Tiny Dancer

Once upon a time, there was a young man who loved a young woman so much that he pledged to marry her someday and spend eternity as her devoted husband.

His name was Dante Oberon and he grew up to become a renowned virtuoso pianist and composer. Almost as if fate had designed it, his lovely Nadia Dobrow, grew up to become an acclaimed ballerina known, not only for the dance, but held in such high esteem by her peers for the beauty within. The two made for a splendid fairytale.

They would spend hours being each other's muse as he composed and she danced.

Day after day, they would be consumed and spent with exhaustion from their lovers play. But, each tomorrow brought new inspirations and both would delight in their daylight reveries, surrounded by imaginary beings that sparkled and twinkled as they joined in their merriment. The dream made real; he, playing such splendid lullabies and she, twirling and leaping across the floor, inviting him to join her in the dance...

Dante knew the day had come to ask his fair Nadia to become his bride. He wanted to make it a romantic and memorable occasion that would rival the betrothal gala itself.

He was aware that the gala would be extravagant with many dignitaries and influential people in attendance, along with family members and an endless procession of friends who loved them both.

No, the proposal would balance that grandeur by being personal and intimate to only the two of them. He worked day and night to compose the perfect melody, that perfect Sonata to capture both the raw avowed and apparent emotions he held for her, but more importantly, to reveal the love that lie deep within; profoundly pious and impassioned adoration.

His composition finished, Dante set his sights on acquiring the perfect ring to present to her on bended knee, after honoring his sweet Nadia with his newly written dedication: Nadia's Dance; a melody that captured the ballerina as both a dancer of life and a dancer of light. For Dante, watching his beloved ballerina was like observing an angel take wing and ascend to her heaven.

-

Nadia was unlacing her satin slippers and anticipating her rendezvous with Dante at the hall where he practiced and she could drift into daydreams of their life together.

She and her Prince would be the true fairytale with that happy ending that goes on forever; there would be no ending. She smiled at that thought and quickly set to putting her things neatly in the her bag before heading out into the mid-day bustle.

Before she would leave the warmth of the noon-day sun and retreat into the sparsely lit concert hall where Dante was waiting, she would take a moment of respite, sit on the park bench and close her eyes while listening to the songbirds sing and imagine the gates of heaven opening to allow the cherubim and seraphim to sing along. What a life, resplendent with love, and a future awaiting her in the arms of her Dante.

-

Dante was nervously pacing the floor, sitting on the piano bench, looking at the ring he had purchased earlier that morning and going over and over in his head, the words he would use to propose to her. And, of course, replaying his glorious sonata written just for her, hoping it all went smoothly and she would remember this moment, this infinitesimal moment, in the grand scheme of their future together; this profoundly grand moment in the collective of grand moments that have led up to this and will, no doubt, follow.

-

Nadia took a deep sigh and opened her eyes. There on the limb just above her, sat two doves nuzzling and cooing. Surely this was a sign of things to come. She smiled and nodded to them with a silent blessing that they too, share a forever love.