Page 35 of Count Down

“This place looks brand new? Did it just open?” I ask Luca.

“Just re-opened. It went through a renovation recently.”

The scone is delicious. It falls apart in my mouth. The hint of blueberry with the raspberry jam is just the right combination. It feels like a perfect day. It’s not too hot, the sky is clear and the sun is out. The bakery is busy, and a lot of the customers have taken their pastries out to the small park across the street, sitting in the sun to enjoy their food.

The bakery door opens and a man almost the size of Luca walks in. He’s tall, tanned skin, and dark hair. Dark tattoos are poking out from under his t-shirt. He glances in our direction and notices Luca who’s facing away from the door.

The man looks at me and puts his finger in front of his mouth, instructing me to be quiet. He starts slowly creeping up behind Luca. I’m not sure what I should do.

Luca speaks without turning away from his pastry. “Don’t even think about it, Raf.”

“Ah, should’ve known,” Raf claps a hand on Luca’s shoulder. Luca shakes his other hand.

Luca is still straight-faced. “I could smell your aftershave from a mile away. Gina, this is Raf. A colleague of mine. Raf, this is Gina.”

Raf shakes my hand. “What brings you over here?” He asks us.

“Heard there were good pastries,” Luca answers.

“They’re delicious,” I say. Raf smiles brightly, pleased that I like them.

“Plus,” Luca continues. “Figured it’s time I come check out the updates you’ve done to the place.”

Raf notices Caroline come around from the counter and he rushes over to her. He wraps her in his arms and gives her a big kiss. The two are clearly in love. I glance at Luca and he’s also watching Caroline and Raf. Luca looks back at me and catches me watching him. He turns back to the last bite of his pastry, but I can see the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

Luca and I leave the bakery without saying goodbye to Raf. He’s absorbed in his conversation with Caroline. Luca holds my hand once more as we walk back to his car. It somehow feels more real when he holds my hand in the light of day.

“I’ve got some work I have to do this afternoon,” he says. “But I can see you again this evening if you want.”

“I’d love that. I have a rehearsal, but I’m done by 8.”

Luca drops me off at my new apartment. It feels a little weird, or maybe just unfamiliar. I’m not used to it yet. But I don’t miss going back to my parents’ house. Lexi’s not here right now, so I get some alone time in my new home. I’m kind of glad she isn’t waiting to bombard me with questions about my night with Luca right when I walk in the door. But I know she’ll be asking later. I can’t avoid her forever.

I head to my room and unpack a few more boxes, then I try to put my bed together. It’s tricky work. I used my dad’s tools to take it apart, and I don’t quite have the right ones here to put it back together. I do the best I can, tightening the bolts that hold the headboard to the side rails together by hand.

By the time I’m finished, I’m nearly sweating, so I go take a shower before leaving for my rehearsal.

* * *

I’m glad to be back in the studio working on my piece after a few days of hiatus. I start by having the dancers run through what we have so far. They remember most of it. There are some areas I want to fine-tune. But it definitely feels like it can all be done in a week.

“Daniel, that was the best run-through yet. Good job remembering that transition.” I turn to address the other male dancer. “Anthony, both you and Daniel can get much more exaggerated on the high points.” They nod as they catch their breath and I turn to give Anna her notes. “Anna, that gives you a chance to really create the contrast. I want you to sink into those grounded movements, like you weigh 500 pounds. The only time I want you light is when they’re not partnering you.” She nods as she takes a sip from her water bottle. “The way you came in and out of the partnering was great. It read like you were being tossed and bounced around between them. I think that looks great. And when you get to your final dance in the end, it’ll look so amazing.”

The dance has several distinct parts. The first pas de trois, where Anna is bounced back and forth between each guy. The male dancers in this piece start to exaggerate their moves as the music goes on, becoming more aggressive little by little. Meanwhile, the woman starts to get more subdued as she tries to get away from them and dance on her own.

In the second part, she finally does get away from them and dances alone. She’s no longer pushed around and no longer caught under the force of either of the males. I love the way it’s coming together. But something still doesn’t feel right about the transition between these two parts, and I feel like the end needs something, too. I don’t have much time to figure out what that is.

Daniel, Anthony, Anna, and I run through the piece a few more times over the next hour. By the end I can tell they’re exhausted, but I’m still buzzing and want to keep going. I let them go for today, but I stay and continue working on it by myself.

I love getting to see dancers perform my choreography, but one of my favorite parts is this. Getting to imagine the dance and work through it in an empty studio. As I dance through the piece, I stop to make notes of tweaks and changes I want to work on tomorrow. Nothing too big, just little things I want to make sure and fine tune over the week.

After another hour, I’m tired and decide to wrap up. I haven’t quite figured out exactly what I want to do in the transitional part of the dance, but I know I’m close. I’ll just have to keep thinking about it.

29

LUCA

I tookGina to the bakery for a couple of reasons. Of course the food is great, but I also needed to see Raf and Caroline’s relationship with my own eyes. Raf might not have killed as many men as I have, but he’s still mafia through and through. Caroline knows that, and yet she’s still with him.

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