Through Thick and Thin (Anthony Rizzo)

Slow Dance

Anthony

It was a stormy day here in Chicago, and it hasn't stormed all that much since the start of the stay at home order. The days have been beautiful and besides a walk around the block we couldn't enjoy it all that much. Being all the way up here was kind of nice on rainy days because I liked to look out the windows and watch the rain fall down the window.

I decide to check my phone and realize I haven't heard from Jazz all day so I go up to check on her. Not that she can't handle herself, because she can. But it would ease my conscious knowing she was making it through a dreary day like this.

I knock on the front door before letting myself in. I hear her workout playlist and figure she was in the workout room. I worked out with her every day I could, but this girl never took a day off. And it was very obvious she didn't.

I find her on the treadmill going faster than I've ever seen her go. She spots me in the mirror that takes up the whole wall across from the door and smiles. She presses a few buttons to slow down before she comes to a stop. She hops off the treadmill and over to me.

"Morning Tony" she smiles. She seemed in a good mood today.

"Morning Jazz. How long have you been going at it" I wonder.

"About a hour and a half" she admits as she grabs a towel to wipe off her sweat. She pats herself down and for some reason I found that really attractive.

"It's like 8 am, so you've been working out since 6:30" I question.

"I actually got like four hours of sleep last night" she defends. Maybe that's why she's in such a good mood.

"So what are your plans for today" I wonder.

"You act like I have a lot of options" she teases.

"Well you do. You paint and cook and workout and talk with your family. You can do a lot of different things" I admit.

"I was kind of hoping I could just hang out with you" she says innocently. I couldn't stop the smile from coming up on my face. This was the first time she actually reached a hand out and gave me something to work with. And I wasn't really sure what to do.

So I reach my hand out too as she looks at me weird. I insist she takes my hand and after contemplating for a while she puts her hand in mine. I softly wrap my fingers around her as I pull her into me. I lace my fingers with hers and wrap my other arm around her waist. She was still a little sticky from her workout but still smelled like flowers. Her long blonde hair sticking to her forehead as she looks up at me. She wraps her arm around me and I pull her closer until we were chest to chest.

"I can't dance" she claims as we start to sway to the rhythm.

"You can't or you haven't tried" I accuse.

She just smiles as a soft chuckle passes her lips. "I'm not much of a dancer" she defends.

"Then let me lead the way" I insist.

"If you stay for this minute
Girl, I'll never let you down
We ain't off the limit
I could hold you after now
No more talking, I don't know what you wanna do with that?
It feels good, why you even wanna hold it back?
We just work and I know there's no coming back
Where you at? Where you at? Where you at?

I wanna slow dance if you feeling me now
If we don't hold hands you'll be killing me now
I need a romance, one chance
I just wanna know, will you slow dance?

I wanna slow dance if you feeling me now
If we don't hold hands you'll be killing me now
We need a romance, one chance
I just wanna know, will you slow dance?"

"There you go" I insist as her feet matches in time with me. I can tell by her grip on my hand that she was still a little nervous about stepping on my toes.

"Since when did you know how to slow dance" she wonders.

"You promise not to make fun of me if I tell you" I ask.

"Anthony, I watched you drop a hot dog on the floor then pick it up and put it back in its bun before eating it. I think you're safe here" she assures me.

"Alright, fair enough" I nod. "When I was a kid my mom put me in dance classes. Being light on your feet makes playing sports a little bit easier" I explain.

"I know. Both Stephan and Malcolm took dance lessons when they were younger, but you didn't hear it from me" she smirks.

"And do you mind if I say it?
Just wanna have you around, ooh
We take, then we give it
Something lifts us off the ground, baby
No more talk, I don't know what you wanna do with that?
It feels good, why you even wanna hold it back? (hold it back)
We just work, so I know that there's no going back
Where you at? Where you at? Where you at?

I wanna slow dance if you feeling me now (if you're feeling me now)
If we don't hold hands you'll be killing me now
I need a romance (romance), one chance (one chance)
I just wanna know, will you slow dance?

I wanna slow dance if you feeling me now (if you're feeling me now)
If we don't hold hands you'll be killing me now (killing me now)
We need a romance, one chance (one chance)
I just wanna know, will you slow dance?"

She rests her head on my chest and I know for a fact she felt how hard my head was beating. There's no way she couldn't.

I rest my head on top of hers as I close my eyes. We move to the beat of the music and for a second I forgot I was stuck here. I didn't want to be anywhere else than here with her like this.

"It won't work, it won't work, it won't work out
If we don't have a say in this world now
Taking turns, taking turns in this dance now
I won't forget about you

I wanna slow dance if you feeling me now
If we don't hold hands you'll be killing me now (killing me now)
I need a romance, one chance
I just wanna know, will you slow dance?

I wanna slow dance if you feeling me now
If we don't hold hands you'll be killing me now (you'll be killing me now)
We need a romance, one chance (one chance)
I just wanna know, will you slow dance?"