Page 14 of Easy Rumba

Chapter 6

Leo

“And the final celebrities of the night to be partnered up are Oscar-nominated actress, Elise Landry, and former Senator for Ohio, Cecelia Weigel,” the show's host, Vanessa Murphy, states. She’s a leggy blonde and co-presents with her husband, a comedic presenter named Chris. She's the main face of the show while he works the back room, talking to the celebrities after they’ve danced. “They will be paired up with the two remaining, fabulously handsome, male dancers, Alexis Volkov and newcomer, Leo Westwood.”

My heart is beating so fast I think it might explode…please, please, please, let me be paired with Elise. I've got nothing against Cecelia as a person, but she can’t string a rhythm together to save her life, and she owns two left feet. I’ll almost certainly be the first person to leave the show if she partners me, and I don't want to go that soon.

The crowd falls silent, and Vanessa reads from her card, “Elise, your partner will be...” There’s a dramatic pause. Everything is silent. My heart is now thudding harder than ever, it's rhythmic beat banging out Elise’s name…Elise, Elise, Elise…“Leo Westwood,” Vanessa announces.

Elise screams excitedly. I jump up and down for joy. I can’t believe I'm going to be partnered with my first love. She's going to have to work hard. We’ll be doing hours upon hours of training together. It will give me the opportunity to get to know her again. The biggest positive is I'm not going to get kicked out in the first week, which now can’t be said for Alexis.

Running over, well, rather cha-cha-ing over to Elise, I pick her up and swing her around before setting her back down on the studio floor and wrapping my arm around her waist. The host asks us several questions, and I answer, my mind going onto autopilot. I just can't believe this is happening it's crazy after so many years apart. She smells so good. I need to stop thinking like that because I can't get a hard-on in front of the cameras on live TV.

“Elise, how do you feel about having Leo as your partner?”

“Excited. We actually grew up in the same neighborhood, so it’s going to be good getting to know him again.”

“That’s amazing. You must be really looking forward to working with him.”

“I am. It's going to be so much fun,” Elise replies as she turns and smiles up at me.

I feel a sudden urge at this point to interject with a funny anecdote from our childhood.

“As long as she still wears those short cheerleader skirts every day, I'll be a very happy man.”

Elise playfully pats me on the chest, and the crowd erupts into laughter.

“I can see that you two are going to have a blast together. Ladies and gentlemen, our fifteenth pairing, Elise Landry and Leo Westwood.”

The crowd cheers, and Elise and I go backstage while Vanessa interviews Alexis and Cecilia. We are instantly caught up in a flurry of other interviews before performing a group dance we’ve been practicing all week. The choreographed piece ends with Elise and I dancing together and culminates in her straddling my lap for a finishing position. I can’t help but notice how red her cheeks go when I make her linger there a bit longer than she did in practice.

After the show, Elise disappears. Eventually I find her talking to a woman, I don't recognize, and a little girl in pigtails, who’s wearing a glittery outfit.

The little girl, who can’t be older than ten or eleven years old, sees me first and excitedly starts jumping around. As I approach, Elise looks down at the floor and then back up at me from under her long eyelashes. I don’t have to look between Elise and the little girl to know she’s Elise’s daughter. She’s the spitting image of her mama.

I go over to them.

“Hello.” I get down to the girl's height to shake her hand.

“Is this really Leo, Mama?” The little girl asks.

My mind is awash with questions. Elise and I have spent a lot of time together today, and she hasn’t mentioned a husband. Where is he tonight? Why isn’t she wearing a wedding ring? Has my dream been shattered before it’s even started?

“Yes, Izzy, this is Mr. Leo.” Elise stands next to her daughter, and the other woman takes a step back.

“It's good to meet you, Mr. Westwood…sorry, Mr. Leo. You’re a fabulous dancer. I loved the routine you did with Angelique. She has such purple hair—I love it. I wish I could get my own hair that color. Mama says no, though.” Izzy, as Elise called her, falls momentarily silent and bites her lip. “Ooh, sorry, I'm forgetting my manners tonight. I'm just so excited. It's been amazing seeing Mama on the show.”

I look down at the babbling little girl. She really is the spitting image of her mama—her eyes are the same color, and she even has the same little button nose. It takes my breath away and leaves me speechless. I can't believe it. I try to form something of a sensible answer.

“You would look amazing with purple hair. Maybe we can persuade your mama to do it semi-permanently.”

“No, it has to stay its natural color.” Elise chuckles behind me, and the other woman joins in. “Leo, this is my friend Gabrielle, but we all call her Gabby. And this little lady you’ve already met”—she ruffles her daughter’s hair—“is Isabelle, or Izzy as she prefers to be known.”

“Your daughter?” I respond still testing the word on my tongue. Daughter.

“Yes.” Elise pulls the little girl into her arms, and I see concern flash across her perfect features. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her. I was caught up with everything that’s been happening over the last few days.”

“It doesn't matter. It's been a long while since we last saw each other. There is probably a lot to learn.”

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