Next to Me (3 page)

“Ok then. I’m gonna take off. You should too. I’ve already gone over everything with the new shift. I’d wait for you but I want to catch the morning dance class before I head home,” I tell her.

“How can you go dance? It’s 7:15 in the morning and you just worked a 12-hour shift?” Her eyes are wide and she’s shaking her head. “I get home and I’m asleep before my head even hits the pillow!”

“I normally
do
go home and straight to bed, but it’s a rare weekend off and I love the people in this Saturday morning class.” I grab my purse from the cabinet and round the nurse’s station to the open hallway. “I will see you tonight at 7:30. Don’t be late to your own party. Jerry said he’d hold our favorite table for us but can’t do it all night.” I give Mercy a hug and say goodbye to the other staff either on their way in or out as I take the stairs from the fourth floor to the parking lot.

If someone overheard our conversation they might think we’re kind of insensitive for brushing over the impending death of a patient so quickly. The truth is, we have to. It’s not that we don’t care. It’s that if we got torn up every time a terrible diagnosis came in, or a patient died, we’d live in a constant state of heartache. For some, becoming a nurse was a pragmatic decision. We’ll always have a job somewhere and the hours, while a little on the crazy side, can actually be pretty flexible. For others, the major reason they became a nurse was because they wanted to be able to comfort others and help in their healing process. I suppose I fall somewhere in between. I love being a nurse for all the emotional reasons, but I also know that if I have to pick up and move, I can find a job most anywhere.

I found this dance studio four years ago and have become almost obsessed with everything they teach there. I had been in Chicago about two years already and was in desperate need of a place I could release the stress of being in the midst of nursing school and still looking over my shoulder. Dancing had always been my passion and I put in on the back burner while I got settled and felt like I was in the clear, that I wasn’t going to have to run. Sometimes I make it for the ballroom dance, and other times its Latin dance, but my passion had become contemporary before I left DC. Sometimes I get to use the studio to work on some freestyle contemporary pieces, but that happens so rarely that I think I’m beginning to forget the art of contemporary. I love the instructors and since I’ve been working on a sporadic schedule of attendance, I’ve become familiar with several of the regulars at most of the classes throughout the week.

The train stops four blocks from my apartment, but the dance studio is another three blocks past that. On days when I work, I have to haul ass to get to the morning class in time to change. I thought about skipping this morning, but if I don’t go today it’ll be late next week before I make it. I’m off the next two days, but then on two, off two, and then on three. I know after tonight’s birthday festivities, I’ll be sleeping off a good time all day Sunday and definitely won’t make it then.

I love Chicago. I couldn’t have picked a better place to start the life I always dreamed of. It’s the middle of July and not sweltering. The way the wind whips around and through the city cools everything off just enough. Not to mention the breeze that we get from Lake Michigan. And the people! I love the people!

“Hey you! I thought you had given up on the craziness of coming here straight from an overnight shift?” Marco says with his beautifully sexy Latin accent. He and his wife Carina opened this studio 15 years ago when then moved here from Miami. They’re just the sweetest, most attractive couple I’ve ever known.

“It’ll be too late next week if I didn’t come today. I’ve got the weekend off and I wanted to kick if off right!” I shout as I scurry to the back of the studio where there are a few dressing rooms so I can change in a hurry. I brought my jazz dance shoes since I didn’t have time to check the calendar online and see if this morning was ballroom or Latin. “Besides,” I say to Marco as I emerge. “You would miss me too much!”

“True, true, mi amor,” he says with a kiss to my cheek. “Ok, everyone, today we’re going to cover the basics of Salsa! Find a partner and give yourself plenty of room. Jenna, would you and Carina help some of our new friends?”

“Sure,” I say.

“Thank you, love. There are only a couple of new people today. Can you work with Sam? He’s been coming for a little while, but still a little clumsy. I’ll work with the other guy. It’s his first time.” Carina casually points to “the other guy” standing nervously on the other side of the studio.

