Page 146 of Rome: The Ballerina

“She can stand on her own,” Chemistry reminded me.

With a roll of my eyes, I lowered Jru to the floor. Not because her father suggested it, but because I had to finish wrapping my hair in a bun. Showtime was in less than twenty minutes. I needed to be on stage in less than fifteen minutes.

“Only because I have to finish getting ready.”

“I’ll see you on stage, superstar.” Teddy kissed my cheek.

“See you.”

With Jru by his side, he powered through the room like a silent storm.

“I’m going to head out, baby,” Roulette claimed, hugging me tightly.

“So am I.”

“Me, too.”

“We’ll see you out front.”

“Knock ‘em out, baby.”

Rugger never said a word. She slithered out of the door unnoticed. I hadn’t expected anything less.

My mother’s love lingered. She was the prettiest in pink. Powdered pink, more specifically.

Those anguished eyes reminded me that her other half was missing. She mourned his death each day. Every day. It didn’t matter how many passed. He was her only love. Before him, she didn’t know what a man felt like. He was her entry to womanhood. Love. Life. Motherhood. Partnership. Everything.

He was quite literally everything to her. In his absence, she hurts. There wasn’t a day she didn’t. It was written between the wrinkles on her forehead and in the corners of her eyes. His death had aged her. My heart hurt knowing just how empty she must feel.

A hole she’ll never be able to fill. I wept for her inwardly.

“My Rome. My Rome,” she said with a broken smile.

“My Rhea.”

Her hands blessed me. My body welcomed them. She brought my face near hers as she peered into my eyes.

“Your father would be proud.”

“My father is proud.”

She agreed.

“Yes. Yes, baby. He is.”

She paused as our breathing synced.

“You’re even better than my wildest dreams,” she choked out, “Your father knew you were a girl before I could even tell him I was pregnant.”

Her chuckle was heavy. It was deep. It was moving.

“He said you’d come to him in a dream. Told him you’d be born a star. And, you’d have the same discernment he was blessed with. But, better. Wiser. Far more gifted. Hadn’t it been my husband, who I knew better than I knew myself, then I would’ve thought he was off some sort of medication. But, I knew he wasn’t and I knew everything he was telling me was true. And, here you are.”

My nostrils swelled as tears stung my eyes.

“I’m in love, Mother.”

She lifted her head and then allowed it to fall an inch. She repeated the same movement four times.

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