"Vico won't be coming either," I reply with a heavy heart. What's the point of celebrating without my mother and mybrother? Only the meager remains of the family, which would reopen the wound in me that needs to heal finally.
"I understand," he says, dropping the spoon into the empty bowl. Then he reaches across the table for my hand. "We could accept Maman's invitation; she would be very happy. But only if you feel like it."
His mother. I haven't met her yet. The thought of him wanting to introduce us fills me with warmth, but it's immediately halted by my worries. "You haven't told her anything, have you?"
He shakes his head. "That's what we agreed on, right?"
Yes, and that's good. Everyone at the academy knows. An evening without pitying glances and gossip would be nice. "If you tell me what your mother likes, I'll buy a gift," I say.
An intense glow spreads across his face. "The greatest gift for her will be having our company."
I stand and lean over the table to kiss him. "Still, I'll get something small," I murmur against his soft lips.
"Mm-hmm," he says, savoring the moment. Then he rests his elbows on the table, cupping his head in his hands. Only a few inches are between us. "I have to go. Unfortunately."
He shouldn't dwell on leaving me here alone. Instead, he should be looking forward to his first solo training in seven weeks.
"Promise me something?" I ask him with a compelling gaze.
He kisses the tip of my nose. "Anything you want."
Filled with love, I cup his face and press my forehead against his. "Enjoy the training. Rejoice in every step." I swallow, but I'm sure he doesn't notice. "Dance."Dance and hope, I add in my thoughts because there's nothing I wish for him more than to feel the passion for dance, which is as pervasive as pure happiness.
I, for one, would give anything for it. If only I could.
He nods infinitely slowly. "I will," he replies before we sink into a kiss that makes me forget the world around me.
I wouldn't mind kissing forever, but Maxime quickly breaks away. "I should really..."
He looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to signal that he should go. I accompany him to the door and watch him until he disappears around the corner in the stairwell.
Today marks the beginning of a new life for him, and I, too, will no longer let myself go. It's time to fill the emptiness inside me. Just because I can't dance right now doesn't mean I give up on myself.
I'll return to my job at the café tomorrow; today is for me. My gaze falls on my running shoes, which have been sitting unused on the shelf for weeks. I was never much of a runner. It was more of a necessity to build basic conditioning for dancing, but who knows, maybe it's just right for me now.
I owe it to myself to at least try. So I quickly change my outfit, slip on the shoes, and put on one of Maxime's caps.
Taking a deep breath, I open the door and step out into my new life. Maybe it's not the life I dreamed of, but at least it's a life.
