“Yes, in the form of your daughter.”
“You noticed that, did you?”
Tim nodded his head. “And I bet you can’t guess who made the costumes.”
“I do have an idea, Tim.”
“When was the last time you spoke to Jessie?”
“Months now!”
The bell chimed, and it was time to return. Donavan tossed his cup in the trash as they walked back into the auditorium, returning to their seats. A young woman came walking across the stage. “We have had a few surprises tonight. All of the ballets were outstanding. But as you know, we can only have one winner. I’ve been hosting this event for the past three years now. And I was a judge before that. I’m here to tell you, we have never had this happen before. Imakey Dance Company has won this competition for the past three years. And this will be the first time that a dance school beat their own company. With a perfect score for original dance, storyline, and musical score, The Imakey School of Dance takes the trophy this year. The ballet script, choreography, and costume design was all done by Ms. Rainy Graystone. The costumes were manufactured by Moonlighting Designs of New York. The musical score was by the group ‘Time’. Now you can applaud.” And they did, with a standing ovation. The curtain opened. “The Imakey School of Dance, ladies and gentlemen.” The applause continued. “The trophy, this year, goes to Ms. Rainy Graystone.”
Rainy walked across the stage to accept her trophy. This was surreal to her. She wasn’t sure how to react to this happening and the feeling that they had done it.
“What are you going to do with this trophy, Rainy?”
“Place it in the front window of Imakey School Of Dance.”
“Can you tell us something about the school?”
“Yes. The school was founded by my mother, Jessica Graystone. Her vision was for anyone who wanted to learn to dance, no matter the ability physically or financially, would be able to do so. And with my father’s help, they made it happen.”
“You sound proud of your parents.”
“I am.”
“Do you have anything else to say?”
“Yes, I would like to thank the following people. Donavan Graystone, for making me learn to dance, even when I didn’t want too.” Everyone laughed. “And Bonnie and Will for both believing in me and helping me make this happen. And to all the dancers, you guys were awesome. This is for you,” she said, holding up the trophy.
Afterwards, Donavan and Tim, along with a few other people, had dinner. He went home and was ready to face Rainy. But when he got there, she wasn’t there. He pulled the pot of chili off the warmer. And after putting it into a container, he placed it in the refrigerator. He waited for Rainy, but by midnight, he went to bed.
Chapter 24
Nowhere Fast
Rainy went with Bonnie and Will to celebrate. It was so late by the time they were going to go home, Bonnie told her she could stay at their place. Rainy figured her father would be angry for her not returning home. But she knew he was upset anyway. No, her best action was to just go into the studio and start working. She wasn’t too sure just how her father was going to react, so she planned on staying away from him.
Entering the building at six o’clock, she would be half done when Donavan got there. And she was sure she could stay out of his way, knowing he would be busy for the rest of the week. They had a show coming up. He called her to the office, but she pretended not to hear him.
By eight o’clock, the dancers started to come in. For whatever reason, she never thought of their reaction. And it wasn’t long before the green-eyed monster showed its ugly head. The first ballerina who walked past her called her a bitch. Okay. What’s that all about? Rainy tried to get away from them, but in no time, the dancers surrounded her. Pedro came right up to her. “Look, everybody. The gimp here and her little gimps next door stole our thunder last night. I think we need to protest. After all, this bitch can’t even dance!”
“Yeah,” said one of the dancers.
“That’s right,” said another dancer.
***
Donavan could hear the commotion as soon as he opened the door of his office. Tim was right beside him. They stopped to listen to what was being said. It seemed the dancers weren’t happy about Rainy’s win. Tim started to call them to order when Donavan stopped him.
“I had as much right to win that trophy as anyone else,” Rainy stated.
“No, bitch, you did not. You’re a gimp who can’t dance. And that’s not right. You tell me how those kids won when half of them were in wheelchairs. They weren’t dancing, and that’s not fair to the ones of us who can dance. Fifty dancers that can dance, and a cripple wins. The only reason you won was because of who your daddy is. And you know it.”
“And you’re a blowhard and you know it,” Rainy snapped back.
“Bite me, bitch,” Pedro said and grabbed himself.
“That’s the only way you can find it, to hold it and pull it out.”
“Shut up, you fucking cow!”
“You play with yourself all the time. You have to grab it just to make sure you’re a male. Right, Pedro?”
“You’re so stupid that you think you get to keep that ballet, but you don’t. It belongs to the company, you dumb whore.” He said pointing at her.
“Look who’s talking.”
Donavan started down the steps. “That’s enough!” He ordered.
“No— it’s not, I’m tired of shutting my mouth while your little golden boy thinks he can say anything. Well, he can’t any damn more!”
“Rainy—I said that’s enough.”
Rainy turned to face him. “NO, it isn’t. I’ve taken all I’m going to from this slimeball. And from you. I clean up after these fucking pigs all day, then I go home and clean up after your sorry ass. I’ve had it!” And to show him she meant it, she signed the words. Because as a teenager, Donavan was deaf.
“We’ll talk about this in my office,” he stressed.
