Shall We Dance?

Chapter 3 - A Phone Call

MADISON

My dad stands with a ladder in the middle of my studio ready to help me. He smiles at me as I carry the first box of light fixtures to a table nearby.

"All floors are finished, puppet. You certainly chose great quality wood."

"Also the cottage?" I ask and he nods. "Thank you so much, Dad. It looks amazing in here and I'm sure the cottage looks as beautiful. I'm glad you knew what to do. When I looked at a YouTube tutorial it overwhelmed me."

"Your old man still has some tricks under his sleeve. What do we have to do next?" He motions to the box with his head.

"The chandeliers for the beams. The boxes for the bars are still in the living room... Somewhere," I say and he chuckles.

"Let's get these installed first and I'll help you search for the rest. We have been so busy during the past days, we barely had time to talk. How are you doing?" He moves the ladder to the place I point, where the electrician left power points ready for the lights.

"I'm doing fine. Only wondering if this is going to work."

"Why shouldn't it work? Cadence and you have been teaching for a number of years now. Maurice just graduated but he has assisted you for a long time. I can't remember a moment when you were not dancing. Where's that doubt coming from?"

"Roman made sure I doubt the quality of everything I do."

"Never ever let that asshole interfere with your thoughts or life again. I don't even regret my language," he says for I probably have a shocked look on my face.

"It gives me peace to know he moved away long ago, but somehow his actions are embedded in me. I'm also worried about not getting enough students to make a profit. We know the minimum we need to cover our debts."

"Then you place a big ad in the newspaper, distribute flyers at that school where Maurice did the internship, pay for a good spot in online searches," he motions for me to hand him the drill.

"All of that costs money. I'm doing well with my copy writing business, Cadence has a faithful fitness crowd and Maurice has a side job, but we can't afford a big budget to pay for extra advertising."

"You can always come to us. We can give you a loan."

"Dad, that is sweet, but you guys have done more than enough for us. It's time we learn to deal with this on our own."

"I know, puppet," he smiles at me. "And I'm sure you will do a fantastic job. Let's get this mounted."

Dad drills a hole on a beam and mounts the hook. I hand him the first chandelier and he finishes connecting it to the power lines. It looks better than I anticipated. While Cadence's cottage has a girly charm to it, my studio looks sophisticated.

"Wow, Mae! Look at this place!"

I turn to look behind me. Mom gazes around the studio with dreamy eyes. She was a ballet dancer before having us and this surely brings good memories.

"It still misses a few things but I think it's coming along nicely," I say.

"Without a doubt. We just moved the furniture inside the cottage and it's beautiful as well. Maurice asked if you could come inside. He is adding the schedule on the website and has questions. I can help your dad in here."

"Thanks, Mom. Dad, the second goes parallel, right above that mirror."

"Gotcha. I see the power cables," he climbs down the ladder and moves it further.

I return to the house and find Maurice and Cadence looking at the computer screen.

"Madison, if you use the evenings for ballroom, I can do street dance and hip hop in the afternoons as an after-school program," Maurice says.