Dancing Through The Night

Cohen - 31

She looks beautiful and plays beautiful. She is beautiful, it's her birthday tomorrow, and she is on stage with... Josie's dad? I've had enough for tonight. "Brendan!" I tap my friend's shoulder as I'm shouting at him over the noise. "I'm going home."
He looks at me for a while. "Because of her?" He nods towards the stage. I didn't think he'd recognise her. I shake my head, not wanting to go there, as we make our way through the crowd. "Did you know she was going to be here tonight?"
I shake my head. "No, but I think that's her girl's father."
"Shit! I'm sorry, man. They still together?"
What do I know? He was at her's half-naked. They probably made-up, sorting through their problems. That's what adults do, and I should leave her to it. "No idea. But really, what am I doing? I can't deal with this."

I'm about to leave when Danni, Brendan's on-off girlfriend surprises him from behind, covering his eyes. She's a sweet girl and I haven't figured out what their problem is. Somehow they keep on breaking up. It's been at least six weeks that they've last been together. I don't think they've ever lasted longer than four months. She's with a friend I've seen before, but I can't remember her name. She's sexy and when I see Alannah on the side of the stage embraced by - is that the guitarist? None of my business. I decide to go to a bar with Brendan and the two girls.

I drink more than I should, considering I have to work tomorrow. Checking my watch, it's 2am. The first thought crossing my mind is that it's Alannah's birthday. I won't be part of that day.
"I better get going," I announce. "Work tomorrow." Brendan and Danni have been all over each other while her friend Cassandra was non-stop talking to me. I can see the disappointment in her eyes, but at least she's not making an attempt to come home with me. I just want to go to bed and sleep.

The week goes by with work, taking Winston on walks, running and surfing. On Tuesday, Jay comes over. I haven't seen Alannah around. Every once in a while I wonder if she's okay. Fine, I think about her a lot. I miss visiting her, talking to her, laughing with her and taking Josie on walks. I hope she's okay. I hope her ex is treating her well and that she's getting the life she deserves. Why have we never spoken about Josie's dad? Not once has she mentioned him and I hadn't thought it was my place to ask. If only I had, I maybe would feel better now, being able to estimate the chances that she's okay. But really, he left her alone when she had Josie. When she was in hospital, when she got home, when she was unable to sleep at night for weeks on end. Alannah shouldn't forgive him. No matter what. That much I know. Guys don't change that much.

On Thursday at work I give in and do the unethical. I look into her file. No father is entered. Why would she take him back into her life so easily?

"Hey, Co!" Brendan greets me with a friendly slap to the shoulder when I arrive to life saving duty in the afternoon. I haven't seen him since the weekend. He smiles from ear to ear.
"Are you and Danni back on?" I ask him, seeing the answer written all over his face when the smile gets even wider.
"This is it," he states, re-adjusting his swim cap. "I can feel that this is it, forever. You know."
"Good for you," I tell him, while applying sunscreen to my face. I mean it. "She's a nice girl."
"By the way, Cass has been asking about you. We're going to the tennis club tomorrow afternoon. Why don't you come along?"
"I'm not sure," I tell him. "I've got an early shift tomorrow and won't be off until two." Excuses. That has never stopped me before. We walk to the shade sails where we take over from Cliff, one of the older volunteers and a newbie I haven't met before.
"Perfect. Just meet us at three then." He can see my hesitation. "You've been a monk for long enough." Yep. He's right.
"Three o'clock. I'll be there. Just have to go home first after my shift to take Winston for a walk."

As cute as she may look, she's a pain. Cassandra talks non-stop about everything and nothing. I'm tired from my shift and was hoping for a workout to keep me up until at least eight tonight, but the double we played did nothing like that. I'm bored to bits but promised to end my Alannah obsession today. And if Cassandra is interested, then so be it. I just need her to be quiet or I'll fall asleep. I'm stuffing my unused towel in my bag and zip up my racket while Cassandra and Danni are changing their shoes. I think Brendan can tell that things are not going smoothly from my end and he comes to the rescue. "What did you guys think about the concert last week?"
Did he forget that I didn't enjoy the concert?
"It was fabulous." Cassandra begins to give us a rundown of each band and what she loved the most. She must have a good memory because I couldn't remember even half that stuff. "... and then when he got his girlfriend on stage to play the cello," That got my full attention.
"His girlfriend?" I'm asking way too eagerly and all three look at me, Brendan the only one with knowing eyes.
"Yeah," Cassandra confirms, still looking surprised as to why that out of everything caught my attention.
"How do you know she's his girlfriend?" I don't care if they think I've lost the plot. They'd be right. I have.
"Em, it was quite obvious the way he raved about her."
My head starts spinning, all tiredness drained out of my body and adrenaline pumping through my veins. This right now is more workout than the tennis game before.
I'm going insane. "I'm going home," I tell my friend. He knows why. I can see it.
"How about I come with you?" Cassandra askes eagerly without waiting for an answer. "I live in your direction." How does she know where I live? And I really don't like it when I suddenly find her arm hooked with mine.
I try to stay polite and not give it any attention. If she wants to hang on my arm, fine. She follows me out of the club, in high heels. The clicking sound of those heels on the pavement couldn't be more annoying.
She follows me all the way home. We don't talk, she does. When we get to my place Winston greets me at the fence and I notice my sister's car in the driveway.
"We'll catch up some other time," I interrupt Cassandra's excitement about seeing my place. Family comes first.