In The Shoes Of A Ballerina

Chapter 3

A year and a half later, Dea was a proud mommy. She prepared the milk of her most precious treasure, Cassiel Gabriel. Up until now, she wished she made Cassiel happy by the fact that she named her son after him and her husband.

Cassiel hadn't attended her wedding day. He'd gone in sight since the marriage preparations had begun. Until two weeks after she and Gabriel had given their marital vows and sealed it with a kiss, she'd been scheduled for the surgical operation of her foot injury. Just then had she realized how bad she'd missed her friend.

"Cassiel," she had called in her room.

Her husband, Gabriel, had left for work earlier that morning. He'd promised that he'd meet her in the hospital before the surgery started. "Don't forget to drink your meds," he'd told her before leaving.

She had nodded, and had kissed him goodbye. Later, she'd seen the black Lexus IS 300C speeding its way to the north.

"Cassiel, please." Cassiel was usually seated on her mattress playing with her ragged doll, but that time, there hadn't been a blond man in white sitting. She'd looked around.

By the corner of her window, Dea had seen Cassiel become apparent like a holographic image in projection. His questioning eyes were still there. He had stood unmoving, waiting for her to speak.

Dea had unconsciously looked at the floor, hands together, fidgeting. "Um, Cassiel, t-this might be too much to ask of y-you, b-but can you be with me d-during the operation?" She'd looked at him in the eyes. "I want to see you there. I don't wanna feel alone. Please," she said, her eyes had begun streaming water.

Cassiel's face had softened, shoulders relaxed. No matter how he tried to stay mad at her, he just couldn't. He'd neared her and embraced her into a tight hug. "I missed you, Andrea."

Dea cried louder, and held him tightly in her arms. "I missed you, too."

The angel had kept his word. He was there inside the operation room while the doctor made an incision and stitches on the ballerina's right foot.

She'd been in deep sleep throughout the whole surgery. Cassiel even noticed the same angelic face he'd seen in her many years past like she never grew old. She'll always be my little Andrea, he thought, and smiled.

At the moment, Cassiel was tasked by Dea to look after her four-month old child while Dea prepared his feeding bottle.

On her way up the room where she left the two Cassiel's, Dea heard a bang; immediately after the loud noise was the crying of her baby. She hurried toward the room, and saw her child on the carpeted floor.

"Fuck, Cassiel. I told you to look after him, what did you do?" she snapped while trying to stop her child from crying.

It was the first time she'd seen him look so anxious. He brushed his flaxen hair while walking to and fro. "I... I don't know. I was-"

"You don't know!" She faked a laugh. "Next time, remind me not to leave Gabby to you," she said before she slammed the door of her room, and headed to the nursery.

Dea didn't want to admit it, but she felt Cassiel changed. She wouldn't see him every so often like she used to when she was just starting as a prima ballerina. Now, he'd only appear when she'd ask him. His face, his face wasn't sporting the all smiles Cassiel she once knew. His lips were always on a tight line.

Since that incident, she'd never seen him again. Her son was now two years old, and she thought she might be able to dance again.

Gabriel was still supportive of her career. They agreed that they'd leave Gabby to Dea's mother whenever the two of them had the same time of work which happened to be all the time. The couple made it a vow that during weekends, they'd spend quality time with their little man. It actually worked.