Dancing Up the Ladder

by Loy Holder

  She giggled. “All right. We can sit over there.” She pointed to the old settee, glad she’d recently bought new cushions for it.

  When they were settled, she folded her legs and tried to look serious. “OK. You tell me your news first.”

  “Well, I’ll just spit it out. My wife has asked me for a divorce again, but she just found out she has breast cancer. We’ve talked and she’s agreed to let me hang around during her treatments. Afterward, though, she wants me to get out. When I do, I was hoping we could start seeing each other, away from the Jet, maybe dinner or—”

  Liz shook her head and held her hand up. “Wait, I need to tell you my news before I answer. I just got an offer to dance at the Stardust Lounge in Las Vegas. I start next Saturday night.”

  Bill blanched, and his eyebrows shot up. “What? You’re moving?”

  “No. I’ll still work at the Jet and then dance at the lounge Saturday and Sunday nights.”

  He shook his head, and his eyes narrowed. “Why two jobs?”

  “I need the money for school. Do you know any dancers with wrinkles and sagging butts?”

  Bill howled with laughter. “OK, I get it. So we’ll just have to do lunch during the week, or I could visit you in Vegas.”

  “I don’t know how all this is going to work for me.” She turned away from him and stared at a crack on the cement-porch floor. “I need to spend weekdays with my children, and the only time I can catch up on sleep is Sundays in my hotel room. So—

  His jaw was tight as he said, “Look at me. What are you saying?”

  “I don’t know. I live for even a glimpse of you, but damn. You’d be cheating on a sick wife. And sometimes sickness can bring two people back together. I think we both need some time to take care of the things going on in our lives, but I think the phone lines go from California to Nevada.”

  He gave a weak smile, and her belly tightened at the look on his face. He stood, and she stood with him. Suddenly, he pulled her against him and lowered his lips to hers in a searing kiss. Then he pushed her back and took her chin in his hand. His eyes shot an electric current through her as he spoke. “I promise you this. I will see you, and no matter how things go for me, we’ll be together. It’s just a matter of time.” She watched him make his way slowly down the walkway to his car and hoped he could keep his promise.

  On the following Thursday, several of Ronnie’s neighborhood friends came over for his fifth-birthday party. While Liz was in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the birthday cake, the children were outside on the front lawn playing a game of tag and Regina was “it.” Liz thought she heard the low rumble of a motorcycle. She ran from the kitchen to the front porch in time to see Ron park the Harley in front of the house.

  “Hey, Dad. You came!” Ronnie shouted and dashed toward his father. Ron got off the bike, a bit unsteady as he stepped toward his son on the lawn. Ronnie didn’t seem to notice as he hugged his dad around the waist.

  Ron looked down at Ronnie, and it sounded to Liz that his words were slurred, “Well, I wouldena missed it.” Ron ruffled Ronnie’s hair. “Lemme see you.” He held the boy away from him.

  Trembling with anger and fear, Liz ran toward them. She pulled the boy from Ron’s grip and yelled, “You son of a bitch. Get the hell away from here, or I’m calling the police.”

  Ron’s lip curled in an angry snarl as he glared at her. “All I wanna do is wish ’im a happy birthday…you miserble whore. Why can’t I…just do that?” Shaking his head, he tottered to the bike and looked back at Liz with an evil scowl. “I’ll make you pay for this.”

  He mounted the Harley, revved the motor, and squeezed the throttle so hard, the cycle lurched forward and spun in a circle, throwing up rocks and gravel and leaving deep tracks in the lane as he sped toward Sibley Street and out of sight.

  Liz stood watching, stunned, as Ronnie’s friends were taken from the party by their parents. Ronnie screamed, “I hate you! You ruined everything!” Liz pulled Ronnie and Regina into the house and tried to talk to them, but they wouldn’t stop crying. She offered them some cake, but they refused. Ronnie ran to his room, still sobbing.

  When Liz went in to talk to him, Regina followed. Regina tried to console him with a sisterly pat on the back as he sprawled on the bed facedown. Liz knelt beside his bed, and he stopped crying long enough to say, “I’ll never forget how you made Dad go away and ruin my party.”

