Striving for Greatness: A Vladimir Chigvintsev Story

6

Days went by and then weeks and I spoke nothing of that day again to Maks. I came to two conclusions about what is being hidden from me, both of which I am afraid to be true and so I have decided to pretend like I never heard anything. I want answers, however, maybe finding them isn't worth the pain.

When I see Maks we avoid the subject altogether and all we do is strictly discuss dancing. Valerie returned to rehearsals a few days later but was not herself and ever since there has still been this disconnect between us. Like we are dancing to get it over with. Maks gets angry with us and pushes us harder and we get angrier at ourselves. We now know 6 routines by heart that we must execute perfectly, however I am afraid that even if we do, the judges will pick up on our lack of chemistry and we won't advance.

I came up with the idea to ask Valerie to come with me to Maddox' 6th birthday party. Maddox is Maks and Peta's son, he's like another little brother to me.. which I'm starting to believe, maybe that's a lot closer to our actual relationship, depending on what this family secret is that Maks wants me to figure out on my own. I'm almost positive that Maks might be my real father, it's a stretch but it makes sense in so many ways. But I don't want to know. I have a father, I am a Chigvintsev not a Chmerkovskiy.

Anyway, Maddox is Peta's pride and joy, it wasn't easy for her to have a child and when I was 10 she finally was able to have a child and because of how long it took her to have a baby, the result is that he is a major mommas boy. Maks, however, is a great father to his son. He does everything for him and when he's away he worries about him, I don't think my father even knows I exist sometimes, but Maks does.

My mom was Maddox' godmother. She was in the middle of her third relapse and extensive cancer treatments. She never even got to hold him until he was a year old and then 8 months later she passed away. I shook off the thought.

I caught up with Valerie before she left the studio.

"Val," I said "Maks is having a birthday party for his son tomorrow afternoon, would you want to come, maybe hanging out outside of rehearsals can give us a better connection."

"Um," She thought about it "I know we do need to bond.. but I have homework and.."

"Then after the party I can help you study... as long as we're connecting that's all I want." I begged her.

"I'll go to the party, just give me the address.." She said in a hurry.

I followed her to her car as she got out a piece of paper.

"You know, I can pick you up.." I suggested.

"No!" She said

From the way she turned my suggestion down, I knew she was ashamed of the neighborhood she lived in.

"I'm not afraid of your side of town you know" I said to her and she gave me a blank stare, obviously wondering how I knew. She never did find out that I had stolen her address and drove to her house and had planned on going to her door before being scared off by a man that was ten times my size.

"Fine," She said "here's my address what time will you be there."

"2" I replied as I shoved her address in my back pocket, I already know where she lives but at least now I don't look like a creeper.

She pulled away and I slowly walked to my car, now the only thing left on my agenda today is to get my dad, so I've been told my whole life, and my brother, who might actually be my half brother, to sit down with me as a family and eat a home cooked meal in honor of my mother.

I have been losing my strong connection with her. I would give anything to have her here again making everything easier, maybe doing this will help mend our family and keep us together, despite the deep dark secret that is lurking.