“Holy hell! Who is
that
?” I whisper to her in shock. Standing there, fidgeting like a boy at an eighth grade dance, is the best looking guy I’ve ever seen. He’s tall, definitely over six feet, has brown hair, and has that sexy
I haven’t shaved in a few days
look. He’s wearing jeans and a fitted shirt with a faded Captain America shield on it and what I can already tell is a totally badass tattoo peeking out from his left sleeve. He’s also wearing, of all things, Chucks. Sneakers of any kind are the worst shoes you can wear to dance in. The rubber soles catch and I’ve watched more than my share of first-timers plow face first onto the floor. Marco and Carina have been very happy to have me here when that’s happened. I’m their unofficial staff nurse.

“I know, right? I think he said his name is Landon. Want me to get his story?” Carina asks with a wink. I love how passionate Latin people are about all things, but especially romance. This is probably the 20
^th
guy in four years that Carina has tried to set me up with. I haven’t actually been out with very many of them. We talk after class and most of them come on too strong. There have been a few who actually sparked my interest enough to give them a single date, but that’s all I’m willing to give. I don’t know why I can’t bring myself to get emotionally involved with anyone. Maybe it’s my still-present fear of Dellinger, or maybe it’s just me. But I’m 25 years old for crying out loud. I want to settle down one day and have an awesome life like my parents did. That’s never going to happen if I don’t start giving a guy more than one or two dates.

“Um…ok,” I say to Carina with a smile. “Why not?”  Just because there wasn’t a spark with many of the guys here at the studio doesn’t mean there couldn’t be with this one. There are the guys at work who have asked me out, a couple of doctors, too, but I have this thing about dating people you work with, especially at a hospital where the politics are ridiculous. Let’s hope that once this hot guy opens his mouth, he doesn’t flush his chances with me down the toilet.

I smile briefly at Landon from across the room and he gives more of a sexy smirk. Flustered, I turn quickly to find Sam while Carina draws Landon’s attention.

Sam is an average guy, good looking. He’s definitely your boy next door. When I ask him about why he’s taking dance lessons, I have to admit that my heart swoons just a little.

“I’ve been dating my girlfriend for almost two years now and she comes from this really great Cuban family. I’m going to ask her to marry me in a few months at her parents’ anniversary party. There’s always dancing when her family gets together, and I’m always on the sidelines. She’s never said anything to me about it, but I just want her to know that it’s important to me that I at least try…for her.” A huge smile spreads across Sam’s face and he glows. He’s clearly so in love with this girl.

“I think that’s awesome, Sam! We’re going to make sure you’ve got

moves she didn’t even know you had!” I tell him with a hug.

“More like moves
I
didn’t know I had!” he laughs.

Marco starts the music and does the basic steps for the class to follow. He shouts the directions out in his passionate accent and I can tell the really new people don’t totally understand him yet. He’s a trial-by-fire kind of teacher. He believes in throwing the music on and letting the beat move us. Unfortunately, some people and the beat don’t get along very well.

Carina wasn’t kidding about Sam being clumsy. He’s got two left feet, but I applaud his persistence. He’s working so hard. If he sticks with it, I think we can whip him into shape in time for his big proposal.

I can’t help but sneak a few looks at Landon. He’s not doing too badly for his first time, if this is his first time. Carina has him spinning her around and he’s following her really well. Some people have natural talent, and his natural talent is
really
sexy.

The class of about ten follows Marco’s lead, with a few pauses so he and Carina can show us in slow motion what the moves are supposed to look like. When the hour is almost up Marco comes and whispers in my ear.

“Dance with me. Let’s show them how this is
really
done,” he says. He cocks his chin down and his head to the side and looks at me from the top of his eyes.

“Not the Latin smolder! You know I can’t resist the Latin smolder!” I hang my head, knowing I have no argument.

“Oh, do it, Jenna! You and Marco make a great dance team!” Carina says with a bright smile.

“Ok, ok! I’ll do it…but only because I love you dearly,” I tell him with a faux defeated voice.

We take our place at the center of the room while the rest of the class gathers around the perimeter. I don’t have my best dance shoes on so I’m praying that I make it through this dance without falling on my face. The music starts and I immediately feel good. The beat and the music just start to move through me and a feeling of being invincible takes over.

