Dominic took a deep breath. “This is a big problem. We are understaffed. The class tomorrow evening, it is already booked full and there’s no one to teach it. All those prospective students. Can’t anyone move their private students?”

Everyone looked away. My heart was pounding from my near-firing. I would be back at my old dishwashing job soon. I would have to leave the studio, Nina, the whole ballroom world.

Mateo spoke up. “It’s one of our busiest nights. Everyone’s got their regulars coming in then and the show is this weekend. We can’t reschedule anyone right before the Copacabana event.”

There was a pause, then I made myself speak. “Is there anything at all I could do to fix this? Maybe I could help teach it?”

“What?” Dominic cocked his head as if he was sure he’d misheard me.

My cheeks were on fire. “I don’t know. Never mind. I really want to help if I can since it’s my fault. It’s just that I’ve assisted in tai chi classes . . . I thought . . .”

Nina said, “I think it’s a good idea.”

“She’s not a dancer.” Dominic shook his head.

“Maybe true,” Nina said slowly, “but they’re all beginners. No one could be worse than they are. All we do is show them a few basic steps. A walrus could teach the class and they wouldn’t know the difference. I’ve done it. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about.”

I felt dizzy and cold all at once. What had I done? I couldn’t teach ballroom. Were they really considering it?

Adrienne murmured, “It’s an idea.”

Dominic said, “Adrienne, I love you more than life itself but when it comes to the dancing I must decide. Absolutely not.”

Adrienne continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “How could we cover Charlie’s job?”

Nina said, “We can put the phone on the answering machine then. Most of the check-ins at that time are for the group class anyway. We all welcome our own students for that lesson, and Charlie checks off the students in the group as they come in. Problem solved.”

“I didn’t mean to teach it alone,” I said. “Just that maybe I could help.”

Adrienne said, “Well, there’s no one to do it with you, Charlie. Dominic and I are both booked to give coaching sessions then. You’d be on your own.”

Dominic said, “I am artistic director here and I am putting my foot down.”

“Are you trying to upset a very pregnant woman?” Adrienne patted her large stomach. “Sweetheart, this is just a temporary solution. It could work for this one time.”

Dominic looked like he was having trouble swallowing. “Darling, I can’t allow this. We have standards to maintain.”

To my surprise, Nina got up and walked over to me. She knelt at my feet and slipped off my pumps. “Dominic, take a look at this.”

She stared at my Magic-Markered pumps in her hands with disgust. “What have you done to your shoes?” Then she tossed them aside and stretched out my foot, pulling up the material of my pants so you could see my leg. “Point.”

“What?”

“Point your foot.”

I did, my toes lengthening, the arch high and pronounced as it always was, just like Ma’s had been.

She held my foot and turned my leg out. “Don’t sickle your feet inward, turn them outward.” Then she looked at Dominic as if this said it all.

Everyone was staring at my foot. “How did you know?” Dominic asked her.

“She takes off her shoes underneath the desk at the end of the day,” Nina said.

Dominic walked over to me and said, “Stand up.”

When I did, feeling awkward in my shoeless feet, he held one of my arms out to the side. “Could we possibly get some of this clothing off?”

I was wearing a thick button-up sweater over a thin man’s undershirt that I’d stolen from Pa.

“May I?” he asked.

I glanced at Nina for a moment. She nodded slightly, so I started to unbutton my sweater, conscious that I was wearing only a worn tank top underneath.

After I’d slipped my arms out of the sleeves, Dominic looked at me impassively, like a doctor. “Stand up straight. Hold out your arms.”

I held in my breath and stood as Ma had taught me all those years ago. Shoulders down, arms held from the back, neck long.

“Make a fist,” Nina said.

When I did, I could feel the muscles in my arms and shoulders tense. The entire circle of dancers was still.

“She can beat you up, Dominic, better watch what you say,” said Mateo.

“Where did you get a body like this?” Dominic asked.

“Dishwashing. I’m more bony than anything else.”

Nina said, smiling, “I couldn’t believe it either when I first saw her. She spilled coffee on her shirt and I loaned her my sweater. And those feet.”

I looked down at my toes. “What about my feet?”

Katerina spoke up. “I would kill for feet like yours. Any dancer would.”

I didn’t understand. They were the same feet that had stood at a sink for years.

Dominic said, “Why in the world do you dress the way you do?”

My expression must have shown my hurt.

He ran his hand over his face like he was in pain. “Even if we do entertain this ridiculous idea for a moment, who could possibly teach her the basics? Simone?”

Simone threw up her hands. “Come on, why me? I’d miss the dance session with Julian. She’s not a dancer. Look at her!”

Nina took a breath, her eyes flashing, but before she could speak, a voice came from the corner.

“I’ll do it,” said Julian. He folded his arms and leaned back in his chair, inscrutable.

There was a collective gasp. Adrienne struggled to speak. I had never seen her at a loss for words before. “Julian, that is very kind of you but we need you for our own training today.”

“I have time afterward and I’ll do it for free.” Now we all gaped. I’d seen Julian’s checks and knew he charged five hundred dollars per lesson.

I spoke the thought on everyone’s mind. “Why would you possibly do such a thing?”

He smiled. “When you get to be where I am, you’ve seen it all. I’ve held so many international titles, coached almost every top professional dancer. I enjoy a new challenge. It would be interesting to teach someone fresh. Someone with potential.”

Everyone was now staring at me. Julian Edwards had labeled me as someone with potential. Simone looked like she had something unpleasant in her mouth, but Nina had the biggest grin on her face. I could feel my heart in my throat, a distant thin pulsing.

Dominic said to Julian, “You are trying to kill me, old friend.”

Julian’s eyes were filled with mischief. “And enjoying every moment too.”

Adrienne said, her face blank, “That’s settled then. Nina, you’re going to talk clothes with her, then Julian can try to teach her a few steps.”

“Clothing?” I said.

Adrienne said slowly and carefully as if I were stupid, “You won’t be sitting behind a desk. Even for one class, you’re part of the dream that is Avery Studios. You need to look the part. As much as you’re able.” She shifted her gaze to Nina. “Good luck.”

Seven

After the meeting broke up, Nina took me into the teachers’ room. “I need to join that dance session so I don’t have a lot of time. But I can’t wait to get you into something else. You’ll need it to dance with Julian.”

She brought her hands down and felt the ridges of my pelvic bones through the heavy pants I was wearing. “You’re half the size of these things.”

“I know you would have helped me even if Julian hadn’t spoken up. I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome.” Nina’s smile was lovely. “Let’s get you out of your clothes. No offense, but where do you get this stuff?”

I felt awkward. “Mostly hand-me-downs.”

“You look like a matron.” Nina was examining my reflection in the full-length mirror.

“That’s who the clothes came from.”