Page 62 of Count Down

BAM!

Right as I land on the sidewalk, I’m tackled from the side. I’m hit hard and low and thrown to my back, already off balance as I had barely landed.

Someone’s on top of me and reflexively I’m holding their arms off me. It’s not the fat man. It’s someone much lighter. Someone with red hair.

It’s Cormac Dolan’s daughter. Rage and terror are in her eyes. She’s almost foaming at the mouth. I’m holding back her arms. In one hand she’s holding a knife, trying to bring it down on me.

I’m much stronger than her and able to keep her from pushing it any closer to me. But I have to get out of here. More of Dolan’s men must be right behind her. I can’t reach my gun. It’s pinned in my bag underneath me.

I release one arm and strike her head with my forearm as hard as I can. She’s either stunned or knocked out and I roll out from underneath her.

I sprint to the end of the block. Gunshots ring out behind me just before I can turn the corner. I jump into my car and speed off as quickly as I can. I take a hard left at the next intersection on Aramingo Ave. I speed through the tunnel under the train tracks, back through Olde Richmond and onto I-95.

I catch my breath as I slow down to the speed limit. I don’t think anyone was able to follow me. By the time any of Dolan’s men got back to their cars, I was probably on the other side of the tracks.

Cormac Dolan is dead. And I made it out alive. Even if I can’t convince Nicoletti to step down as District Attorney, Mateo won’thaveto kill him. The deal with Dolan doesn’t hold now that he’s gone. Gina’s father may not have to die.

But I did kill someone’s father tonight. It pains me to remember the look of rage and terror in her eyes. I am too familiar with that feeling. I know what it’s like to lose someone you love. That girl will be cursed with that anger and rage for the rest of her life. But it wasn’t Gina.

The clock on my dash says it’s 8:17. I’ve got just enough time to make it back to see her show.

44

GINA

There’s onlyone piece left before mine now. Only a few more minutes to wait. Lexi’s done her best to keep me distracted, but I can tell she’s also getting nervous. I check my phone. I know I didn’t get any messages, but I can’t help hoping I missed one from Luca. One saying that he’s here and he’s okay.

Lexi looks at me after I check my phone. I give her a slight shake of my head. No messages. Nothing from Luca.

Lexi comes along with me to I check in with my dancers. They’re ready to go and just staying warm now. I give them a brief pep talk and let them know that I’m proud of them and excited to see them perform.

“I know you’re all going to do great. Your last few run throughs have been fantastic. Merde, everyone!”

We all head out of the dressing room and to the stage wings. The performance just before us is finishing. The applause hits me, louder than I expected. I forgot how muffled it gets backstage. I realize there are a couple thousand people sitting there, about to watch my piece.

I take a deep breath. The curtain closes. The other dancers exit the stage. Then Anna, Daniel, and Anthony take their places behind the closed curtain.

There’s nothing I can do now. It’s almost harder not performing. I can only stand here and watch. Helpless, but hopeful that all my work up to this point has been enough. Trusting that it is.

The curtains rise. Light shines across the dancers, casting long shadows on the floor behind them. The music starts. Music I’ve heard a million times while dreaming up this choreography. It’s almost too much. Almost too personal to hear it played for everyone here. My emotions and heart laid out on the stage.

I almost regret ever doing this. Ever letting anyone see something that means so much to me. But this dance says things I felt like I couldn’t say any other way, and I had to express them somehow.

Anna, Daniel, and Anthony dance the harsh and jagged pas de trois. I know Archie’s not here. And I doubt my father will hear what this dance is saying.

But I know there are others out there in the audience who will. There are others who will know what Anna is going through. They’ll see themselves in the way she’s trapped.

Finally, Anna casts off Daniel and Anthony. She breaks away from them and takes control of her solo. The lighting changes. The mood changes. I’m feeling the emotions I hope the audience is relating to. I glance at Lexi next to me. Her hands are over her mouth as she gasps. She’s relieved Anna has taken control of the dance.

Ivan slowly walks on stage. His dancing is subtle. It’s soft and slow, somewhat similar to Anna’s. He’s following her, but not pursuing her. Then he stops and watches her take center stage again. She sees he’s there, but it’s her dance.

Gradually, Anna draws Ivan in to dance with her. She has the strength to dance on her own, but opens up to connect with him. It becomes a duet, showcasing the power and beauty of what they can make together.

This dance has become a love letter to Luca. He has to see it.

I’ve been able to get rid of those who want to control my life. I’ve gotten out from under the men who think they know what is best for me. And I’d do great on my own. But letting Luca into my heart makes me feel like I can do so much more.

It’s scary as hell laying my emotions out on stage like this. It’s safer not to do it. But I have to. Just like being with Luca. I’d probably be safer to not have anything to do with him. But the world is a hundred times more beautiful when we’re together.

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