Breaking Pointe

Chapter Sixteen

Tucker pulled away and the two of them walked into the salon. “Pedicures on me” she said to Arabella and they sat down in the chairs.

“I knew I liked you! How are you Ms. McKinney?” 

“Oh dear, nobody has called me that in a long time. You can call me Caroline.”

“Alright, Caroline” Arabella laughed, “How are you?”

“I’m doing alright. How is ballet?” 

“It’s going well! I actually want to hear more about the dancing you used to do. Swing dancing?”

“Oh, yes, darlin’. The south loves to swing.” She talked for a while about getting all dressed up and heading out with her late husband. “We fell in love on the dance floor, you know.”

“Would you be willing to tell me that story?” Arabella asked, not wanting to intrude but really curious.

“You know, I like you. When I start to tell a story most people groan and check their watch these days” she winked. “I was seventeen and my best girlfriend Charlotte and I went out for the night. In my small town there was a big gazebo by the lake and every Saturday night a band came out and all of us teenagers headed out to dance. It really was a different time. Anyways I put my favorite green dress on and did my hair up all nice. When we got there Charlotte and I started dancing together because her boy Danny wasn’t there yet. 

‘Hey, Danny is here! I guess his cousin Ben is in town.’ Charlotte said and I looked over to see him watching me from down by the lake. Our eyes met and darlin’ don’t ever let nobody tell you love at first sight don’t exist because I knew. Without breaking eye contact he walked right up to me and asked me to dance. He was the best dancer I had ever been with and we spent the whole night laughin’ and twirlin’ around. He walked me home and kissed my hand on the doorstep. After that he was the only one for me.”

Arabella shook her head. “That’s incredible. How romantic!” The girls doing their nails agreed, they had been hanging onto her every word as well.

“I would love to learn how to swing dance.” Arabella sighed.

“Make Tyler teach you!”

“He knows how to swing dance?” she asked, astounded.

“I have been preparing him for the day he met a girl like you since he was a tot” she winked. “Now, how did you and Tyler meet?” she asked.

Arabella thought it should have been weird talking to his grandma about Tyler, but it wasn’t at all! She recounted the story about running into him and leaving her ballet slipper behind. They laughed at the part where he ran down the sidewalk holding it over his head.

“And then he just didn’t leave me alone” Arabella smiled.

“That boy sure knows what he wants” she replied.

They looked down at their finished toes. Arabella’s were lavender and Caroline’s a deep red. They looked out the window to see a big truck waiting for them. Caroline paid the bill and they headed out.

“Tyler Kennedy McKinney, how am I supposed to get up into that thing?” Caroline scolded and he laughed merrily. 

“I’ll help you mamaw”

“Your middle name is Kennedy?” Arabella inquired.

“My mom really likes history and her favorite President was...”

“Kennedy” Arabella finished. “I like it.”

“I like you” he winked and Caroline rolled her eyes.

He helped them both into the truck and set off toward Arabella’s. “So you can swing dance?” she asked.

“Grandma!” he exclaimed, his cheeks turning red.

“I’m helping you out dear, girls love that sort of thing.” he rolled his eyes.

“Thank you for the manicure! I loved spending time with you Caroline” she said honestly as she was getting out of the truck. 

“I’ll walk you in” Tyler said.

“That’s my boy” said Caroline.

“Caroline?” he asked as they made their way inside.

“That’s what she said to call her” Arabella shrugged. “I absolutely adore your Grandma. She almost feels like family.”

“She has that effect on people” he said, snaking his arms around her waist as they reached her apartment door. “She really likes you.”

“You didn’t have to walk me all the way up here.”

“I know but as comfortable as I am around my Grandma, I wanted to have a little private moment with you” he said and leaned in to kiss her before he turned to leave. “I’ll see you soon, princess.”

A/N: I AM SO SORRY GUYS. Seriously I meant to update forever ago but then I moved into my dorm and I have marching band practice like allllll the time and college is crazy. I am going to try to write and update more, though! If it takes a little longer than usual I'm sorry:( How did you like this chapter? Kind of a filler. Caroline is a cutie. Do any of you swing dance? How is school?

xoxo

H Breezy