A Prelude To A Dance

by Kay Edwards

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The week went by fast, and Friday was there. The benefit was later that night, and Helen couldn’t sleep. She tried not to let her nerves get the better of her but was failing. She and Logan had two interviews that day, and Helen hated interviews. Earlier that week in her meeting with Jen, she had expressed some fears about it. Jen told her the best she could do was to be honest. Helen rolled over and looked at her husband. She had assumed he was still sleeping and was surprised to see him looking at her. He leaned down and kissed her neck making her giggle. Helen whispered softly. “I’m scared.”

  Logan pulled her close and hugged her tightly against him. “I know. I’m sorry you’re not able to say our safe word. Some things just can’t be avoided. Unfortunately, interviews are a must.”

  Helen knew he was right. She said a silent prayer before smiling shyly at her husband and getting out of bed. She loved how he knew what she was thinking.

  Logan followed his wife with a soft chuckle. He knew she was not thrilled with the schedule they had for that day. He was proud of the fact she seemed to be seeking God for peace. Taking the offered toothbrush, Logan brushed his teeth enjoying their morning ritual. He finished brushing his teeth and gently pulled Helen into his arms. Leaning down, he whispered softly. “You are going to be ok. I promise.” He kissed her softly.

  Helen enjoyed kissing her husband and could not help but feel safe in his arms. She had been thinking about that for a couple of days now as was starting to question why she still had so much fear of him as a man. If she felt safe, why did she hold her body back from him? Helen knew that question could only be answered with time. With a sigh, she put her thoughts aside. She would reflect on her fear issues after the benefit was over. The day was going to be full, and Helen knew she needed to focus on trusting God to ease her anxiety.

  Logan moved from her lips to her ear and smiled when she shivered. He knew he needed to be careful, so he went back to her mouth. He ended the kiss and pulled away. Logan chuckled at his wife’s expression.

  “After tonight we need to focus on that feeling I get when you do that.” Helen said softly.

  Logan knew Helen needed time even if she was not sure how much. “There is no rush” he assured her.

  “I know. I want to. I like kissing, but sometimes I feel like I missed something.” Helen answered honestly.

  Logan pulled her against him and rested his chin on her head. “I want you to know when it is right you will know it. Don’t rush anything. When it happens, it will be beautiful.”

  Helen knew he was right. She just didn’t know how to handle the new feelings her body seemed to have. “I love you. I guess I am frustrated with my fear. It is like a part of me wants to say I’m ready while the other part is putting on the breaks.”

  Logan loved her honesty. They had a couple of interesting talks about her not understanding certain things during the week. A part of him knew that it would be easier for them to understand each other as a couple after the benefit. However, the thing that weighed heaviest on his mind was catching the man stalking her.

  They stood there holding each other for a few more minutes. The alarm sounded in the bedroom reminding them that it was time to start getting ready for the day.

  Helen and Logan were doing their first interview. Toby had made sure the reporters were aware what kinds of questions could be asked. He had, also, made sure that it was understood that should the rules be ignored that crew would not be allowed to attend the benefit that night. If a person did not know Helen, they would never know how uncomfortable she was. She smiled, but Toby knew she was almost at her breaking point. He was glad the interview was almost over for her sake.

  Logan could feel his wife trembling. They had only a couple minutes left. They had been asked about their relationship. It was not a surprise to either of them. They had known they would be considering how quickly they married. He and Helen answered about the same amount, but he tried to field the rest. A reporter noticed, “You are very protective of your wife, aren’t you?”

  Logan smiled down at Helen. “I am very protective of her. She has become my world.”

  The reporters smiled at the obvious adoration Logan had for his wife. They could not help but be drawn in by the genuineness of the couple’s relationship. Helen had won the hearts of people the second she hit the water to rescue a little girl in need. They continued to fall for her as they watched her learn to dance. Logan had won the hearts of the people as they watched him gently teach the apparently shy Helen to dance.

  A couple of more questions were asked and answered before Toby came out and announced the interview was over. As soon as the last reporter left, Helen sagged against her husband. “I am not made for fame.” She said with a small giggle.

  “You did great,” Logan said as he kissed the top of her head. He saw her stifle a yawn. “Why don’t you go over to the sofa and rest?”

  Helen was not going to argue with that. She left the men and went over to the sofa. Helen did not realize how tired she was. She was asleep in minutes.

  Logan watched his wife from where he stood beside Toby. He knew the second she was asleep. “This is a lot for her.”

