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“I’m really glad you crawled out of your hole to be here today,” she looks up at me sincerely.
“Boat. I live on a boat.”
“Semantics. Bottom line, you’re an antisocial hermit.”
“So? I have been all the time you’ve known me. Why’s it a big deal all of a sudden?”
“Because I know you weren’t always. And,” she takes a breath before shrugging a shoulder, “brace yourself, I care about you. That dark place you live in? I was there for a while too, and for a while I even thought I preferred it.”
I can relate… I think, as I give her a quick twirl. She looks surprised as I pull her back in, but she recovers quickly and continues.
“This happiness, this peace… I want it for you.”
I don’t know what to say, but I appreciate the sentiment more than I care to let her know, so I settle on an understanding nod.
“I was thinking now that you’re here, in the States,” she prattles on as I continue to turn us around. “Maybe you could try staying? Starting over?”
This time I blow out an exasperated sigh.
“I will when I’m ready.”
“You haven’t been ready for five years! I’m thinking you’re one of those people that needs to be pushed or you’ll never do it.” Her face looks half mischievous, half serious.
“That’s not true; I’ve made some gradual progress. Case in point, my charity case,” I jab as I look her up and down.
“Hey! I will kick your ass all over this dance floor - in my heels!” she threatens with narrowed eyes as I laugh. “But seriously,” she continues after she calms her facial expression, “Underneath that piss and vinegar exterior, I know there is a good person-”
“Shhh,” I cut her off. “Watch yourself.”
“That deserves better than to live out his days in miserable solitude,” she continues, regardless. “You should get to enjoy things again and surround yourself with people that care about you, and dare I say it?Enjoytheir company.”
“Noted,” I say with firm finality. “And I’ll think about it,” I tack onto the end in a grumble. My plan is to bolt back to my own personal Siberia, but I’ll let her have this shred of hope.
The song fades and bleeds into a different slow song, and I spot Matt finishing a dance with another family member. “Now go dance with your husband,” I order and give her a gentle shove in his direction.
Her head drops back and her eyes glaze over with a dreamy look as she glows like a beacon. “With pleasure.” The elation in her voice is loud and clear.
She strides across the floor to be gathered up in Matt’s arms as forks begin tinkling against champagne glasses. He pulls her in for a kiss that makes me feel like I’m intruding. I turn to walk off the dance floor and look across the room to see a slender brunette that I recognize from the ceremony. She’s in a green dress like Melanie’s sister, Sarah, and Jack’s wife, Mayzie. Hers is a vibrant shade of the color, like an emerald if you held it up to the sun. It compliments her creamy tan skin tone, the highlights in her mocha-colored hair, and her light blue eyes that seem to dazzle at Mayzie, whom she’s talking to.
As I take her in, I can only wonder one thing:She should be dancing.Why has no one asked her to dance?
My feet somehow carry me in her direction until I’m right at her side.
“Hi,” I greet, hopefully not too awkwardly. My social skills are rusty and covered in dust and cobwebs, and I probably should have polished them up before trying to use them again, but here I am.
“Hi,” she blinks curiously up at me, and I swear I see an endless sky in her eyes.
“I’m Ben.”And I’m fucking awesome at this, can’t you tell?A couple seconds roll by before I remember to hold out my hand. She looks at it and quickly back to me before putting her own in it to shake.
“Kasey,” she identifies brightly with an impressively firm grip for someone with such soft and warm hands. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too. Do you want to dance?” I jerk my head towards the dance floor. Wow, just jump right in there why don’t you?
I can see she agrees with my inner thoughts as her eyebrows go up, making her eyes slightly wider, and she stammers only slightly before answering.
“Uh, sure. Yeah,” she nods and her face relaxes into a smile with a hint of excitement that makes me wonder how long it’s been since someone has thought to ask her to dance.
“Great,” I try to smile warmly as I take her hand again and walk us over to the hardwood floor. I’m still trying to figure out what made me want to dance with this woman, but the slight buzz of elation I feel from her hand in mine distracts me from it.
