Samantha
The storm continued to rage outside as I stared up at the ceiling of my room that was occasionally lit by lightning. I felt physically exhausted, but I still couldn't force my mind to shut down after everything that had happened today.
I hated my feelings for Theon. He could make me feel good for having him around, and guilty for being in love with the father of my child. This was not how it was supposed to happen.
I got up after a few hours of rolling around in bed and walked to the baby's room, looking at the walls painted in a light pastel shade. Everything had turned out so beautiful, I couldn't wait to meet him. I walked carefully down the stairs to the kitchen and grabbed a small bottle of water from the fridge before going back upstairs. I stopped by the ajar door of the guest room that Theon occupied and stood there for a while, watching his sleep.
He had a peaceful expression, ignoring the storm that's raging outside the house, and I felt the baby move softly inside me, making me remember the moment Theon had talked to him, and I felt him for the first time.
" You know what's worse, sometimes I wish Mike were your father," I whispered in Spanish, caressing my belly, "not because Theon will be a bad father, because he's already a great father. But it would be so much simpler.”
I watched him again, and a sadness came over me. This was not what I had envisioned for my life.
Granted, I never thought of having children, but if it were in any plan of mine, I would be with the father of the child and not in such a bizarre situation.
" Let's go to sleep," I sighed, going back to the bedroom.
Theon left early the next day, I didn't try to get him to stay any longer, I just concentrated on getting everything ready for Charlie's arrival, and for the girls' presentation. That day, in fact, would be a busy one, as I would soon have to go to the theater where the performance was to take place, set up the stage position for each of the girls, tidy up and calm down half a dozen excited girls, and then go to the Adamos house for Thanksgiving lunch. All this while paying attention to my friend.
Some time later, I went to the theater, deciding to get everything ready before the girls arrived for the performance. Charlie was coming straight from the airport, and I couldn't wait to see my friend again.
I had already dressed for the presentation and was just finishing hanging up the clothes that the girls would be wearing, when someone entered backstage.
" Hello, I've come to wish you good luck," Lara came in humming excitedly with Daphne in her arms.
" Thank you, but you shouldn't wish me good luck before the performance," I smiled, picking Daphne up.
" Sorry " Lara gave me an anxious look.
Okay, she's not here to wish me good luck.
" So, are you going to tell me what's going on? Or do you expect me to have a crystal ball? " I raised both eyebrows.
" Sorry," she sighed, "I don't know if this is a good time, but... I took your advice and have talked to Mark.”
" Really? " I watched her.
The girl seemed very agitated by the subject, making me suspect that maybe she didn't understand my advice so well.
" Yes, he wants to see Daphne today," she said, "we went out yesterday afternoon, talked, and I think we can make it work. He is very sorry.”
" Lara, when you say you think it can work out, what do you mean exactly? Him in the role of father or boyfriend again? " I frowned.
She looked away, sitting down on a stool before sighing, answering my questions.
" I don't know, we just talked about him and Daphne getting closer, but he seems so sorry,” Sam.
" Lara," I groaned.
" I just think it would be better for her if her parents were together," she admitted with a certain desperation in her voice.
" And don't you think I think the same thing? We all think that at some point, but in practice it's different," I returned.
" You think it's a mistake," she looked away.
" I think you should take it slow," I assured her, returning the baby to her mother's arms.
An uncomfortable silence fell over us, making me wonder if I had been too hard on her, but she needed to hear it.
" So... are you also thinking about having a relationship with my brother? "She looked at me carefully, making my eyes widen as she noticed my slip.
How can I fix this? No one, especially not someone from Theon's family, was supposed to find out the way I've been feeling about him for the past few days!
" No, of course not," I sighed, "I thought it would be easier if that were the case, especially for the baby. It would even be easier to explain to my parents. But I know that he is with Harper, and he is happy, and I am going out with Mike, and we're fine with it.”
She watched me, looking unconvinced by my explanation; she was about to make another comment when Theon himself entered the room, distracting us. He seemed surprised to find his sister there, Lara in turn alternated her gaze between the two of us, looking suspicious.
" Lara, what are you doing here?”
" Daphne and I came to wish Samantha good luck " she explained " and you?”
" The same " he narrowed his eyes, as if he knew that he was the main subject between the two of us " and I came to confirm that she and her friend are going to lunch afterwards.”
" Yes, we will," I assured him, "but right now I have to finish packing, the girls will be here soon.”
" Sorry," Theon smiled, causing me to hold my breath for a moment, "I'll see you later. Are you coming, Lara?”
" Yes," she assured me, still watching us.
As soon as his back was turned, she articulated with her lips, without making a sound.
"You really like him!"
"Shut up!"
I articulated back, in an attempt to keep my face from blushing.
To my relief, I didn't have to think about it that long. The girls arrived, and I busied myself with helping each of them get dressed and calming any kind of panic wave onset that threatened to take over my little girls. Before I knew it, it was time for the introductions to begin. I started with the other older classes, we had a performance of "Swan Lake".
When it was finally time for the performance we had all been waiting for, I was ready to go on stage with them to help them with their rendition of "Maniac!" from Flashdance, but something stopped me.
Kim was cowering in a corner, her eyes red, indicating that she had been crying. I approached her, bending down to stand at her height, trying to understand what the problem was.
" Kim, what happened?”
" I can't do it, Ms. Hurst," she sniffled, "I'm no good and I'll mess it up.”
I frowned at this. Where did all this insecurity come from?
" Kim, that's not true," I assured her, holding her hands, "you're a great dancer.”
" I'm not, Melissa is way better than me and so is Maggie," she looked down at her feet, looking disconcerted.
" Kim, Melissa and Maggie are great dancers in their own style," I sighed, "look at me, you can't grow up thinking that you're not as good as the other people around you. You are great just the way you are, and the only person you should ever compare yourself to and try to top is yourself.”
She looked at me, looking doubtful.
" Ms. Hurst, they're announcing us," Melissa approached.
" Come on Kim, your parents are anxious to see you dance. You don't want to keep them waiting, do you?”
I stood up and offered my hand to her. The girl wiped her face and forced a small smile, taking my hand and walking toward the stage.
We quickly took our position, waiting for the music to start and then began the performance. I wished that Mike had come to watch my performance, so that I could keep my eyes on him, instead of watching Theon and his girlfriend in the audience. I needed to forget about him once and for all, or at least at this moment.
Every time Harper approached him, whispered something in his ear, I felt something stirring inside me. When the music started, I waited for the right time to start the choreography. I tried to give as much emphasis as possible to the girls, keeping myself there just to guide their movements when necessary, and helping them with their solos. I felt complete, being on a stage again, I had forgotten how much I loved the feeling. My gaze raced through the audience, but my calmness didn't last long.
My heart raced and my stomach churned the moment I saw the two people standing next to Charlie. My father was staring at me with a closed expression, and my mother was whispering something in his ear.
I'm screwed!