Marco takes my hand and spins me once before I dip down and let him spin me several times. I pop up and we move together, hips shaking, legs kicking. We even work in one of those moves where I lean back and Marco catches me by the back of my neck. When we’re done the room erupts in applause and cheers, and Sam’s jaw is on the floor. I look at Landon and he’s got the sexiest smirk on his face.

I grab my stuff from the back dressing room and come out to the studio and do my best not to make it completely obvious that I’m looking for Landon. When I find Carina she tells me that he had to leave for a work commitment.

“He was definitely interested in you, though. I didn’t have to say anything. He asked about you first,” Carina say. She likes to put on her sexy Latina voice whenever she talks to me about men.

“It’ll be later next week before I’m back, but not on Saturday. So…if he asks, and
only
if he asks, I guess you can give him my number,” I tell her. “I’ve gotta run. I really do need to go home and sleep. It’s Mercy’s birthday and I’ve got a night of celebrating ahead of me. Thanks for the dance, Marco!” I say as I push the door to the studio open. “I’ll see you next week!”

I walk back to my apartment both exhilarated and exhausted. I don’t think I’ll have any trouble falling asleep. My roommate Spring will still be asleep so it’ll be perfectly quiet. She’ll be gone with her boyfriend Matt by the time I wake, too. Between my third shift work schedule, and Spring's time with Matt, I have the apartment all to myself a lot.

I take a quick shower just to wash the grime of a long shift and an hour of dancing off me before I climb in bed and tune the rest of the world out completely. When I wake up at 3:00, I think that maybe I should dance first thing off my shift every time. I slept so solidly and feel amazingly rested.

I wash my hair during shower number two and actually take the time to

straighten it. It’s a long mane of soft curls, brown now. It lives in a bun or braid between the hours of 7:00 pm and 7:00 am for work three to four days a week.  Thank God I had it cut a couple of weeks ago. The last time I straightened my hair it was all the way down to the small of my back. Now it’s just past my shoulder blades. It still takes me almost an hour to do, but it’s worth it. I love the sleek look, and Mercy asked if I would please straighten it for her birthday. How could I say no?

With jeans, wedge sandals, and my favorite pink top with the fluttering sleeves on I’m ready to leave. I would normally walk the four blocks to Duke’s, but I’m running a tad later than I planned so decide to catch a cab.

I pull the heavy, solid wood door open and walk inside, heading straight to the tables in the back corner closest to the bar. As promised, Jerry held our favorite spot for us. And as expected, Mercy isn’t here yet. Our best friends, Jack and Demi are already here, along with Mercy’s sister, so I give Jerry a wave as I pass the bar and approach the table with open arms.

“Hey!” I shout as hugs go around. “Of course your sister is not here!” I say to Mercy’s sister, Grace. I laugh every time I think about the first time Mercy introduced me to her sister. They said their mom named them thinking they might offer a little bit of each, but was left sorely disappointed.

“You expected her to be on time? You know she wants to make a grand entrance!” Grace says above the noise the growing crowd is causing.

Before I know it, Grace’s declaration has become a reality. Mercy has stormed through the door, waving a pink feather boa. “I’m here and I’m ready to get my birthday on, bitches!”

Lots of laughter and more hugs all around. I offer to get the first round so I leave Mercy to her personal parade and head to the bar.

“Hey Jerry! Thanks for holding the table for us.” I step up on the brass foot rest and reach across the bar to hug him. Jerry is a Chicago boy through and through. He loves this city and looks every bit like he belongs here. A buff guy, he’s shaved his head rather than pretend he’s not balding, and he truly has one of the greatest smiles I’ve ever seen. He reminds me a lot of Oz, which is one of the reasons why I think I love him so much.

“Anything for you!” he says in his gruff voice. “First round is on me.”

“No! Jerry I can’t let you do that!” I protest.

“You guys are family. It’s Mercy’s birthday…I want to buy the first round so be quiet and go sit down. I’ll bring the usual pitcher over in a minute.”

“This is why we love you so much! You’re the best, Jerry!” I pop over the bar like I did before and give him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading back to our table.