Porcelain

38

Erik leaned his head against his hand. At the moment he was on the runway watching from above as Fleurette walked steadily onto the stage. Even from his vantage point he could see she was nervous. As far as coping with nerves went, she wasn't doing a bad job. Most people would be a wreck having to perform the solo they had been practising nonstop for about a week in front of their teacher, friends and a few stagehands.

But that was probably where Fleurette differentiated from most people. She walked onto the stage with a smile and took up position as if she had been put in these circumstances many times before. Erik had full confidence in Fleurette that she would perform this solo to the best of her ability and then some. He meant what he had said; making this piece stay as a duet just seemed wrong. But then this thought could have cropped up because his judgement would have been clouded by his relationship with the redhead on the stage.

Madame Giry gave the stage one solid and clear sounding tap. This indicated to Fleurette that she could commence dancing. And dance she did. Erik rested his head away from his hand and watched her glide across the stage. Admittedly he had seen her perform, or rehearse, this piece but he had only spied on it when Fleurette had only just started rehearsing it. In other words, seeing it now in its full completion, albeit without the music, was interesting. Erik could now see the effects the private rehearsals had had on Fleurette. She was already a good dancer, but there seemed to more precision to some moves she followed through with.

There was however one thing which bothered Erik ever so slightly. Despite handling the nerves and performing brilliantly in this dress rehearsal, there was a pained expression lingering on her face. It was ever so slight, but slight enough for him to notice it.

"There she is, mama!" A young voice exclaimed, Erik frowned and watched a small child appear running towards the stage.

Fleurette seemed equally puzzled. Sure, he couldn't see her face or expression but her body language gave off a confused vibe. The surrounding people who were busy watching Fleurette dance seemed to snap back to reality and look towards the small smiling child, who was barely the same height as the stage. Her large eyes peered over the top and seemed fixed on Fleurette.

Crouching down, Fleurette was careful not to lean, or step, on her dress. "Little Josephine, I had a feeling you would come here, I just didn't know it would be today."

"I tried to stop her," a woman appeared and gently pulled the child back. Erik assumed it was the child's mother.

Fleurette shook her head gently, "It is fine." Erik smiled, mainly because Giry had given the two intruders a stern look as if trying to tell them to leave just by giving them one look. When she had spoke, she had glanced at the older woman. "You are well?" Fleurette looked at the child, who nodded so quickly Erik was surprised her head didn't somehow manage to pop off from her neck. "Come up," Fleurette waved a hand casually at the stairs, Josephine didn't need to get told twice.

"Fleurette," Giry approached the two.

"Yes?"

"Do not be long." She looked around worriedly. More importantly she looked up at where he was currently standing.

Erik couldn't help but roll his eyes. When it came to rehearsing he was usually quite strict, no part of him really wanted to stop Fleurette from seeing the little child. The same little child which she had previously saved from drowning. If he did stop her, Erik was rather sure he'd suffer a long winded complaint from said redhead, or she would ignore him. Both possible options didn't sit to well with him.

"You look pretty," Josephine had picked up some of Fleurette's long skirt in her hands and was stroking the soft looking material.

"I like your dress better." Fleurette leaned down. "Blue is my favourite colour, along with green." Fleurette took the child's hands from her skirt and looked at her sleeve. "You are wearing a blue and green dress and I am rather envious, Josephine." This caused a huge grin to spread onto the young girls face, her mother merely shook her head and sat down in a chair.