The Dreamer

Chapter 15: Dance to the Music

Lynx Mountain Resort. February 5, 2005. Saturday morning.

By the time Neal got up in the morning, Peter had already been gone for hours. He'd be on the slopes all morning with Lily. Neal took his time dressing and ambled off for a leisurely breakfast before going to the ice rink. He and Mandy had agreed to meet at eleven. Hopefully, she hadn't been so frustrated by the previous evening that she'd stand him up.

He arrived a few minutes early. Mandy was nowhere to be seen, but he spotted another friendly face. El was making her way slowly and carefully around the rink. She was skating close to the railing so she could grab onto it when necessary. When she saw Neal, she gave him a wave and worked her way toward him. "May I join the famous Neal Legend?"

"Please. My date's not here yet." He met her at the rink entrance and helped her slip on her skate guards.

"My ankles are calling for a time-out. I haven't fallen yet, but I've slipped so much, they're raising the white flag. Let's go sit down."

Neal chose a bench where he could keep an eye on the resort entrance. "Are Lisa and Sylvia out skiing?"

El nodded. "I'm going to spend the rest of the morning luxuriating in the spa. Are you waiting for Mandy?"

"Yes. I hope she's still talking to me after last night."

"I wouldn't worry. Teenage crushes are not easily extinguished."

"You sound like you're speaking from personal experience. Who was your teen heartthrob?"

El chuckled. "There were so many! Let's see ... Kevin Costner stands out. I saw him in Bull Durham, and oh my." She heaved a breathy sigh as she gazed dreamily toward the mountain.

"No wonder you were attracted to Peter. Whenever I look at him, I feel compelled to call him Kevin. Does Peter know?"

"He's never asked, and don't tease him about it."

"Define it because, you know in the normal course of our conversation, I often make joking comments about actors."

"Don't link me and Kevin, wise guy."

"Duly noted. I'm glad Kevin didn't stomp on your fantasy. I don't like conning someone so young." Neal hesitated over how much he should say, but it was easier to talk about it with El than Peter. His reaction would undoubtedly be like Diana's—telling him Mandy needed to toughen up—but Neal would prefer to cushion her fall. "What Mandy will have to experience reminds me of what I went through when I learned the truth about my dad. Her situation has some similarities to mine—turning eighteen, having a fantasy about a dad."

El gave him a knowing look. "Being lied to."

Neal nodded. "I felt betrayed and angry. I hated my life and wanted to escape. Any advice on how to make it easier for her?"

"You're putting a lot of pressure on yourself. This isn't your fault, and what you went through was much tougher to deal with. Mandy's dad is a criminal but he's not a murderer, and he'll be able to continue to see her when he's in prison. Meredith didn't provide you with much support. Lily may be a hot tamale but I bet she and Mandy aren't alienated."

"Do you think this will draw them closer?"

"I'm sure it will. And then there's this—as painful as it was, weren't you glad to know the truth?"

Neal nodded. "I wished I'd known earlier." El's words were helpful, but he still wanted pillows to place under Mandy. He'd have to come up with some of his own. "Peter told me about your encounter with Max yesterday afternoon. He gave me a full account—in triplicate—of every glance and leer."