Page 17 of Heartless

Onyx hired a DJ for the night, and he’s playing hip-hop music that my girls love. Their parents are here to help them celebrate as are some of their boyfriends. They’re dancing all around the space while others are eating, and yet others are mingling.

“I think you made a name for yourself tonight, Meadow,” Holly, one of my lead dance instructors, says.

“We made a name for ourselves, Mirage,” I say, waving my arms around to include the collective body of student dancers and instructors.

Although the entire student body didn’t perform tonight, and neither did my instructors, I view tonight’s performance as a win for us all. When we were granted the opportunity to perform, we had a limited amount of time to do so.

I pulled together our top students and choreographed the performances that we would put on. We worked hard for three months straight, perfecting our technique and our moves.

“You danced so beautifully. I wish you would do it more,” Holly says.

Smiling, I say, “I think it’s time for you all to shine. I received several cards tonight from different companies wanting our girls to perform as well as two invitations from different theaters inviting us to put on a performance in the future. I’m thinking that this will be a wonderful opportunity to show the diversity of talent that we have at Mirage.”

“I can’t wait, Meadow. I was so inspired by tonight’s performance that I have several ideas in mind,” Holly gushes.

“I’m all ears,” I say.

“Not right now. First, hI need this pretty lady’s attention,” my husband interrupts, wrapping me in his embrace from behind and startling me.

“Of course, Onyx. I’m going to enjoy the party while you two lovebirds catch up,” she says, winking at me.

“Hey, you,” I say, turning to face my husband.

“Hey, yourself,” he says, leaning down to kiss my lips. “I saw your parents there tonight.”

“Yeah, Mama said that she would make sure that they showed up, but I honestly wasn’t expecting my brothers.”

“I’m glad that she was able to convince them to come,” Onyx says, leading me from the main room to another smaller private room down the hall.

“I just wish that they would have come by here,” I say.

“Well, wish no longer,” Onyx says, throwing the door open.

On the other side, my mother stands beside my father and brothers. Mama’s wearing a large, proud smile, and so are my brothers. While my father is scowling, he has a large bouquet of roses in his arms.

“Mama! Daddy! You came,” I gasp in shock.

My father remains scowling as I rush to my mother and throw my arms around her.

“Thank you. I know what this cost you,” I whisper to her.

“You have no idea, but I wouldn’t miss any of this for the world,” she whispers back.

I move from my mother to my father. “Daddy, thank you for coming.”

My father nods and says, “You were beautiful out there.”

He hands me the flowers, and I throw my arms around his neck. When I hear the door softly close behind us, I turn to stare over my shoulder and find that Onyx has left us alone.

Looking back at my father, I say, “Daddy, I know that he’s wealthy, but I don’t apologize for that because Onyx is a good man. I chose a man who loves, honors and protects me. I’m not going anywhere, and neither is he.”

“We’ll see how true that statement holds up when trouble come. Rich men like him don’t know what it means to stick around through the thick and the thin. If they can’t buy their way out of a mess, they want no parts of it.”

“Daddy, that’s unfair. All men aren’t created the same no matter their socioeconomic background.”

I only get a grunt for my efforts, but I smile at him and kiss his cheek.

“Well, while you and Daddy are having your nice little reunion over there, don’t forget about us. Are we chopped liver or something?” Micah asks.

---