  Before she left on Saturday, Ronnie refused to give her a good-bye kiss. She could still feel the sting from the whole birthday-party event as she drove to the airport, and she prayed Las Vegas would be worth the price. She arrived at the Western terminal without a minute to spare, checked in, and received her boarding pass. Then she made her way to the gate just in time to board the plane.

  After the plane gained altitude, she wasn’t afraid but just excited to be flying for the first time. She had a window seat and watched the clouds swirl and part as the plane tunneled through them.

  Her thoughts shifted to the past few days. Bill came into the Jet almost every night, and they’d talked on the phone. He was a good listener, but he scolded her for not calling the cops during the birthday intrusion. Aside from Bill’s support, it had been a tough week, and she’d left with unfinished business hanging over her head. Before she’d left, she’d given Josie instructions to call the police if Ron showed up again, and on Monday, she’d confirm that her restraining order was still in effect.

  Soon, the view out the window of the plane changed. Bright sunlight replaced the clouds, and she smiled. Survival during her new work schedule would be pretty simple. I’ll get up earlier, spend more time with my children, and ignore the dust bunnies dancing the watusi across my floor.

  The pilot brought Liz back to the present when he announced that the plane would be landing soon. She repositioned her seat, fastened her seat belt, and decided to focus on Las Vegas and deal with her unfinished business when she got home.

  It was nearly four o’clock in the afternoon when Bud Wilcox met her at the airport. He seemed delighted to see her. “Hey, Liz, how are you? Here, let me take your bag.”

  “Thanks, Bud. It’s not too heavy. I packed light.”

  She chuckled when he frowned good-naturedly, holding the suitcase up with feigned effort. “What’ve you got in here, bricks?”

  Liz was still laughing. “Oh, just a few necessities. You know, girly stuff.”

  They were off to an easy start and exchanged friendly jibes as they drove through the busy streets of Las Vegas and pulled into the Stardust garage. After Bud parked the car, he turned to Liz, “OK, sweetie. Here we are. I’ll get your bag and show you to your room.”

  “Thanks. I need to freshen up, and then maybe you could give me a tour of the hotel. I’d really like to see the lounge setup.”

  When they got to her room, she turned the key in the door and marveled at her accommodations. Bud smiled. “You like the room, I take it?”

  “Yes. The couch looks comfortable.” She laughed as she looked around. “There’s almost as much room in here as my whole house.” She walked into the bedroom and smiled at the large bed. She set her bag and purse on the soft comforter and pushed her hand deep into the mattress. “Yep, the bed will do,” she told him as he walked in.

  “Did you notice…someone sent you flowers? They’re over there on the dresser.”

  “No.” She looked. “I’ll have to see who sent them.” She smiled, thinking the flowers were probably from Bill.

  Bud gave her a wink. “I’ll bet they’re from one of your admirers. How about if you meet me downstairs in the lobby about five o’clock? You can get something to eat before you go on at six.”

  “OK. I’ll slip my costume on under my clothes and see you at five, but I’d rather eat on my break. That would give me time to check out the lounge before I start dancing.”

  Bud laughed and shook his head. “Sure, sweetheart. You’ll have time to eat on your break. See you at five.”

 
; After Bud left, the first thing she did was read the card perched at the top of the vase. It said, “Hello, pretty lady. Miss you! Love, Bill.”

  She took in the sweet fragrance of the dozen red roses in full bloom and smiled to herself. Then she looked at the clock on the bedside table. I need to hurry.

  Liz opened her bag and carried her costume and purse into the bathroom. While she was freshening up, she noticed the clean smell of white towels and the vanilla scent from the soaps in a fancy dish. She finished dressing in a hurry, her mind racing. Why am I so nervous? Can I do this?

  On the ride down in the elevator, she checked her image in the mirrored tiles on the elevator wall. She smiled back at her reflection to erase the nervous lines spoiling her face, took a deep breath, and stepped out of the elevator into the lobby.

  Bud was there talking to someone. He looked busy, so she waved as she meandered past him into the casino. She walked through the casino and saw a bright-red-and-blue neon sign over a set of double doors that said, “Stardust Lounge.” She went through the doors and, as her eyes adjusted to the low lighting, she noticed that the inside of the lounge was much bigger than that of the Jet. There were at least fifty or more tables with matching soft-cushioned chairs. The carpet on the floor was plush and the air smelled of cigarette smoke and Jack Daniels (Ron’s booze of choice), but where was the jukebox?

