As Long As We Keep Dancing

By Cat

"Baby, I'm home," Johnny shouted, coming in the front door. He closed the door behind him, and lightly tossed his bag and his jacket on a chair in the hallway. "Where are you, Baby," he yelled again, peering through the open doorway on his right.

"I'm in here, Johnny, in the study." Baby's voice floated down the hall, and Johnny smiled and followed it. Baby looked up when he appeared, and her face lit up with a huge grin. She laid her book down and stood up, meeting him in the doorway. His broad frame filled the doorway, and Baby walked up to him, refusing to let his body stop her when they touched. She kept walking, and slowly backed him out of the room. He stopped suddenly when he hit the wall, and she laughed and put her arms around him.

Baby put her arms around his neck, Johnny put his arms around her waist, and as their eyes closed and their lips met, they swayed lightly to a tune that only they could hear. Baby's mind returned to the time five years before when they met, and remembered the many tender moments such as this one. Johnny must have been thinking the same thing. Their lips still together, he began to hum the tune they'd first danced to, "De Todo Un Poco." Baby smiled a little, but had to pull back when his humming tickled her lips. She laughed, her loud, hearty burst of laughter, and Johnny laughed too.

He grabbed her waist in a way reminiscent of their dancing days, and abruptly swung Baby away from him. In spite of the quick, unexpected movement, Baby completed the complicated dance step with ease, and ended up back in the arms of the man she loved. She smiled, and laid her head on his well-muscled chest. She sighed softly. They continued swaying for a moment to the music Johnny was humming, both lost in memories of times gone by.

Johnny reached the end of the tune, and Baby raised her head and looked up at him, a broad smile on her face. "I'm so glad you're home. I missed you today."

"Oh, yeah? Me, too, Baby." Johnny's smiled faded from his face, and Baby instantly became worried.

"What's the matter, Johnny?" He shook his head, but Baby persisted. "Come on, I know you better than that." Johnny shrugged a little, took Baby's hands and led her into her study. He sat down in the chair she'd previously occupied, and playfully, but at the same time, somberly, pulled Baby into his lap.

"You are so little," he said, putting his arm around her, pulling her close for another kiss. Baby let him kiss her, and leaned back. She laid her hand gently on his forehead, smoothing out the fine worry-lines. She trailed her fingers through his hair, playing absentmindedly with the soft curls.

"Johnny, did something happen at work today?" She could tell from the way his shoulders immediately tensed up that she had hit the nail on the head. "Tell me, Johnny." Baby put her hand on his shoulder, massaging gently, trying to work out some of the tension.

Johnny turned his head, laying a kiss gently on Baby's arm. He shook his head. "Nah, it's nothing, Baby."

"Don't say that, Johnny. Something's wrong." She smiled a little. "Tell me, please," she asked simply. Johnny sighed, took a deep breath, and cast a look at Baby. "You won't let up till I tell you, huh?" Baby shook her head.

"Not when it's so obvious that something's bothering you."

Johnny ran a hand up and down Baby's back. "Okay, okay. The resort hired someone else today." Baby took in a sharp breath.

"They fired you?"

"No, no, no. They hired a "co-instructor." Some Spanish, Cuban, some Latin guy. They said they need someone to teach authentic Latin dances." Johnny hit the arm of the chair in anger. His voice got louder. "That means," he said, almost hollering, "that I am only to teach the "American" dances."

"The American dances," Baby asked.

"The Fox trot, the Waltz... I don't know, Baby. I've been their instructor for 3 years! Why'd they decide that I can't cut it?"

"Oh, Johnny, I'm sure it's not that-"

"It has to be, Baby." Johnny gently slid Baby from his lap and stood up. "I'm going to my studio. Don't wait up for me."

"Johnny!" Baby stared after him, hurt, and scared by his outburst. "I have to go review the steps of the American dances, Baby. I haven't had to teach them in awhile. This new guy comes in tomorrow. I have to get ready." He stood by the doorway, his posture screaming out how tense, and tired, and angry, and hurt he was. Baby wanted to go to him and make it all better.

"Johnny, please-"

"Baby, I have to. This Latin guy comes in tomorrow." At that, with only a momentary backwards glance, Johnny stalked out of the room.

Baby didn't see him again for the rest of the night.

