Chapter One
Dex Bander used thefume hood as her hands moved steadily.Dyeing shoes was a delicate process but immensely satisfying.The current batch was brilliant blue for a new contemporary ballet.
The dyed ribbons were hanging on the rack, so she took some of the dried shoes with dancer names marked inside them, and the rhinestones started to go on one at a time with clear adhesive under each stone.
The ballet class was about to troop down to meet her, and she brought out the different pointe shoes to show them.They always gasped at the life cycle of the satin, cardboard, and glue that brought such grace and beauty to the stage.
She kept working on bejewelling the shoe until she heard the sound of giggles and smaller feet.Dex smiled and kept working as the littles arrived at her door and knocked.
“Come in, come in.Welcome to the shoe room of the Aquilar Ballet.”
She carefully put the shoe down and got to her feet.
Six little girls with two adults came into the shoe room.The girls were looking up and around with wonder in their eyes.
The adults smiled.The blond man said, “These ladies are here to find out how pointe shoes are treated and how to make them last longer when they get them.”
“Oh.Good.I am always someone who wants to wear them as earrings.”
The girls giggled, and Dex began her routine, beginning with her introducing herself and then showing the girls the custom shoes she made for the special events.
“Now, most dancers take care of their own shoes so they don’t have to come in here, but some like me to get their shoes ready for performance.I have records of each dancer who comes through and how they like me to prepare their shoes.”Dex smiled and showed them the normal modifications and how they were achieved, with plenty of disclaimers that they should only do this once their instructor told them they were ready for pointe shoes and once they learned what their feet liked.Until they knew what their feet liked and didn’t like, they couldn’t figure out what customizations they would need.
The girls nodded and seemed to get it.
The man said, “We have given them the lectures and explained why.They know that they have to wait until their bodies are strong enough to support their entire body on their toes.”
“Good.There are a lot of parents who come through who want to buy their little ones pointe shoes in the gift shop.”
She grinned and let the girls hold some of the fanciest shoes, explaining the performances and how the shoes were tools as well as part of the costume, and they would always smell a little bit like feet.That was where the tool was used.
Dex was almost through showing the girls the dye and shellac station when there was a knock.
She looked toward the door, and the girls all said, “Ooh.”
Dex sighed.“Hey, Tosh.What do you need?”
The gorgeous man of rich brown skin, tousled black hair, and pale green eyes replied, “I need two sets dyed and modified.You know what I like.”
She held out her hand.“Hand them over.”
He nodded and handed her two long bags containing pointe shoes that would fit his long feet perfectly.
“When do you need them?”
“Vincent said you could do them tonight.”
Dex flinched.“Of course.Right.I will get on them.Thanks.”
She smiled at the girls.“Before you get going, did you want to see how to darn the tips of the shoes?Sewing isn’t just for girls; it’s for anyone who wants to tie things together to make them stronger.”
She sat at her workbench, threaded the needle with thick darning thread in black, and set to work.
One of the girls asked, “Can’t you just buy the shoes in black?”
Dex grinned.“Dancers are fussy.Even a different fabric gives the shoe a different feel.Since everything is happening around your feet, you need to trust what you are dancing in.”Her rapid stitches finished the first toe; she snipped it off and worked on the second shoe.
She continued talking while the girls watched her finish the second set of shoes.