“Hell no, we won’t! I don’t have anymore to say to you, or you pisshole dancers. They can talk bad about those kids all they want, but those kids are ten stories taller than anyone of you fake assholes. And that includes you too, Dad.”
“I think she’s taken all she’s going to take,” Tim uttered to no one.
“Rainy, in my office now!” Donavan said again.
“I said, no. What, are you losing your hearing again, Dad? Well, read my lips, fucker. I said, No!”
Donavan had not seen this attitude since Rainy was in middle school. He hated dealing with her. She was more than a handful. But deal with her, he would.
“You can stand there and call me names, or you can walk to my office.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll carry you.”
***
Rainy knew she went too far and knew he would carry her. It was Pedro and the dancers she was really pissed at. So why was she taking it out on him?
They stood staring at each other for the longest time. Then she lowered her head and walked towards her father.
***
Tim went down the steps to get the dancers in order. He turned and watched as they went through the door. Donavan was right behind Rainy. His heart went out to this kid. Donavan could be a bear when he was provoked. And Rainy could end up back in jail. He hoped she would stop acting out before it was too late because she wouldn’t be the only one hurt. Donavan loved his daughter. But if she went back to jail, and it was by Donavan’s hand, Rainy would never have anything to do with her father again. She was just too much like her mother. And because Jessica was his best friend, he knew her well.
“See, even Donavan knows she’s a bitch. Bet he sends her packing,” stated Pedro.
“Hey, you watch what you say about her. Donavan might let you get away with that, but I won’t!” Snapped Tim.
***
Pedro stopped talking about Rainy. He knew Tim liked her. But for the life of him, he didn’t know why. The way he s
aw it, Tim wasn’t important. Only Donavan gets the last word. And he already knew Donavan was on his side. If he wasn’t, he would be the one in the office, not Rainy.
***
Rainy stood at the office door and waited for her father to open it. But even after he opened the door, he waited for her to enter first. She walked in and stood in front of his desk, waiting for the explosion to take place. The way she saw it, he would kill her slowly. Taking his time and enjoying every second of her turning blue. She let out a sigh. Maybe getting killed by Maddog wouldn’t be this painful.
Donavan walked behind his desk. He stood for a moment, then said, “Have a seat Rainy.”
“No!” She popped back.
So he remained standing as well, bringing his hands up and resting them on his hips. “You want to tell me where you get off talking to me like that?” Folding her arms over her chest, she leaned against the door jamb. The only sound she made was exhaling a long breath. “Your best bet here, Rainy, is to talk to me. If you don’t, this is going to get really ugly. And I didn’t do anything to you for you to talk to me like that. You want to call me names, that’s one thing. But in front of the dancers, no.” He shook his head. He watched her as she looked everywhere but at him. And she knew that infuriated him. “Okay fine, so you went behind my back and wrote a ballet and used the school dancers to perform the dance. And because you did this on my time, I’m taking back five hundred hours.”
That got her attention. “You can’t do that.”
“Oh yes, I can. I’ll call your probation officer and tell her there was a time mix up.”
“I did my work. I never did any of that ballet on your time. I wrote in my room at night. The kids are using the dance for their end of the year recital. I didn’t do anything wrong aside from calling you names.”
“And you’re not a one little bit sorry about what you called me, are you?”
Rainy leaned her head back against the wall. Five hundred hours. Oh my god. It will take me six more months to do that, and I won’t make it. “Why don’t you just call my probation officer and have me arrested?”
“Don’t you wish. And because you want to have the last word, let’s make it one thousand hours. We’re done here, Rainy. Go home for the day. You can do your four hours tomorrow. And there will be other changes also. You won’t even step foot into that dance school.”
Rainy chuckled. “Talk about sore losers. Damn. And I thought the dancers were babies. Gees, Dad.”
“Fifteen hundred! Go home, Rainy, before you have to live with me forever.”
“I’ll leave. But I won’t go back to your house. I’ll call my probation officer and tell her to have me arrested,” she said, pushing away from the wall, and turning to leave. The next thing she knew, she was sitting on Donavan’s desk. She hated this. He always put her on his desk when she did something wrong as a child.
“You will not! Now listen to me, young lady, we will not have this war. And you will go home and do as you’re told. You understand me?”
Rainy nodded her head yes. At this moment, she only wanted to get away from him because she knew how angry he was. And she was way too close to him. But she just had to get the last word in. After she got down from the desk, she said, “I’m sorry that I’m your child, and your golden boy, Pedro, isn’t. But life sucks sometimes, doesn’t it, Dad?” She walked out the door, slamming it as hard as she could.
***
Donavan fell down into his chair. Placing his elbows on the desk, he rubbed his temples to try and make the headache go away. He laughed and said, “So much for keeping it under control, Donavan.” But the more he thought about what Rainy said, the more he started to worry. The one thing he didn’t want was for her to end up in jail. He got to his feet, grabbed his jacket, and headed home. He walked, even though it was cold. He needed to cool down. And he prayed every step of the way that she did go to his house.
