Page 42 of His Smile
Turning on her heel, she couldn’t stop the smile as she sawAmit holding a pudgy sleeping baby in his arms.
“My sweet baby,” holding her arms out, she quickly walkedforward and gently clasped Nayani’s soft, warm weight from his arm. “Oh, mysweet dumpling, are you awake now? You slept all through dinner, and I wasn’table to play with you.” she cooed and smiled at the little girl’s wide darkeyes staring up at her.
How something so sweet and precious came from Amit and hisvapid wife was beyond Rahina. Gently clasping one of the child’s pudgy hands,she gently shook the tiny gold bangles on her chunky little arm. She was sobeautiful, and Amit knew Rahina could not resist the chunky little angel.Ignoring him completely, she bounced and spoke to the staring little girl for afew minutes longer until she started to become restless. Reluctantly, Rahinakissed her round cheek goodbye and gave her back to her father, who only gaveRahina an unreadable look.
“Bye,” she grumbled and turned away to walk back to her car.
“Drive safely,” Amit threw the remark as one last dig, butRahina ignored him and got in her car.
~*~
Nodding to the hostess who waved her over to where Dante Mercersat in a large red leather booth, Rahina walked over. Two hours after the lunchrush, the hotel bar they chose to meet in was practically deserted. Slidinginto the booth, Rahina could feel some of her nervous tension she heldevaporate at Dante’s excited smile.
“Rahina, my God I am so happy to see you,” his knucklesthumped excitedly against the wood surface.
“I am just happy you still wanted to meet with me,considering I didn’t walk with you when you left years ago,” she admitted.
Dante waved his hand at that. “No, no. I knew what I wasasking was a crazy leap of faith, and we had only ever worked together for twoto three performances. Especially, once Theodore caught wind of me possiblyleaving, he purposely kept you far away from me, he knows how talented youare.”
She gave Dante a mocking smile. “Yeah well obviously not,”she spread both hands out, indicating her current state.
“But that is great, don’t you see? You are here now, andtogether we are going to make waves in this world,” Dante could barely containhis satisfaction. Leaning onto the table, he gave her a fixed stare. “Let’sskip all the preliminaries and get down to business, shall we?”
She gave him a look that said by all means.
“I want you to come dance for Ephemeral.”
Her heart soared at the blatant offer. Maintaining a coolfaçade, she stated her only requirement. “I want principal.”
Dante leaned back in his seat. “Of course,” he began toexplain. “I will have you come in as soloist now and after a fewmonths...”
“No,” she interrupted, the elation in her heart freezing athis words. No waiting, no proving herself. She knew what she was worth dammit,and she was a principal dancer. “I want to be signed on and announcedofficially with all the grander usually afforded that I will be your newprincipal dancer.”
“Rahina,” he said, urging her to understand. “If I announcethat you are principal on sign on, I will have a mutiny on my hands.”
Rahina didn’t move as she continued unyielding in herargument. “You and I both know if handled correctly you will not. I have dancedwith most of your dancers before. I know them, and they know me or at leastknow of me. They will know you are making bold moves just as you promisedeveryone that you would do with this company, and they will know I left TheBoston Ballet Company because I was denied the position I deserved. Thedecision to make me principal on sign on would only be natural. And do notthink I do not know you would be getting everything you want from this deal andmore.”
“Yes, but I also know you want Davies too,” he countered,referring to Jason.
Rahina tilted her head to the side in bemusement. “Do youreally want me to dance your major performances without Jason? Besides hiscontract is up just like mine, why would you not want Jason?”
“Fair enough. It’s not like I wasn’t going to go after himanyways,” Dante admitted with a grin. “Fine, I will contact Jason too, but Iwant you two to dance Carmen in two weeks and finish the run.”
“Isn’t Marcia is currently dancing that?” She asked,thinking of the narrow-faced dancer she met a year ago at a party of mutualfriends.
“And she is about as dynamic as a tax office sign twirler ata street corner,” Dante replied.
Resisting the urge to smile, she held up one hand in apausing gesture.
“Hold on, let me ask.” Pulling out her phone, Rahina quicklytexted what Dante was proposing to Jason.
Jason, who she had told she would call the moment she wasout of the meeting, texted back immediately with a “Hell yeah” and a bunch ofemojis. Hiding her smile, she looked up to Dante.
“We have a deal.” It was a miracle she was able to maintainher composure, all she wanted to do was jump and scream for joy. “Send over thecontract, and I will look at it and sign it if there are no issues.”
“You will have it in a couple of hours, I will need to callJason after you leave to get his set up.” Standing up from the booth, Danteheld out his arms, signaling for a hug. Laughing, she got up and hugged thetall ex-dancer. “Ah Rahina,” he groaned into the hug. “I cannot tell you howexcited I am to have you, I have never seen anyone light the stage up the wayyou do. I have so many ideas that you will be perfect for, I cannot wait towork together.”
~*~
