Page 4 of The Reborn

“I...” Her dark eyes skated around, then back. “It’ll be fine. I’ll study up front while you go do your class.”

“You sure?”

She nodded and moved away, leaving me alone in the hall, so I jogged down to my studio.

In the time I’d owned the studio, teaching had become second nature. Giving up the professional stage had been a challenge, but I’d found a sense of calling in helping others learn and grow and experience the same joy I did on the scarred wooden dance floor I loved so much. I was also so proud of the progress my advanced pointe students were making.

“Good work on your changements today, Rosa and Becky,” I said as we finished up. “Keep practicing.”

“Can we go back to Grand jeté next week?” Rosa asked.

“Maybe. Let’s see how those legs look and we’ll decide.”

They nodded and headed out with their bags, then I closed up the room and left to find Sofia. She was huddled up alone behind the front desk in an oversized SHSU sweatshirt, the hood hiding her heavily highlighted dark hair and that flawless makeup that she shared came from all the social media tutorials I no longer had time for.

I’d hired Sofia as a promising dance major from the local college, and she’d proven to be an eager employee who not only had talent in spades but was sweet, and once I got to know her, was always willing to babysit if I needed her, which was amazing. Single mom with a toddler and a college kid who could use extra cash... it was a win-win.

I waved to get her attention until she pulled out her iPods. “What’s up?”

She set aside her textbook. “It’s nothing. I’m kinda feeling stupid for bothering you now.”

I sat next to her. “You’re not bothering me. What is it?”

She sucked in a breath and let it out slowly, her dark eyes on mine. “I just... I didn’t mention anything earlier because I thought it was nothing, but the more I thought on it, I thought I better just in case...” She sighed, glancing down to her hand where she was picking at her thumbnail.

“Mention what?” Something in my chest began to feel tight as my mama bear instincts started to tingle.

“When I was watching Lizzy yesterday, we took a walk to the park by your house...”

“And?” I demanded, impatience poking at me.

Dark eyes lifted to mine. “And while we were playing and swinging, I noticed this guy watching us. He was kinda far away. At first I wasn’t sure if he was looking at us, but after a while, I was pretty sure. It felt really creepy, so I took her home right away and locked the doors and made sure I had my pepper spray.”

I blinked, processing. “Pepper spray.”

“Yeah. I got it after I had a bad breakup with a boyfriend who shoved me around.” Her eyes grew big. “You don’t think it could’ve been him, do you? Oh God!”

I put a hand to her arm. “No. How could he have known you’d be at my house?”

“Right. Okay.”

We sat there looking at each other for a long moment as I digested this and tried to decide if it was something to worry about or not. It could’ve been nothing other than her imagination. But everything my famous brother had just gone through with the paparazzi and relentless photographers rushed through my mind and I couldn’t help but wonder if they’d transfer their fascination with him to his family. It didn’t make sense... though his wife did just release her first single on the radio after years of being out of the limelight. Maybe...

“Are you mad at me?” Sofia asked, cutting into my thoughts.

“Mad? Why would I be mad at you?”

“For not mentioning it sooner.” She bit her lip.

“No. Of course not.” I offered her a reassuring smile. “Thank you for telling me now. And you did the right thing.”

She nodded, something in her eyes not seeming convinced. “Okay.” She stood and I watched as she shoved her book in her bag and waved before heading out to go home.

I watched her small frame climb into her old model sedan and drive away and I was bombarded with alternating images of her asking about Elizabeth’s father when she first started babysitting, and me dodging the question, then her being hurt by some punk kid, and angry that she’d need to carry around pepper spray.

That’s when it dawned on me how much you can think you know about a person, yet still know so little.

Three

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