Carlos stepped out of his car, hefting his tote bag over his shoulder. He squinted into the early-morning sunlight, looking around at his surroundings. He'd only been here once, the day he interviewed for the job. He was unsure of where to go. He slid on his sunglasses, and looked down at the crumpled piece of paper he'd pulled from his pocket. Theater building, room 16. Carlos looked around again, shrugged, slammed his car door, and began walking in the direction of the biggest cluster of buildings.

Glancing down at his watch, Carlos spat out an obscenity. He was running at least 10 minutes late, not a good idea his first day on the new job. He picked up his pace, but as he neared the buildings, he could tell he was in the wrong place. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man walking towards him from the left, and he turned that direction to approach him. Carlos smiled broadly, trying to appear as unfrazzled and friendly as possible.

"Excuse me," he said, his Spanish accent thick and warm, "I'm looking for the dance and theater building." The man across from Carlos made no sign of recognition. "My name is Carlos. Today is my first day here." Still, the man stared straight ahead. Carlos was confused. He couldn't understand the cold and unwelcome response. "I've been hired to work here...to teach..." His voice trailed off. Finally, the man broke his eye contact with whatever was over Carlos' shoulder.

"I'm Johnny," the man said finally. Johnny shifted uncomfortably for a moment, switching his weight from foot to foot. Carlos shoved one hand deep into his pocket, and held tightly to the handle of his tote bag with the other. He couldn't figure out why this was so uncomfortable.

Johnny suddenly straightened up and smiled. "Anyway, like I said, I'm Johnny. I'm the...uh... dance guy. Well... I'm half the dance team, now, I guess." Carlos immediately figured out the reason for the discomfort; he assumed, correctly, that Johnny thought he was here to take his job.

Carlos smiled broadly and as non-threateningly as possible. "Good to meet you, Johnny," he said, his thick Spanish accent making the greeting sound exotic. "And please, do not worry. I'm only here to teach. I'm not here to take anyone's job." Johnny appraised the thin, squarely-built man in front him. His eyes searched Carlos' face for a sign of mockery or insincerity. Not finding any, he held his hand out in welcome.

"Glad to have you here, Carlos. Let me show you where the dance building is." They shook hands, and Carlos breathed an inward sigh of relief. So far, so good. Carlos again hefted his bag further up on his shoulder, and followed Johnny across the vast field toward a small cluster of buildings.

Baby looked around the living room absentmindedly, not able to shake the feeling that she was forgetting something. She shook her head, and scolded herself for being silly. She looked into her bag, seeing everything that she needed: her dance shoes, her leotard, her towel, the rubber band to hold her hair back.

She realized she wasn't missing something; it wasn't that she was feeling. Suddenly, Baby was overcome with guilt followed by shame; she felt she was doing something wrong. She sighed, pulled the rubber band from her bag, made her hair into a tight ponytail, and whispered to herself, "You aren't doing anything wrong. You're only getting dancing lessons."

Baby's curiosity about the new dance guy had gotten the better of her. She had called that morning to sign up for lessons. She didn't think Johnny would mind; he only had good to say about him. Baby was glad, but she realized that even if he had minded, she would have gone ahead anyway. She was too independent to let Johnny make up her mind for her. She wanted to see the new guy for herself.

Within a few minutes, Baby was parking on the gravel patch that served as the parking lot for the dance studio. She got out, inadvertently closing the door as softly as possible. She reminded herself forcefully that she had nothing to hide, but for some reason, she felt secretive and sneaky. She took a deep breath, and tried in vain to stand taller than her 5'2". Shoulders back, head up, Baby thought, as if it was some sort of mantra. She stalked into the dance studio.

Inexplicably, Baby thanked her lucky stars that she didn't know the receptionist. She told her she had an appointment with Carlos, and sat down to wait. She was a few minutes early, but instead of flipping idly through one of the out-of-date magazines, she gazed around her at the walls and ceiling of the recently-redecorated waiting room. The bare white paint on the walls was replaced with paint of a bright gold, and the walls were spattered with posters of Spain, and here and there were Spanish fans, long red and gold ribbons trailing from the ends. Baby wondered vaguely what they were; she'd not ever witnessed anything so foreign.

