Page 40 of Midnight Whispers

I smile. “Thank you. Do you like to dance?”

She frowns, and her eyes grow sadder. “I don’t know how.”

Finally, some common ground and a way to have fun with them. “If you want, I can teach you something. I started taking dance classes when I was really little.”

A spark of happiness grows in her eyes. “Okay!”

I look at Rose, whose attention is still fixed on the TV. “Do you think Rose would like to learn something too?”

Dahlia looks at her and shakes her head. “She’s too shy.”

“Okay, no problem. If she wants to join in, she can just let us know, how does that sound?”

Dahlia nods excitedly and slides off the bed, as do I. I walk over to where there’s a small amount of room at the end of the beds. It’s not a lot, but we’ll make it work.

“Okay, the first thing I’m going to teach you is a step-ball-change. The first thing you need to do is to step out to the side with this foot.” I motion to her right side.

She does as I ask. “Like that?”

“Perfect. Okay, now take your other foot and put it behind that foot.”

She tries to do it but seems a little confused.

“May I touch your leg and show you?” Dahlia nods, so I crouch down in front of her, placing my hand on her right leg. “Put all your weight on this leg, and then move this one.” I reach for her left ankle and show her where to move it and set it behind her right leg. “Just like that, great!”

She wobbles and stumbles to the side as I stand up.

“That’s okay, it takes practice to balance like that. That’s something you can work on.” I smile, and she seems reassured by my words, which knits together something in my chest. “Just put your legs back how they were.”

She does as I ask.

I glance at Rose on the bed. She’s watching us with interest, rather than the TV.

“Okay, now your foot is at the back. See if you can put all your weight on that foot, but try to keep it on this part.” I lift my foot and point at the ball of my foot.

Dahlia shifts her weight and wobbles, sticking her arms out to the sides to balance herself.

“Good. Now lift your front foot and put it back down.” She does, and I clap. “You did it! That’s a step-ball-change.”

“Yay!” She jumps up and down and claps for herself.

I could cry from witnessing the transformation in her demeanor from when I first entered this room. It fills me with such joy.

“When you get used to the movements and do it a little faster, keeping your balance will be a lot easier,” I tell her.

Dahlia tries it again, messes up, starts over and is able to get through the whole movement.

Once she’s bored of that move, I teach her a box step and a jazz walk, all while Rose watches quietly from the bed.

I’m being silly, and the two of us are laughing when the pounding starts on the door. We both startle, and Rose makes a strangled cry from the bed, pulling her legs up to her chest.

“Lisa, you fucking bitch, you’d better open this goddamned door before I kick it down! I’m tired of this shit!”

He pounds again, and I spring into action, gripping Dahlia’s shoulders and hunching down so we’re at eye level.

“See this here?” I point at the deadbolt lock on the door. “When I go out and talk to your daddy, do you think you can flip it back this way as soon as the door closes?”

She bites her lip, tears in her eyes, and nods. “Daddy’s mad,” she whispers, and my heart breaks.

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