Chapter 9
Victoria was pleasantly walking back home after dance class on Tuesday evening. Ever since she and Zach had made up, it semed that life was more bearable, even though her mother was still in the hospital. Victoria no longer had to bike to the dance academy with guilt. Now, she could enjoy evening walks with Zach, peppered with the frequent appearances of Sheena and Cody, who was grateful to finally be reunited with Victoria.
But anyhow, today was no different. Victoria, her hair still pinned up in a neat bun, wore sweatpants and a dance shrug. She was reaching for her water bottle when she hear a loud voice. It was coming from behind a nearby backyard fence. And it sounded ominous and low. Dangerous.
"What do you mean, you want to dance again?"
"It's just-- I was thinking--"
"You want to dance again?!" This time it was a shriek, as if dance were the most terrible thing in the world. And that voice... it sounded so familiar. But Victoria couldn't place it.
"Yes."
Victoria couldn't stand the curiousity building up inside of her. Carefully, with the air of James Bond, she crept slowly and soundlessly towards the fence. She pressed her eye against a crack and nearly choked. Zach and Roxy! She should've known.
Surprisingly, Roxy held her head in her hands. Was she crying? That seemed like such a foreing concept for Roxy. "So I suppose I'll have to protect you again, beating up kids and--"
"No!" Zach's voice seemed different. Stronger, somehow. Courageous.
Did I make that happen? Victoria wondered. After that night at the golf course, he seeemed to speak in a voice so much... richer, maybe. Like he had finally realized that he had his own voice. And now he was saying what he wanted to say. He wanted to be a dancer.
"But about what happened to me, Zachary. And do you remember the look of disappoint that Grandpa gave me when I was injured? Can't you recall that?"
"I don't know about yours, Roxy, but my grandpa would be proud of me."
There was a silence. Victoria's head bubbled with questions. What had happened to Roxy? And what was with these different grandpas? It sounded as if the two were related. But that was impossible. They looked absolutely nothing alike. Obviously there was something Zach had never mentioned to Victoria before.
"Anyways, I've got to go." Zach looked away from Roxy and stood up.
"No, you mean you've gotta go and see Victoria." Roxy's voice was full of neglect and hurt.
"Roxy--"
"Just go, Zach. Just go." Victoria heard sniffling coming from Roxy, and Zach hurried away.
There was going to be quite a stituation if Zach found out that Victoria was eavesdropping. Quickly, she grabbed her things and raced home, trying to make sense of what she had just heard.
As Victoria shut the back door behind her, she was surprised to find her dad sitting at the kitchen table. Just sitting there, staring at a piece of paper in his hands with a blank look on his face. The only light was coming from the bulb above the table, illuminating her father's figure.
Standing in the hallway, Victoria realized just how small and fragile her father looked. Just sitting there, with that look of defeat. Maybe I should've spent more time with him, Victoria thought. He's been alone for so long. Instantly, guilt began torturing her stomach and choking her throat. How much studio time could she have used to just joke around with her father and cook dinner together for once? Or go watch a movie? Or play cards? It might've helped both of them take their minds off the huge amounts of worry about Mom.