Baby was jerked out of her contemplative reverie when she heard her name called. She stood up and whipped her head around to the direction from which it came, and ended up eye to eye with one of the most handsome men she'd ever met. Her breath came in a quick gasp, and she blinked, surprised and unnerved. She regained her normal breathing, and said, "I'm Baby."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Carlos," he said. He took her hand in his and lightly kissed the back of it. Baby blushed, uncharacteristically, and lowered her eyes. "Come with me, please." The heavy accent made this sentence difficult for Baby to understand at first, but as he walked away and motioned her to follow him, she understood.

He led her down a dimly lit hallway to his studio room. She went in, and all at once her world exploded into color. Reds and golds and blacks and jewel-toned greens and blues and garnets jumped out at her. She couldn't distinguish one object from another, and she didn't try. She drew in a long breath, and let it out in a single word. "Wow."

"Do you like it," Carlos asked. "I decorated it myself with things from my home. I was hoping to create an...," he paused for a moment, searching for the right word. "An atmosphere," he said at last. He smiled. "I am sorry. My English is still rough."

Baby nodded. "That's okay," she said brightly. "I'm here to dance, not to talk." Carlos nodded in return, and clapped his hands brusquely. "Are you ready to get started?" Baby smiled and said yes. "Okay!"

An hour later, Baby was more than ready to stop. It had been three years since she'd done any real dancing; that is, dancing other than the whimsical bump-and-grind she and Johnny partook in on occasion.

Her arms were like spaghetti, her legs the same way. She was gasping for breath, and the rhythm Carlos kept pumping out, clapping and stomping his feet, was forever imprinted on her brain. She knew she'd be hearing it for days.

Baby's lesson was for an hour and a half, but after just over an hour, she fell to the floor and refused to move, even when Carlos prodded her with the toe of his shoe. She groaned and said, "I can't! You've gotten all out of me you're going to today!"

Carlos laughed as Baby curled up into a fetal position, covering her head and refusing to be seen. "Okay, okay, we can do something slower for the rest of the lesson." Baby raised her head and looked at him. "I promise, I will not make you dance too hard again." "Ohhhhh..." Baby groaned, dramatically pulling herself up from the floor. Carlos offered her his hand, and the moment she grasped it, she felt a lurch in the bottom of her stomach. His hand was warm, almost hot, and Baby let go of it as soon as she was standing. She wiped her dusty, sweaty hands on the seat of her shorts, and said quickly, "Okay, let's dance."

"All right." Carlos stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Baby's tiny waist.

Baby leaned into Carlos, laying her head on his broad chest. Her arms and hands automatically situated themselves into position for slow-dancing. She felt his heartbeat, heard it, let it flow through her blood, and instinctively, she began moving in the way Johnny had taught her years before. Carlos moved with her, and the two danced, their eyes closed, their breath matching the other's. There were no comprehensible thoughts that either could discern. Only the music that was playing in their heads, and the mindless contentment that came with knowing one was dancing well.

Baby felt herself sinking. She knew this wasn't Johnny she was dancing with, she knew that it wasn't his heartbeat running through her veins, she knew that it wasn't him making her feel breathless and beautiful and capable and liquid in her movements. She knew this was dangerous.

Carlos felt not only himself, but Baby, slowly losing control of the situation. He wanted to pull away, to let her go back to the man she belonged to, the man who was becoming his friend. But with every step, every breath, every heartbeat, he knew that it was hopeless. Carlos tightened his hold on Baby's waist.

Before either knew what had happened, Baby raised her face to Carlos, her eyes closed, a look of pure rapture on her face. He leaned down, slowly, and as their lips met, he knew that they'd crossed a line, a line that they'd ignored and could not cross again.

As if realizing this finally, Baby pulled back from Carlos. At the same time, she heard a noise behind her. It wasn't a noise that she associated with anyone or anything, but her heart sank as she realized that someone had seen. She turned slowly, her gaze still locked with Carlos'. She finally broke eye contact with him, and saw the one person she'd hoped would not be there.

Johnny stood at the door, a look of shock on his face.

Hours later, Baby sat at home, on the floor, in the hallway, waiting for Johnny to come home. He never showed up.

Two days later, Johnny still hadn't come home. Baby received word that Carlos had been fired and was leaving that weekend.