  She made her way toward the far end of the lounge, still looking for the jukebox. She saw a large stage, but because of the poor lighting, she didn’t notice the sunken area in front it. Just then, the sounds of drums and musical instruments erupted. She climbed up the stairs to the stage and stepped through the velvet curtains.

  A woman was sitting on the floor, going through sheets of music, and several men were tuning and polishing instruments. One man looked up when he saw Liz. “Well, hello there.” He stood, smiling, and shook Liz’s hand. “You must be the new dancer. Liz Harmon, right?”

  Liz winced at his firm grip and pulled her hand free. “Yes. I had no idea I would be dancing to live music.”

  He laughed. “Oops, didn’t mean to crush your hand.” He took a step back. “Yep, we can play anything. Let me introduce you around. My name is Jeb, and”—he pointed to a saxophone in the open case at his feet—“I play that baby.” Then everyone looked up, and he motioned around the room. “That’s Mark over there, messing with his horn. That’s Karen. She makes the piano keys come alive and sings once in a while. Joe, over here in the corner, makes the guitar talk, Al does bass, and Lou, in the back, plays the drums. He’s crazy good.”

  “Glad to meet you all.” Liz nodded and smiled. They all smiled back and went on with what they’d been doing. Still smiling, she turned back to Jeb. “So do you actually play back here?”

  “No. We play in the orchestra pit.”

  “Oh? Where?”

  Just then Bud came backstage with a big smile and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. “Well, I see you’re finding your way around.”

  Concerned about the music situation, she backed away, and he removed his hand. “You looked kinda busy so I just sorta helped myself.” Eyes flashing, she frowned, “By the way, why didn’t you tell me about the band?”

  Bud laughed at her obvious discomfort. “Oh, relax, sweetheart. I was so distracted by your dancing, it didn’t occur to me.” Then his face grew stern, and his eyes narrowed. “Why? Is that going to be a problem?”

  Liz took a cue from Bud’s warning look and didn’t want to blow it. Instead, she swallowed hard and backed down. “No. It’s just that I’ve never worked with a band before.”

  “Good. I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Bud was back to his jovial self. “I’ll leave you two to get acquainted.” He gave Jeb a friendly punch on the shoulder. “Jeb’s a good man. He’ll take care of you.” Then fidgeting with the change in his pocket, he smiled. “I’ve got a few more things to check on before six.” He chuckled with mischief in his eyes and pointed to his watch. “Half an hour until showtime. Can’t wait to see you up there on that stage, missy.” He gave her a wink and disappeared through the curtain.

  Jeb shook his head and gave a wry smile. “Whew. You better go easy on him. He can be nasty if you piss him off. OK. Where was I? Oh…I was going to show you where we play. Come with me.” Liz followed Jeb off the stage and down a few more steps into the pit. “This is it. Now all I need from you is a list of songs and how you like them played.”

  All of a sudden she felt panic. She’d envisioned punching songs into a jukebox. She took a deep breath. “I’m afraid I didn’t make a list. I’ll do that in a minute. I’m sure you’ll be familiar with the songs, so just play them at their recorded tempo. Maybe we could get together early tomorrow and rehearse a little. You know, fine-tune it.”

  “How early are you talking for tomorrow?” Jeb wasn’t smiling.

  “How about three in the afternoon?”

  Jeb’s hands were on his hips, and his frown made him look fierce. “You’ve got to be kidding. Bud doesn’t pay overtime. My hours are six to two in the morning with a dinner break at nine. Look, just give me the list, and you better hurry up.” He glanced at his watch, “Christ, it’s almost six now. We’ll just have to work it out as we go.”

  “I guess that’s a no for tomorrow?”

  “Right now, yes. Let’s see how it goes tonight. I’m pretty sure we’ll be fine.” His eyes narrowed, and she sensed he was done discussing rehearsal with her.

  “I hope you’re right. I’ll get you that list.” Liz fetched a tablet and pen from the hotel receptionist, sat at a desk in the lobby, and wrote out a list of songs, some fast and some slow. Yikes! What have I gotten myself into? She rushed the list to Jeb and watched him read it over. Anxious for some feedback, she asked, “Well, what do you think?”