  Toby followed Logan’s eyes to the sleeping Helen. “I know. Now that I know her better, I can see she hates being in the spotlight.”

  Logan looked at Toby as he focused on the benefit again. “Is everything set with security tonight?”

  “Yes. Detective Benion is going to be in charge of it. She is off duty but wanted to help. I will make sure she gets paid. I am confident we can keep Helen safe.” he said.

  Logan trusted Toby like a brother. It gave him peace knowing Toby was in charge. “I am glad that you stayed. I feel better knowing you are in control.”

  “I am glad I can help. Why don’t you go over and sit with your wife? I’m going to go set the ground rules for the next interview.” Toby said as he nodded toward Helen.

  Toby walked into the room full of waiting reporters. He introduced himself and began to take the time laying out the rules for the interview. Toby was in the middle of his talk when one of the reporters questioned why there were so many stipulations. Toby knew he had to be very careful with how he worded his response. He didn’t want to lie, but he knew he had to protect Helen’s secret if he could. “As you have heard, Helen does have some issues with being anxious. We are just trying to get her through these interviews with very little stress so she can focus on the dance tonight.”

  The reporter accepted the answer, so Toby continued. He noticed Helen and Logan taking their designated seats and wrapped things up. He led the journalists over to the couple. The second interview began.

  The interview was going to be thirty minutes. Helen could not wait for it to end before it even started. She and Logan answered questions. Helen noticed one reporter that seemed to be staring at her intently. When he raised his hand and directed the question at her, she felt like he was setting a trap.

  Toby watched the reporter that he was concerned about as he raised his hand. The reporter asked Helen what made her go out on that ice knowing it was going to break to save Lidia.

  Helen answered the question honestly. “She was crying for help. I knew 911 had been called but looking at her pleading with someone to help her. I could not ignore her. She was in freezing water, and everyone there knew she was running out of time. I honestly think that I was just the first to react. I can’t imagine someone else would not have gone in when she went under.”

  The interviewed continued a few more minutes when the same reporter put his hand up. He spoke to Helen again. “You say that Lidia’s cries were what prompted you to go into the freezing waters that day. Why did her pleas for help affect you so much?”

  Toby became alarmed as he sensed that something was not right. He could see that Helen and Logan knew it too. He was sur
prised with what Helen did next.

  Helen knew the reporter had found something out. She could lie, or she could ask him what he wanted to know. She answered again with a soft voice hoping he would sense her silent plea. “As I said, I could not ignore her cries for help. If you have a question about that, please do me the courtesy of just asking me what you want to ask.”

  Noah, the reporter asking the questions, looked at Helen. He knew if he asked her what he wanted to ask her that she would not lie. He almost did ask about the police report he had found. The fragile look in her eyes stayed his question. Instead, he said, “I do not think she would have lived if you had waited for someone else to react. Your actions that day did save her life. Your humility is refreshing.” he saw her eyes thank him and that was enough for him to know he did the right thing.

  Helen was so grateful that the reporter backed down. The interview was coming to an end. She was tired but wanted to thank the journalist for what he did.

  Logan answered the last question. He was so proud of Helen. She had been so honest with the one reporter. He knew that if that guy had asked anything else, Helen would not have lied. They looked at each other as they took their mics off. He was surprised when she told him she needed to do something. He watched her go to the reporter.

  Noah looked up and saw Helen coming toward him. He was uncomfortable with what he had almost done to her. Noah noticed Logan and Toby were coming behind her. Thinking he was going to be told not to attend the benefit, Helen’s words surprised him.

  Helen stopped in front of the reporter. Her heart was in her eyes as she whispered. “Thank you.”

  Noah knew what he had planned to do was wrong. He was man enough to admit that. “I was wrong to do that to you. I found the police report about your stalker. I wanted to be the reporter that broke the story. I knew that I was crossing a line. I’m sorry.”

  Helen felt Logan’s hands on her shoulders. She leaned back into him. Helen looked at Noah and spoke again. “There will be a time for that story to be told. I will make sure you are the one I tell it to. You could have forced it out of me, but you didn’t. I want you to know that I am grateful for that.”

  Noah did not know what to say. He looked past Helen to Logan. “I get it. You are one lucky man. She is genuine. Congratulations on your marriage.”

  Logan was always at a loss for his wife’s compassion and grace. He listened to her. Most would have been angry with what had happened. She chose to be happy for what did not occur. When the reporter congratulated him, he spoke honestly. “I’m still trying to figure out how I was the one chosen to be blessed.”