Baby was dozing on the couch. A sharp, insistent knock on the door woke her up suddenly. She sat up hurriedly, and rushed to the door. She pulled it open, fumbling with the lock. "Johnny?"

Baby was hurt, and surprised, to see Carlos standing on her doorstep instead of Johnny. "I have come to tell you goodbye, and to apologize for everything that has happened." Carlos lowered his eyes, not wanting to look Baby in face. Baby looked stricken.

"It's not your fault, Carlos, and I'm sorry you got fired because of me. I'm sorry to say this isn't the first time I've been responsible for someone's termination." Carlos looked at her. Baby explained, "Johnny and I met this same way. He ended up getting fired because of our relationship."

Carlos nodded, understanding, for the first time, why Johnny was so afraid of coming home, why he was waiting for Carlos to go, and why he was so in love with Baby. Once upon a time, he'd sacrificed everything for her, for her love, and when Johnny saw Carlos and Baby in a way that reminded him of a time gone by, he'd been afraid of losing Baby the same way he'd gotten her.

Carlos kissed Baby gently on top of her head. He took her hand, so small and fragile in his own. "You should go see Johnny. He's at his studio."

Baby nodded, and asked, "Has he been there this whole time?" Carlos said yes, and Baby wondered why she hadn't gone there yet, herself. Maybe, she thought to herself, I wanted to see what would happen with Carlos. She felt suddenly ashamed of herself.

"So you're leaving," Baby said, more than asked. Carlos nodded. "I guess, goodbye, then." She hugged Carlos lightly, and pulled back almost immediately. "I should go see Johnny now."

"He loves you very much, you know." Baby's eyes filled with tears. All at once, Carlos was gone, and Baby was standing at her open door, staring out at nothing, wondering what to do next.

Half an hour later, Baby was again parking her car on the gravel in front of the studio. She sighed, and reminiscent of a few days before, she garnered all the confidence she could muster, and walked into the almost-dark, empty studio. She walked softly down the hall and up the stairs to the studio where Johnny would be. Her tennis shoes made soft padding noises on the concrete floor leading down the hall.

The door to Johnny's studio was partially open, and inside, Baby could just see a few objects illuminated by the dim lamp Johnny had on. Soft, accented music floated out of the room, "De Todo Un Poco." Baby's eyes filled with tears for the second time that day, this time overflowing, and cascading down her cheeks. Baby quietly pushed the studio door open, knowing if she didn't go in now, she would lose her nerve.

At the creak of the door, Johnny sat up on the cot he kept in the room. He hurriedly brushed his hand across his eyes. Baby inadvertently saw this, and knew he, too, had been crying. Baby stood at the doorway, looking at Johnny, unsure of what to do next. Johnny stood up from his cot, and with that movement, Baby rushed to him, flinging her arms around him. She began sobbing against his chest.

Johnny put his arms around Baby, remembering again how fragile she felt, and how he always liked to feel as though he were the only one who could keep her safe and happy.

Baby tried to speak. "Johnny," she started, and began crying harder. "I'm so sorry! I never meant for that happen! I just want you to know that it really didn't mean anything. Nothing! It's always been you, Johnny. You have to know that!"

She pulled back and looked at Johnny. His own tears were coming harder now. "Baby, I know that. And it's always been you for me. But I was so afraid when I saw you two like that. I mean, Baby, think of how we got together! I could see the same thing happening with Carlos! It was like...like... It was the worst thing I could imagine, Baby."

Baby laid her head on his chest again, and said simply, "Carlos is gone." She felt Johnny nod.

Baby took a deep breath and asked the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since she'd gotten there. "Are we going to be able to fix this? Are we going to make it?" Johnny took Baby's face in his hands, and leaned down to kiss her gently. He put his arms around her waist, and she leaned into him, and he led her into a rhythmic motion to the music still playing in the background. The song to which they discovered their love. The music that would hold them together. The dancing that they'd loved together, that they'd loved as a part of the other.

Johnny led Baby into a complicated dance step, and as Baby missed it and laughed, Johnny looked at her adoringly. "Yeah, Baby, we can fix this. As long as the music keeps playing and we keep dancing, we'll be able to make it." Baby smiled, and as the smile lit up her eyes, Johnny smiled too, and they danced slowly in the darkened room, secure in their love.