Where Dance Fits In

Chapter 6: Win Some, Lose Some

Miss Laurie

Now that Conner's gone, I really need to work my prelim dancers extra hard. Reagan tells me that she and Maeve have been doing some extra practice outside of class. She's also been informing me on Joe's behavior.

One day, after class, I catch him before he can leave the studio.

"Joe," I say. " I'm not sure I like your behavior lately."

Ever since Conner left, he's been acting very narcissistic.

"What are you talking about?" he says.

"I'm talking about you acting inappropriate about Conner's foot problem. That's a very serious thing you know."

He looks at me, and I can see him trying to think of a comeback. I say something before he can try to defend himself.

"You really need to think about your actions. Go home and write Conner an apology card."

Joe says "He doesn't even know what I said!"

"That's not the point!" I say. "You need to tell him how you feel."

"Okay." Joe says before he walks out the door, and I follow him shortly.

Jackson's babysitter, Candace, is at the house because Mark is spending the night at his friends house and Ryder's out of town on a business trip.

I walk in the door.

"Hi Candace." I say to the fourteen year old.

"Hi Mrs. O'Brien. Jackson was an angel tonight."

"That's great. Do you need a ride home, hon?" I say.

"No thanks. My mom's actually here."

I pay Candace and say thank you and watch her walk out the door. Then I go upstairs to the nursery and look at my baby.

I wonder if he wants to Irish dance.

There's a Halloween feis this weekend and I'm making all my students go because it's the last competition before Oireachtas.

At the end of class on Thursday, Joe brings me his card for Conner.

"Here." he says reluctantly. I feel bad for him when I say "You have to give this to Reagan."

It seems like they've been avoiding each other all week. I hear them fight after class a lot.

Joe turns and gives the envelope to Reagan, who snatches it from his hands. She reads the writing on the front and looks touched. I can't but help listen to their conversation.

"I'm so sorry, Reagan." Joe says. "It's okay." she replies.

Soon it's Saturday and the non-championships are dancing.

A lot of my kids do well.

Then on Sunday I wake up and wake Mark up as well. I spike up his hair with some of Ryder's hair gel, lay out his clothes, and make him some breakfast. I really want Mark to move to open before Oireachtas. He just needs one more first and this feis could give it to him.

We head down to the ballrooms and I help him stretch. There's a lot of kids in his competition, and he's at the end, so at the third round I go and look for my other dancers. I soon find Maeve, Joe, Brooklyn, and Reagan stretching. Conner's even there, but I'm surprised to see him.

"How's it going guys?" I ask them.

They all reply with a synchronized 'good' and I head over to where Conner's standing.

"Hey there." I say to him awkwardly. Conner smiles. "Hi Miss Laurie." He's still in a cast and crutches from his injury.

"Come here to cheer everyone on?" I ask him. "Yeah, and for the Irish candies." He seems to be in an actually okay mood so walk away.

Then I find some of the younger dancers and wish them good luck before heading back to Mark's ballroom. When I come in the last kid before Mark is just finishing up his set. Conner comes on when he's dancing and cheers him on with me.

When he comes off the stage he grins. "That was one of the best times you have ever danced!" I say and Conner gives him a high five.

Then we all head over to the ballroom where Reagan and Brooklyn are dancing. Conner stays there with Mark and I head to Joe and Maeve's ballroom.

There's a lunch break before their results so we all eat lunch together.

Then it's results time and we all go out to the outside plaza where the awards are taking place.

We all hold hands for Mark's competition.

He ends up getting first overall and another girl from our school gets third.

Then it's Maeve and Joe's awards. Maeve gets fifth and Joe gets first so now he's in open, along with Mark.

Finally it's Reagan and Brooklyn's turn. Brooklyn gets second and Reagan gets first.

All of my other championship dancers also do very well.

It turns out to be a pretty successful day after all.