texted with my folks all the time but
I hadn’t seen my dad in months. Mom picked me up from the airport, but Dad came
home early so he was there when I got home. I was so pampered. Came from being
an only child I supposed. My dad was a couple inches taller than Maze and
swallowed me in his embrace.
“How’s
my girl?” he bellowed. He had a deep voice, which I loved.
“Find,
Daddy.” Both my parents had a little gray threaded through their hair but were
still in good shape for forty-something year olds. I looked like a younger
version of my mom. She was maybe a size larger than I was. Dad liked to brag he
could still fit into the suit he got married in, but he had a little tummy now.
Which he blamed on my mom’s great cooking.
“I
hear you have a boyfriend now.” He looked behind me like he was looking for
someone. “I’m surprised he’s not with you,” he laughed.
I
knew he was kidding around, although I was sure Mom told him Maze was more than
just a friend. He wouldn’t expect him to come home with me. I never brought
boys home, aside from Dante a couple of times, but he was just a friend.
“Ah,
he’s coming the morning of Bev’s surgery. I already let Mom know.” I spoke the
last hurriedly.
My
dad frowned. “Why? He doesn’t have a reason to be there.”
“Phil,”
my mom said lightly swatting his arm. “Obviously he’s coming to support Ivy.”
I’d
told my mom about Maze visiting. I guess she forgot to tell my dad. “Yeah, Dad.
Remember he also knew Shel. He knows how much the Stevensons mean to me.”
Dad
frowned. “Fine. I guess it’s only for one night. He can sleep in the basement.”
“Thank
you.” It’s not like I ever dated much. Dancing was a jealous master. I had only
a handful of boyfriends. None lasted more than a couple of months. Even when I
was a teenager and lived at home.
I
kissed my parents then went up to my room. My dad got a phone call and Mom
carried my bag up the stairs for me. As soon as we got to my room, she closed
the door. I sat on the bed. Not sure what was going on but clearly she wanted
to talk.
She
put the case down and sat on the bed next to me. “How’s Maze holding up?”
Mom
and Dad had sent Maze a card and flowers to the cemetery.
“He’s
doing okay. It’s hard sometimes though.”
“That’s
understandable,” she said. “And the fact he’s coming to be here with you now
says a lot about him. So are you two serious?”
This
was it. I hadn’t told my folks Maze and I had moved in together. My dad almost
had a cow when he first found out I’d be living with Dante, but when he heard
he was a dancer he relaxed. That and the fact I insisted we were just friends.
Separate rooms he could deal with. Maze and I did not have separate anything.
“Yes.
I think so. Mom, I have something to tell you but you can’t tell Dad yet. I
don’t want him to freak.”
She
laid her hand over mine. “What is it, honey?”
I
took a deep breath, and then exhaled. “Maze and I moved in together a few days
ago.”
She
squeezed my hand and took a deep breath. “I see. And are you sure about this?”
“Yes.
I’m sure, Mom.”
She
glanced away then back at me, this time putting both hands over mine. “I’m not
going to say I approve. I’m assuming when you say ‘moved in’ you’re not talking
about the way you lived with Dante.”
I
shook my head.
She
sighed. “You are an adult now, honey, even though you’re both so young. But in
truth, you’ve been on your own living in New York for a long time. I’ve stopped
telling you what to do ages ago, so I can’t really start now. I let you live
your dream.” She smiled. “But given your determination to become a professional
dancer I’m not sure I could have stopped you either. And as a result you’re an
accomplished beautiful ballerina but…tell me this: do you love him?”
I
nodded, my eyes tearing up at the thought of my love for Maze.
“Does
he feel the same way?”
Again,
I
I hadn’t seen my dad in months. Mom picked me up from the airport, but Dad came
home early so he was there when I got home. I was so pampered. Came from being
an only child I supposed. My dad was a couple inches taller than Maze and
swallowed me in his embrace.
“How’s
my girl?” he bellowed. He had a deep voice, which I loved.
“Find,
Daddy.” Both my parents had a little gray threaded through their hair but were
still in good shape for forty-something year olds. I looked like a younger
version of my mom. She was maybe a size larger than I was. Dad liked to brag he
could still fit into the suit he got married in, but he had a little tummy now.
Which he blamed on my mom’s great cooking.
“I
hear you have a boyfriend now.” He looked behind me like he was looking for
someone. “I’m surprised he’s not with you,” he laughed.
I
knew he was kidding around, although I was sure Mom told him Maze was more than
just a friend. He wouldn’t expect him to come home with me. I never brought
boys home, aside from Dante a couple of times, but he was just a friend.
“Ah,
he’s coming the morning of Bev’s surgery. I already let Mom know.” I spoke the
last hurriedly.
My
dad frowned. “Why? He doesn’t have a reason to be there.”
“Phil,”
my mom said lightly swatting his arm. “Obviously he’s coming to support Ivy.”
I’d
told my mom about Maze visiting. I guess she forgot to tell my dad. “Yeah, Dad.
Remember he also knew Shel. He knows how much the Stevensons mean to me.”
Dad
frowned. “Fine. I guess it’s only for one night. He can sleep in the basement.”
“Thank
you.” It’s not like I ever dated much. Dancing was a jealous master. I had only
a handful of boyfriends. None lasted more than a couple of months. Even when I
was a teenager and lived at home.
I
kissed my parents then went up to my room. My dad got a phone call and Mom
carried my bag up the stairs for me. As soon as we got to my room, she closed
the door. I sat on the bed. Not sure what was going on but clearly she wanted
to talk.
She
put the case down and sat on the bed next to me. “How’s Maze holding up?”
Mom
and Dad had sent Maze a card and flowers to the cemetery.
“He’s
doing okay. It’s hard sometimes though.”
“That’s
understandable,” she said. “And the fact he’s coming to be here with you now
says a lot about him. So are you two serious?”
This
was it. I hadn’t told my folks Maze and I had moved in together. My dad almost
had a cow when he first found out I’d be living with Dante, but when he heard
he was a dancer he relaxed. That and the fact I insisted we were just friends.
Separate rooms he could deal with. Maze and I did not have separate anything.
“Yes.
I think so. Mom, I have something to tell you but you can’t tell Dad yet. I
don’t want him to freak.”
She
laid her hand over mine. “What is it, honey?”
I
took a deep breath, and then exhaled. “Maze and I moved in together a few days
ago.”
She
squeezed my hand and took a deep breath. “I see. And are you sure about this?”
“Yes.
I’m sure, Mom.”
She
glanced away then back at me, this time putting both hands over mine. “I’m not
going to say I approve. I’m assuming when you say ‘moved in’ you’re not talking
about the way you lived with Dante.”
I
shook my head.
She
sighed. “You are an adult now, honey, even though you’re both so young. But in
truth, you’ve been on your own living in New York for a long time. I’ve stopped
telling you what to do ages ago, so I can’t really start now. I let you live
your dream.” She smiled. “But given your determination to become a professional
dancer I’m not sure I could have stopped you either. And as a result you’re an
accomplished beautiful ballerina but…tell me this: do you love him?”
I
nodded, my eyes tearing up at the thought of my love for Maze.
“Does
he feel the same way?”
Again,
I
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