Opening the front door, he stood and listened. He didn’t hear anything at first. Then he heard her in the kitchen. He went in and stood next to the counter. She must not have heard him because she turned and jumped. She had made herself a sandwich, and she was dressed in pajamas. He walked up to her, pulling her into an embrace. “You have put me through hell in your short life, Rainy.”
Pulling back away from him, she looked right into his eyes. “You have never been to hell, Dad. But I have. Consider yourself lucky.”
“Rainy, I know you think I care more for Pedro than you. But I don’t and never will. I guess I just expect more of you because you’re my daughter. If he wants to act like an idiot, why would I care? But youe’r mine, and I only want the best for you.”
Pulling out of his arms, she said, “None of that matters. I have fifteen hundred hours. I’ll serve them any way you want me too.” Turning, she walked away and went upstairs to her room and shut the door, leaving her sandwich on the counter.
Donavan knew she was still angry. But so damn happy she was still around. From now on, he would take her with him to work and keep her with him. He never wanted to lose her again. Not with her walking away from him angry, and him not knowing what happened to her.
Chapter 25
Christmas
It was a cold, wet Christmas morning outside when Rainy went out to get the paper. It was one of her gifts for her dad. She was going to make breakfast for him. They had not spoken for a week now. She was still so angry that he would take her ballet away from her. She felt that the same rules didn’t apply to her as the rest of the dancers. After all, she wasn’t one of his dancers and could never be again. Old Smokey took care of that little problem. And the fact was, she invented the ballet at her mother’s dance school. He was right; she did this on his time. She was supposed to be doing other work, like, cleaning the dance school. It was Bonnie who had helped her with the dance and got permission from the kid’s parents so they could perform in the show. She also helped her with the costumes. Her time here with her father was almost at an end. Even if he said he was taking fifteen hundred hours back, she didn’t believe him. What would he tell the probation officer, she wrote a dance on his time? And if she was right, her time would be up the first of February.
Then she thought of Decker, and the pain hit her in the face. Would she ever have another Christmas that didn’t hurt like this? It had been a year ago today. Decker was the biggest monster of all of them. His voice was cold as ice when he told Meat to shut her up. He looked at her as if he was looking right through her. He didn’t react to her sobs or pleading. Just turned away, mounted his motorcycle, then the door on the truck closed. She had never seen Decker again. As far as she knew, he was still in jail or maybe prison now. And that’s right where he belonged.
Going into the kitchen, she walked right into her father. “Dad, where are you going?” She asked because he had already dressed and was pulling his jacket on.
“Your grandparent’s house to make breakfast for them. You want to come, or are you still pissed at me?” Her expression dropped, and he knew he did something wrong. Only, he wasn’t sure of what. “Since you’re not talking to me, I figured you might want some alone time. You are coming to your grandparent’s house for dinner, right?”
Still looking down, she shook her head no. “I have gifts for them. They are in the bag by the front door, if you don’t mind taking them with you.”
Donavan was thinking about what she said. “I don’t see why you can’t take them yourself.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Rainy, they are your family. Why are you acting this way?”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Dad. They are not my family, and neither are you!” She said, stone-faced. She wanted to sound as if she had no feelings for him whatsoever. And she knew he wanted to haul off and slap her across the face. But what good would that do? Her time was almost up.. She turned and started to walk away from him. “Where are you going?”
“To hell, if I don’t change my ways,” she retorted.
***
Donavan let out a long sigh. He turned and went into the kitchen to get his keys, and he saw the eggs sitting on the counter. That’s when he realized what her attitude was all about. She wanted to make breakfast for him. Running his hands through his hair, he moaned, “Why is it that I can handle the drama of fifty dancers and not one young woman?” He didn’t know what to do now, but he wanted to fix this. However, reasoning with her was like reasoning with her mother. There was no such thing. That’s when it came to him. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he called Bonnie. “Hello?”
“Hi there, beautiful. Merry Christmas.”
“Hi, Donavan, what do you need?”
“Wow, I can’t even wish my employee a Merry Christmas without wanting something?”
“Yes, that’s right. Now tell me what you want.”
“It’s not so much what I want, but what I need. And before you say no, it’s for Rainy, not me.”
“What’s going on with Rainy?”
He laughed. “Aside from hating me, not much. But right now I think she needs her mother. And don’t tell me you don’t know where she is. I know better.”
“Why? What in the hell did you do to her now?”
“Took the ballet away from her. It will be the company’s first New Year’s show.” There was silence on the line. “Bonnie?”
“You bastard. How could you do that to her? That kid worked her ass off on that dance, Donavan. All she wants is for you to be proud of her. And then you kick her in the teeth for her effort. You know, I think she’s right about you and Pedro. Maybe you two should get married.”
“She said that?”
“Oh yeah. And as far as Jessie goes, if I were you, I wouldn’t want to be around when she finds out.”
“Bonnie, I wasn’t going to keep the dance. I want her to choreograph the dance.”
“If she does that, Donavan, she can’t perform. I think that’s the real reason she wrote the ballet, and to prove Pedro wrong. He told her she was nothing but a cleaning lady and could never work in the dance world again.”
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