Chapter 1

The final day of sixth grade, thank god! My best friend Brian Fleming and I were done for another school year.

We had been best friends since we first met on the bus on the way to school back in second grade. I found out he had a much older sister named Karen, and I told him about my three siblings, an older brother, and twin sisters, who were all older than I.

My name is Charles Xavier Newman!

Technically, I am a ‘Junior,’ but I hate that, because I hate my dad. More about him later.

I was born on July 28^th, 1999, so I turn thirteen in the middle of the upcoming summer and Brian turns it on July 30^th. Two days later than that, we wouldn’t be in the same grade, and maybe not best friends, but we are.

The bus dropped us off, and we each walked three blocks to our houses. We lived on the same street, just five blocks apart.

Brian is 5ft6, looks like a very young Ron Weasley, but with medium brown hair that he keeps combed better.

I am 5ft10, and because my mom is a redhead and my father is brown-haired, I have what my mom calls chestnut colored hair.

... Here is where this story begins.
It is early summer, 2012,
between sixth and seventh grade...

Getting to the house and finding the front door unlocked, I walked in.

We live in a nice big home in an affluent neighborhood called Hamilton Meadows in South Columbus, Ohio, although I never heard any talk that we are rich.

When the door is locked, that means the house is empty, otherwise it’s unlocked. I took my stuff up to my room, the last room on the left, of the six bedrooms in the house. One is set aside for my dad to work from home, but he never uses it.

I took off my backpack for the last time until seventh grade begins, in just over three months, putting my schoolbooks in the small bookshelf I had been collecting every book from first thru sixth grade, including the novels I had to buy and read along the way. Most of what was left I threw away, leaving me with a totally empty backpack that I zipped up tight and put on the floor in my closet.

I heard the door open, and I ran out to hear, “Charles, help me bring in the groceries, please?”

“Sure, have you been gone?”

“Yes, I needed to go shopping, why do you ask?” my mother Antoinette asked, with a bag in her arm.

She would freak out if I told her the door had been unlocked, so I just said, “No reason,” as I went to grab some groceries, bringing in two at a time, until the car was empty.

“Thank you, Honey,” she said. “How was the last day of school?”

I got next to her and began to empty the bags and said, “Five hours too long, Mom.”

She chuckled, or was it a giggle?

Once I was done, I asked, “Save the bags or throw them away?”

“Those are very reusable brown paper bags, Charles. They have lots of uses. Fold them and put them with the rest, please?”

“We have over a hundred of them, Mother.”

“Don’t sass me, young man,” she said giving me a smile. “Thank you, now, skedaddle so I can make dinner for the family.”

“You mean I may actually see my dad, face to face, in the evening?”

“He works hard and needs to stay on top of the financial markets. Go find something to do, your sisters won’t be here tonight.”

“It’s just you, me, and him?”

Now, that was a giggle.

I was called down to dinner, seeing my father, Charles Senior, for the first time in four days.

There was Fried Chicken, Fried Okra, and Tossed Salad. All my favorites.

Hmmm?

“Guess what I did today, Charles?” Mom remarked.

“Don’t have a clue?”

“I signed you up to start Cotillion next week.”

“What?”

“Cotillion,” my father repeated, in his marginally raspy voice. “It’s kind of a dance class, but with exactly as many boys and girls. You learn how to communicate with members of the ... opposite sex, while you are learning the traditional ballroom dancing steps.”

This is why he is here!

“The class is on Tuesday, so either tomorrow or Sunday I need to take you shopping for some new clothes that are appropriate for dancing,” my mother said.
====
My mother is Antoinette Marie Newman, barely shorter than I, with really nice red hair and blue eyes. She has a heathy figure, I suppose.

Dad, Charles Excelsior Newman, is shorter than I am at five eight. He is around five years older than Mom, meaning he is near 49 and ‘Annie’ is 42.

By the way, Brian lost his father, Jeffrey, when he was ten, leaving him with a sister, Karen, who is seven years older and his mother, Shirley, who is a dark blonde. I believe Shirley and Annie are near the same age.

Brian’s father’s middle name had been Brian. My buddy’s full name was Brian Watson Fleming. In all these years, he’s never explained where the Watson came from!

“What will I be wearing to the ‘Dance school?’”

“Nice slacks, a button-down shirt and a tie,” was the answer I got.

“A tie!”

“Yes, a tie,” my father said jeering at me a bit.

Knowing they were working together, I couldn’t voice my honest opinion about this and agreed I needed the new clothes. I couldn’t remember the last time I got anything, so it was probably as good as any time to go shopping.

Between bites of my favorite vegetable, Okra, I asked, “Where is this happening?”

“Where it has been for over fifty years, the Bradshaw Family Cotillion,” my dad said.

“It starts this next Tuesday evening,” Mom said. “I have already talked to Shirley, Brian’s mother, and he’s going as well. She’s telling him about it right now.”

“Brian’s going ... Are you sure?” I asked, suspiciously.

“Call him and find out,” she declared.

“Oh, I will ... right after dinner,” I said.

