I can hand out the oranges – what else should I do?’
‘This first class will just be the little ones, so nothing very tough or formal, just playing some music, getting them to respond to it, playing with some props, practising First and Second Position, some toe work, that sort of thing, that’s allwe’ll be doing for today. You can just keep your eyes peeled and make sure everyone is OK. How does that sound?’
Sheila’s face broke into a huge grin but before Sylvie could continue the children started to pile in. Sylvie switched straight into professional mode and soon all the money was collected and ten very little children were standing in front of her. None of them particularly still bar one; the Annabel of the class, Sylvie guessed. She stood in front of them and smiled a welcome at them all – she loved this – then she looked up. Up at the parents who all stood along the back wall of the hall waiting for her to do something.
Her heart sped up again. In the leisure centre parents had to view lessons from behind the glass; now they were in here with her, watching, listening, waiting. Boom, boom, boom. Her heart was bound to explode out of her chest at any minute now, splattering the class and ending the Sylvie Williams School of Ballet before it even began. Surely it wasn’t meant to beat this fast? Another deep breath and with any luck the parents would just think she was a leading example of Zen calm. Not frozen with fear at all.
The parents might have been fooled but the line of four-year-olds in front of her was beginning to shift and fidget. One little girl with the cutest plaits was picking her nose and another one suddenly dropped to the floor on her bottom and started to try and take her ballet pumps off.
Boom boom boom. She needed to do something.
Der… der… der… der… Suddenly the introduction fromSwan Lakewas playing, the calming notes gliding through the hall, all the children suddenly still and transfixed and waiting to see what would happen next. Before she knew it, she was in full swing, the music having picked her up and popped her right within her comfort zone.
The children were soon caught up in the exercises, lying on the mats, kicking their legs up as elegantly as four-year-olds can. Making their toes as pointy as can be and then having a go at First Position and Second before finishing it off by taking turns at being butterflies.
The session flew by. As she showed the children out, each clutching an orange segment, she couldn’t stop the grin crossing her face.
‘Sheila, that music saved my life. I could kiss you.’
‘Ooh, OK then.’ The school secretary stood on her tiptoes and closed her eyes as Sylvie gave her a great big kiss on her cheek.
‘No kissing in class.’
‘Ah, hello, Alex, come on in. Hi, Ellie, just in time for your class. Are you excited?’
‘Yes, and so is everyone who has been waiting. I’ve told them all that you’re the best dancer in the world and they are really looking forward to it. I said I wouldn’t be surprised if you did a giant leap and flew out of that window.’ She pointed up to the skylights in the ceiling of the school hall. ‘Do you think you could? I sort of promised.’
‘Ellie, Sylvie may be the best dancer in the world, definitely the best vampire dancer by the way, but I don’t think she’s going to make it out that window today. And you need to not tell people things like that. In fact, you need to tell them all that Sylvie will not be leaping through that window, and you need to do it now.’
‘Da-ad.’
‘Hi, come in, everybody, come and find yourself a mat. Mums and dads, Shelia is happy to take the fees.’
‘Oh yes, and look, a ledger, a proper ledger. This takes me back.’ Sheila sat at a table in the corner and waved Sylvie’s membership fees book at them all.
‘Everyone, Sylvie won’t be flying through the window. Dad says I have to say that. OK?’
A dissatisfied murmur arose from the group of children.
‘But what we will be doing is teaching you guys how to get so good at ballet you’ll be able to leap through the air all by yourselves one day, which has to be more fun than just watching me do it. So, if you all grab a mat.’
This time the parents didn’t faze her quite so much. Having Alex standing there gave her a focal point. It reminded her a little bit of when she was onstage, getting a flash of stage fright; she would look out to the seat her mother always chose, slap bang in the middle of the theatre, and be calmed by her presence, or in her absence the knowledge of her pride was enough to puff her up again and get back to doing the best job she could. Having Alex there was like that. And she never thought she’d experience that security, that surety again.
She tried to express her gratitude, and her respect, to him in a look. Although how one said all of that in just a look she wasn’t sure.
As he cocked his head to one side in response and smiled back at her, she knew she had managed. He understood.
Chapter Thirty-two
Sylvie returned to the farm that evening absolutely shattered. The rest of the classes had raced by, all old pupils who were working towards their gradings and knew what they were doing. She might be exhausted, her whole body aching with fatigue and her mind feeling like it was made of trifle, but she was also on a high. She had done it! There had been no major accidents or upsets, and she knew that she was going to be able to build on this, expand and turn it into a proper professional specialist school, one that catered for all levels; it was just a matter of time.
What made it even more special was the fact that not only was she bringing home money but she was also building her dream, a future to support her and Sam.
However as well as her high, she couldn’t help her mind repeatedly getting pulled back to the night before, all that Alex had told her, and the very fact that he had opened up to her at all when she knew what a private man he was.
