The Legacy - The Legacy Saga

The Legacy - Part 7

And so will I.

Thirty

Having cleaned up after another sumptuous meal prepared by Adagio, we relax in the family room. Adagio is in a spontaneous mood and says some fun time is in order. Pulling a Latin music CD from the shelf, he puts it in the player.

As the music fills the room, I start snapping my fingers, the beat moving through me. If there is one thing I love, it's dancing. Adagio grins, holding his hands out to both Jessica and me.

"Come. Let me teach you ladies how to salsa."

Jessica claps her hands and quickly stands. "I'm game!"

I laugh. "I'm a little too big to salsa. I would be a terrible student right now."

"Nonsense," he says, not about to let me off the hook. "I told you, you are not big, just pregnant. You will do great." He takes my hand, gently pulling me up.

"Okay," I concede with a sigh. "They're your toes on the line. Pregnancy has given me two left feet."

He laughs and stands between us, teaching us the basic steps. He is very good. In fact, I'm surprised by how good he really is. I knew he was a great dancer, but his salsa is amazing. I quickly catch on, surprising myself, and soon Adagio and I are dancing like a couple in a club. Jessica is a little slower catching on, but she eventually gets it and is thoroughly enjoying herself.

"Very good!" Adagio says to me. He teaches me a couple of other Latin dances and I pick the steps up quickly.

"You're a natural," he says, turning me around and back. He praises Jessica as well.

I am completely enjoying myself. I love the exercise and dancing always makes my spirits soar. I haven't enjoyed dancing so much since . . .

My thoughts immediately shift to the last time I danced with Ingo. It was on New Year's Eve, and we danced in this very room. Suddenly the memory is so vivid, it is like it just happened yesterday.

"I think I'm done," I say, backing away from him. I quickly smile to hide my sudden shift of emotions and feign exhaustion.

He looks at me intently, his eyes full of understanding. I can't hide anything from him. He knows me well and I'm sure he glimpsed the pain.

"You rest," he says, gently letting me off the hook. "I will keep my other lovely partner up here a little longer." He grins at Jessica and she laughs, still moving a little to the beat.

At the song's end Jessica declares she has had enough and heads to the kitchen for a drink of water. Adagio congratulates her on a job well done. Turning the stereo off, he sits on the sofa next to me.

I want to apologize to him for letting my emotions get in the way. I open my mouth to do that when he squeezes my hand and says, "One day at a time, angel. Just take it one day at a time."

 * * * 

Awakening in a cold sweat, I sit up, glancing at the clock. It is just after one in the morning.

The nightmares have started again. The haunting dreams of my childhood are back, though not as frequent as they were before. Still, the fact that I am having them again is disturbing, and I wish I knew why the memories continue to plague me. I let my head fall back against the damp pillow and wipe a hand across my forehead. Night time is still hard for me because it is when I feel most alone, and on these nights it is even worse. The bed feels cold and empty, no matter how much I snuggle into the covers.