After a tragedy, Amila Johnson abandons her life in New York and retreats back to her birthplace of Houston. She tries to start anew but she can't get far with the skills of being an almost classically trained ballerina.
Deciding to take up her fri...
It was done. Over. Finished. Amila sat in the quiet dressing room with the buzz of excitement teeming on the other side of the door's threshold quite unfazed. She didn't feel that same elation that the other dancers beamed with. She wasn't overjoyed. Her heart was heavy. Tears distorted her vision, blurring her reflection in the mirror. She danced flawlessly. A dazzling review was certainly being typed up as she wrung her hands trying to figure out a way to get her happiness back.
A happiness that she was flooded with before the other day. Before Dominic appeared and vanished quicker than a strike of lightning flashing across the vast sky. Her heart hurt before but she still had hope. Now she wasn't sure if hope was something she should cling to. Although she caught herself looking for him in the audience. Wishing he'd make an appearance, that his adoration for her was too strong for him to exactly leave. But didn't occupy any of those seats. Deja did, though and so did Keaton. Two faces that got her through the performance. Two people were madly in love. It was easy to spot on other people but difficult to decipher when it was close to home.
"I don't mean to interrupt." A familiar voice chimed along with a rap of knocks.
"You're not." Amila snatched a tissue from the box, quickly dabbed her eyes, and turned around. "Mrs—" Her voice went silent with shock as she rose to her feet. "Mrs. James, what are you doing here?"
"Where else should I be on Christmas Eve?" She handed Amila the bouquet of white roses she had cradled in her arms.
Amila held the flowers to her nose and inhaled the sweet scent remembering the bouquets of red roses she woke up to the night after Dominic made her body a wonderland for both of their enjoyment. Emotions swelled in her throat. She swallowed them down and regained her composure before lifting her head.
"How did you know I was performing?" Amila asked, cradling the bouquet.
Bittersweetness churned in her stomach. She wished it was another James standing before her and gifting her with roses. It wouldn't have been so if it wasn't for Savion. But maybe that was partially her fault. Deja told her he would be a problem; that they were each other's crutch. It wasn't until last night that she understood. He replaced Akeela with her. Not intentional but grief can make you do strange things like kissing your dead girlfriend's identical twin. Because that's what she was.
Amila knew that after tonight she would have to cut ties with Savion. It wasn't healthy for either of them to stay in each other's life more so for him. She would always be a reminder of the person he lost. The person he loved and she didn't want to cause him that pain. A pain she felt just from looking in the mirror; a task that had been getting easier. She wasn't gazing at her reflection but she was able to take a peek at the way Deja made up her face before the performance. It was a small step but a step nonetheless.
"I was Dominic's date," Valentina answered, stepping further into the room. She closed the door once she was fully finished, blocking the boisterous noise outside of the dressing room. "But he stood me up."
"He's not here." Amila's sight went to the door as if she could see through the wood. "He left."
"Flew out last night." Valentina sighed sadly. "What happened?"
Amila toyed with the ribbon holding the flowers together as goosebumps birth on her back from the air-condition blowing too hard for a cool December night.
"I—" Amila started. "A misunderstanding." She shook her head, the action causing a tear to roll from the corner of her eyes. "He saw something and assumed the worst. Assumed I was...over him."
"But you're not."
"No," Amila said firmly. "I..." She paused not sure if she should speak the emotion and feeling flowing strongly in her body like a storm surge.
"You love him." Valentina softly said, in the same tone she spoke that night at the house in Connecticut.
Amila nodded. "I do but he saw my dance partner kiss me and he thinks...but I don't."
"Oh, I know you don't." Valentina gestured to her. "But you don't have to convince me."
"I don't know how to." Crinkles formed in Amila's eyebrows as she threw her arms up in the air causing a petal to fall to the floor. "I don't even know where he is."
"Good thing I do," Valentina smirked. "He's in Colorado."
Amila's eyes widened at the realization. She forgot about his hotel opening.
"The family's supposed to spend Christmas there but I'm not too fond of snow and cold," Valentino said, digging in the satchel purse hanging on her forearm. "These old bones start to get stiff. Hot and humid is where I belong. That's why Syrus and I are going to Aruba."
"That's nice," Amila responded, wondering what the lady was trying to find. Gum. A mint maybe. She had no idea. "Sand and sun sound so nice."
"It does but it's not in your present future, sweetheart." Valentina's hand lifted from the purse and a keyring was between her fingertips. "You're headed for snow."
"What do you mean?" She asked, her eyes darting from the key back to the woman's face.
"The last thing Dominic needs is his family for Christmas." Valentina handed the keyring to her. "He needs you. And I wouldn't be a good mother if I didn't give my son what he wanted for Christmas."
Amila shook her head. "I can't just show up there."
"Yes. You can." Valentina took her hand and placed the key in her palm. "Trust me he wants you there."
"Mrs. James..." Amila called the woman's name with questions forming in her mind and caution swelling in her chest.
What if he had moved on? What if he had another woman there? What if he didn't want to see her?
Amila swallowed those questions and said. "Thank-you."
"You're welcome." Valentina wrapped her in a hug then released her. "Take my car. It'll take you to the jet."
Amila gave the woman another hug and texted Deja. She wasn't going to need that ride home after all. She was going to Aspen and getting her man. At least she hoped she'd be able to get him back.
Should Amila do it? Should she go to Aspen or is it a risky move?
Is Amila right, its time for her to put distance between her and Savion?
Will Dominic be okay with a Christmas without his family? Is his mom right?
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
