Page 75 of The Dance Deception
But the flight is almost full and the aisles are too narrow, so instead we pass the time watching dance videos on his phone.
Sarah is first out of the car when we get to my sister’s house, so she can film us arriving. The dog bounces round her feet while my parents smother me in a hug. Then my niece and nephew charge me and knock me right over, which looks even more fun to the dog, who weaves among us trying to lick our faces.
Mum is left to introduce herself to Aleksis while Dee tries to rescue me from the kids, Pete shoos the dog away and Dad grabs Sarah’s camera bag from the car.
‘I’ll return at five,’ the driver tells us before pulling away, probably relieved to be escaping from the chaos that’s unfolding.
Nathan and Daisy shriek with excitement and try to getAleksis to dance with them in the driveway. Pete herds the dog back into the house and Mum sets about getting drink requests from everyone. She gets a bit teary as well. ‘It’s so lovely to see you. I’m so sorry we haven’t been there for you.’
‘We’ve been through this, Mum. It’s absolutely fine. I’ve got Lucy and Aiden, plus Beth and Tammy, and Aleksis of course, so it’s all good.’
‘I know, but—’
‘Mum, it’s fine. Come on, let’s get inside and show Aleksis and Sarah around.’
The kids are already tugging Aleksis towards the stairs and arguing over whose room he should see first.
‘And then we’ll show you the garden and you can go in our swimming pool,’ Daisy says proudly.
I turn to look at Dee. ‘Swimming pool?’ I’m sure she would have mentioned it if they’d had one installed.
‘Paddling pool,’ she clarifies. ‘They do like to exaggerate.’
Once the kids have finished giving Aleksis a tour, they turn their attention to Sarah. They want to be filmed, then shown how to use the camera, then have a go at filming themselves. Sarah takes it all in her stride.
Mum and Dee have really gone to town with lunch. There’s a delicious selection of salads, quiches, cheeses and cold meats, with Mum’s traditional apple tart for afters. I’m completely stuffed by the end of it.
‘Will you come in the pool now?’ Daisy asks Aleksis.
‘I’d love to, but I don’t have any trunks with me,’ he smiles.
‘You can borrow Dad’s. Dad, Aleksis can borrow your swimming trunks, can’t he?’ she pleads.
Pete looks from Aleksis to himself. ‘I’m not sure they’re going to fit, love.’
‘I’m not sure I’m going to fit, either,’ Aleksis points out, looking at the water-filled inflatable ring in the garden. ‘But I can sit at the side while you go in. How does that sound?’
‘I think that will be okay,’ Daisy says in that serious voice children put on when they want you to know who’s boss.
She grabs his hand and half leads, half drags him outside. He shrugs at me as he goes, but he’s laughing at the same time.
‘He’s very handsome,’ Mum observes when he’s out of earshot, which makes Dad roll his eyes. ‘I hope he’s treating you nicely. Not like that other one.’
‘He couldn’t be nicer.’ Then I tell them about the premiere and our rehearsals, and show them some photos of his flat on my phone.
‘Looks like you’ve landed on your feet there,’ Dee grins.
‘It’s only temporary, but yeah, no complaints.’
When our lunch has settled, we clear the dining room furniture to one side so Aleksis and I can get a bit of tango practice in. The floor is tiled so it’s not bad for dancing on, but it gets pretty cramped when everyone piles into the room to see us in action. There definitely isn’t space for us, six spectators and a camerawoman. The kids quickly get bored, though, so Pete takes them back out into the garden.
When I mess the routine up for the fifth time, Dee realises I’m struggling to concentrate and herds our parents out of the room, too. Out in the hall I hear Mum say, ‘But they’re only here for a few more hours.’
‘Yes, but they need to rehearse, just for a bit,’ Dee says. ‘Let’s give them an hour or so then we’ll drag them back out for tea and cake before they have to go.’
‘Your mum’s so sweet,’ Aleksis says as we listen to their retreating footsteps. ‘It’s a shame we can’t stay longer. I think she’s loving having you here.’
‘Careful what you wish for,’ Sarah says from across the room. She walks towards us, holding out her phone.