  His face was deadpan. He quickly turned to go backstage and said over his shoulder, “Like I said, we’ll work it out as we go.”

  At 5:50 p.m., she found a dressing room backstage. She knew she hadn’t made any points with Bud or Jeb, and her nerves were shot. She removed her outer clothing, touched up her lipstick, and finished a prayer as the band started playing her first song.

  * * *

  Chapter twenty-four

  It was an unusually busy Saturday night at the Jet. Lucille and Nate had invited a bunch of their friends in for pizza, and Lucille had hired a young woman to entertain them. Maria was a hit.

  When Joe Mahoney walked into the Jet about eight that evening, he noticed Maria right away and found an empty table close to the stage to watch her turn and jiggle to the music. He was disappointed though. He’d hoped to see Liz dance. Soon a woman came to his table. “Hey there, stranger.” She smiled so wide that her eyes crinkled at the corners.

  Joe couldn’t help but smile back. “Hey, yourself. Quite a crowd tonight. Who’s the dancer?”

  “My boss hired her just for tonight. She invited some friends in for a party. Maria’s pretty good.”

  “I’ll say. You got an extra pizza and a Coke for me?”

  “Sure do. Haven’t seen you in here before. What’s your name?”

  “Joe. What’s yours?”

  “Sam. So what kind of pizza do you want?”

  “Can you do a small Hawaiian, you know, with pineapple and ham?”

  Sam winked at him. “Yep. Be back in a flash.” She headed toward the kitchen, picking up empty trays and pitchers on the way, and Joe settled back to watch Maria. She had exotic, gold-flecked hazel eyes, and long, shiny, coal-black hair. She was a tiny, hot package in a skimpy, leopard-skin dance costume.

  When Sam reappeared, she was singing along with the music as she set the Coke and pizza on his table and slipped the check under the tray.

  Joe looked up at Sam, eyebrows up. “Wow. That was fast. You must have known I was hungry.” He leaned over to sniff the pizza. “Mm, smells delicious.” He reached for the check and pulled a twenty from his wallet. “Will this cover it?”

  She nodded. “Just right.” She w
inked at him as she turned to leave.

  “Wait a minute,” he called after her. “I was hoping to see Liz dance. What nights does she work?”

  Sam shook her head. “Liz dances Monday through Friday nights. Are you a friend of hers?”

  Joe didn’t want to reveal any connection to Ron, so he shook his head and lied. “No, I just heard from a couple of Aerojet friends that she’s good.” Joe shrugged. “Oh well, I work evenings during the week, so I guess I’m out of luck.”

  “Well, if you want to see her dance bad enough, you can go to Las Vegas. She dances at the Stardust Lounge on Saturday and Sunday nights.”

  Joe frowned. “Huh. So she works here during the week and then works all weekend in Vegas? That’s tough.”

  “Yes, it is.” Sam looked away for a second and then back at Joe. “Well, I gotta go. Somebody’s holding up an empty pitcher.”

  He finished his pizza and wondered why Liz had to work so many hours. Maybe Ron wasn’t paying any child support. He’d ask Ron about that tomorrow if he showed up for dinner.

  Sunday started out slow and easy for Joe. He skipped church, got up late, read the paper from front to back and enjoyed a couple of chocolate-covered doughnuts with his coffee. Later, he straightened up the house, including the mess that was Ron’s room, and started cooking. The plan was that Ron would come back home from Trixie’s house about five for Sunday dinner. Joe couldn’t understand what Ron saw in Trixie. The few times Ron had brought her over, she’d been dirty and foul-mouthed. Joe hoped Ron would leave Trixie at home.

  The aroma of roast chicken and homemade bread filled the house when Ron came in the door at just after five o’clock. He was freshly shaven, alone, and smiling as he walked into the kitchen. “Geez, you’ve been cooking up a storm. What’s in the oven? I’ll bet it’s bread.”

  “Hey, Ron,” Joe said as he looked away from the stove. “You’re actually on time. Dinner’s almost ready. Keep me company while I finish up.”

  Joe heard the refrigerator slam shut and turned from the stove to see Ron frown. “How come you don’t have any beer in the fridge?”