careful

six

Nina and the girls sit talking one night, all curled up in various positions on the floor in Ella's room. Earlier in the evening, they'd been served dinner on the balcony where Nina told the girls stories from her childhood. Then, they returned to their respective rooms and put pajamas on.

"So you just stopped playing the piano because you didn't want to anymore?" Sadie asks Nina.

Nina shakes her head. "It wasn't that simple. I loved playing the piano, I just didn't want the pressures of the recitals and competitions, you know? So I stopped taking lessons and practiced more privately. My parents didn't mind me wanting to slow down."

"Wow," Ella replies. "I wish I could stop taking piano."

"You don't like it?" Sadie questions. Ella shakes her head and shrugs.

"I'm not good," she explains. "Plus, it's hard. I don't know how to do it."

"But it'll get easier," Her big sister prods. "Dancing used to be hard for me. It's still hard when I have to learn something new. But it's fun."

They chat on but are interrupted by the door opening. It had been cracked before, but low and behold stands Ricky Bowen. He has two plates in his hand. "Dessert, anyone?"

"Yum!" Ella exclaims. "Nina! Doesn't he look beautiful?"

Ricky stares at Nina with amusement. She stifles a giggle and says, "Actually, I think he looks quite gruesome."

"I don't know what that means," she mumbles.

"That's okay, kiddo," he chuckles. "Anyway, I brought cake. I figured Nina would kill me if I gave you each your own slice, so I brought you one to share. That, and I only have two hands." He squats down and puts the plates down before dropping down on his bottom with a grunt.

"Is it you getting old or can we blame it on the tux?" Nina jokes.

"Let's go with the restricting tux, please." He then hands each of them a fork. "Your mom may get on my nerves, but she's fantastic at picking out cakes."

"Did you have cake, Uncle Ricky?" Sadie asks. He shook his head.

Nina pushes her plate over toward him and sticks out her fork. "No," he says. "That's for you."

"Maybe I don't want it," she teases. "I'm not entirely convinced that you didn't lick it or something on the way up. You could be trying to kill me."

Ricky laughs loudly. "Please, eating a piece of cake that I licked would be your peak. But fine, I'll have some." He takes the fork and has a bite and then attempts to shove a forkful at Nina.

"Nope," she tells him. She turns her face away and he starts to make airplane sounds. When she begins to laugh, he catches her off guard and shoves the cake into her mouth. She glares at him and shakes her head, amusement falling over her face. "It's good."

"I know!" Ricky says. "Maybe she's not the worst."

"You're so rude," Sadie tells him.

He nods and then responds, "I assume your mother would agree."

"Shouldn't you get back to the party before they notice you're missing?" Nina wonders.

Ricky nods. "Good point. I successfully consumed half of your cake, so I'll go." And on his way out, Ricky chuckles as he hears Nina pretend to gag over Ella asking if she has a crush on him.