Esperansa- (the re-write)

New year, new chance

Chapter twelve

ONE YEAR LATER-- FEBRUARY FOURTEENTH 2015

The usual large spots of red, blue and green flew across the floor accompanied by the twinkle of the disco ball across the floor. The music was typical sixties- the type that had many people sitting at their tables and looking bewildered. I, however, was where I loved being- gliding around the dance floor in a pair of two inch heals before being twirled back into the perfect chest of my one and only partner. Jasper made an effort to twirl me once more than he should, make me land face in against him. I knew he was smiling even though I was too close to see his expression. Jasper could hide it all he liked but I knew he did enjoy dancing- even if it was only because I was his partner. Sometimes he could be very protective- hide me from any other male attention but he did, on occasions like this, enjoy flaunting me as well. Dancing was one of his ways of doing this- he didn't know I knew but there were a lot of things like that in our relationship- I imagined it would go both ways.

His hand slid down to my hip as he took the other hand in his creating the waltz position just as the timing of the music became slower and peaceful.

Looking around at the other couples twirling around it was surprising how few knew the proper steps, many shuffled in circles treading the toes of their partner. There were women draped around their husbands' neck's going into the realm of the unspeakable of the time when the dance was created. Jasper and I had been brought up on foxtrots and two-steps, in days before many of the crowd were born.

The bride and groom were likewise, the fourteenth of February began the married lives of Cousins Kate and Garrett after seven years together. The wedding itself had taken place outdoors in the national park, amongst the snowy pine trees. Kate had worn a deep scarlet dress in a meringue style- something that would never have been accepted when we were married.

My thoughts were dragged away when I noticed a little girl- hair in tight blonde curls, wearing a baby pink dress wandering around alone. She was tiny and her pacing unsteady. She couldn't have been more than two years old. She looked panicked, turning in circles that made her skirt twirl till she spotted me. I was surprised when she ran straight for me, wrapping her chubby arms around my calf.

Jasper saw her just as she grabbed hold of me,

“I don't know who she is, but she's not mine," I muttered to him, bending down to lift up the tiny girl. She was very light for her size and her blue eyes were glistening with tears and surprise when she realised I wasn't her mother.

The tiny thing had wide eyes, and an almost squished face. She had the facial geography of a child with Down’s syndrome and she was adorable. She began to cry again looking straight at me. I opened my mouth to ask her name but then thought better of it- maybe she couldn't talk yet. I didn't know much about her condition but I did know it effected development a lot.

"Where did she come from?" Jasper asked, absently searching for a worried parent or sibling sent to seek out their missing sister.

"She was over there, then spotted me and ran over," I explained, beginning to look for another parent myself.

Suddenly a woman with dark hair to her shoulders came jogging over to us. She wore a dress the same magenta as my own- I understood the little girl's confusion now that I saw her.

"Oh Polly!" she sighed lifting the girl from my arms. The toddler quickly snuggled into the body of a woman who had no physical resemblance to her at all. I shrugged it off when she spoke again,

"Thank you..."

"Alice, Alice Whitlock," I smiled, shaking her outstretched hand,

"I'm Kate's cousin,"