I picked up the house phone and dialed his personal number, and he answered.

“Hey Brian, did your mom... ? Yeah, so did mine. Uh-uh, we’re going shopping for clothes too and a tie! Yeah, it’s a conspiracy,” I said loud enough for Mom to hear and react to.

Remembering I had him on the phone, I remarked, “Yeah Brian, my mom, the Nazi, said to get off the phone so we can all high-step to the mall together. Talk to you later, Auf Wiedersehen.”

On my way up to my room, I heard Dad say, “Well, that’s done. I am heading back to work.”

The following day, I got into the car, and Mom turned to me saying, “While we are out shopping, if you don’t embarrass me then I won’t embarrass you, all right?”

“OK, Mom! Uhm ... Mom, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure honey, anything.”

“Did you learn to dance at a Cotillion like you and ‘Mussolini’ are sending me to?”

“No, Charles I didn’t! But I wish I had. I can’t count how many times I stepped on a boy’s feet at school dances. However, from going to lots of dances and with a few boys’ patience, I not only learned how to dance, but I think I am pretty good at it. After you have been to a couple of these weekly Cotillions, I would be more than happy to help you learn any of the finer points if you would like?”

“You would? I might step on your feet, Mom,” I chuckled.

“I can wear your father’s hunting boots, if necessary. We’re here. Now, you need to get two pairs of pants, two shirts, and two ties, all right?”

“All right,” I responded, breaking into my best smile for her. Maybe calling her a Nazi was over the top? Mussolini, on the other hand...

Maybe this isn’t going to be nearly as bad as I thought it would. I didn’t realize that I needed a size larger shirt than I had been wearing.

Slacks are a different kettle of fish. I put on a pair that I thought were my size, and this guy came up to me and shoved a tape measure towards my crotch.

“Hey, dude ... Not cool. Warn me before you touch my package!”

Mom heard me. She giggled and blushed. I have got a cool Mom even though she and ‘him’ signed me up to learn how to dance.

The guy explained exactly what we were measuring and I ‘stood up straight’ as he had asked. He announced my waist and inseam and asked what color?

I turned to Mom. She had mouthed ‘black’ and ‘navy blue.’ I turned back to the guy and said; “I think I would like one pair to be black, and the other to be hmmm — navy blue.”

He turned to me and said, “Very good, Sir.”

Again, my mom giggled, but I didn’t mind.

I have always worn slacks. I don’t own any jeans. Don’t like the way they fit, feel, or look. I am not going to end up one of those fat slobs. You know one of those dudes whose stomach spills out over their pants. I like my pants to be comfortable and just cover my belly button. I have Dockers and Cargo pants, but not jeans.

We went through the same rigmarole for my new button-down shirts. We did the same with ties and left with the first new clothes I had gotten in quite a while. Mom said it had been only fifteen months.

Well, it’s Tuesday, at five-thirty in the late afternoon and I am scared ‘shitless.’ I didn’t say that to my mom, of course, but she could probably see it on my face. She also doesn’t put up with cursing!

“Honey, it’s not going to be nearly as bad as you think. The first hour is just the new students. At seven-thirty, the returning students come in until it’s over for the night around nine pm.”

We all arrived at the Cotillion on Lockbourne Rd, across the street from a Church of Christ.

Mom had picked up Brian from his place and we all traveled together. That means we will probably go with his mom Shirley next week. Our mothers have become pretty good friends over the years.

“Charles, I can stay, or leave and come back?” she asked us.

Brian and I looked at each other saying at the same time, “Leave.”

“OK, boys. You don’t have to hit me with a sledgehammer. See you later,” she said smiling as she was leaving.

I had my cell phone in my pocket. I figured I could always call her if need be. It was intended for emergencies only and I was to keep it turned off.

There were many girls and boys at this thing. Interestingly, the boys were all clustered together on one side of the room, and the girls were doing the same thing on the other side. The boys were dead quiet, and the girls were talking and giggling.

Suddenly there was a loud excitable voice that said, “Attention — Welcome to The Bradshaw Family Cotillion. My name is James Bradshaw, but you can call me Jimmy. All of you are new this year, and I am sure that some of you don’t want to be here, while some of you have been paid off by your parents.”

‘Why hadn’t I thought of that?’ I thought to myself.

He continued, “Now, there are exactly as many boys as there are girls, so boys ... find a young lady, introduce yourselves and go to the center of the room.”

I looked over at Brian and said, “Good luck, Buddy.” I carefully stepped my way over to the bevy of girls looking around trying to find someone as scared as I was. Over near the mirrored wall, I noticed a girl with very pretty brown eyes and red hair just like my mom’s!

I quickly moved along towards the wall and went up to her. I had never purposefully been this close to a girl my age, ever. She smiled at me, and my face just about burst with the smile I had.

“Hi,” I said, nervous as a cat in a rocking chair factory (An expression of my dad’s that I have always liked, but I would never admit that to him!)

“Hi, what’s your name?” she asked.

An even bigger smile, with dimples, came to her face.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I spoke. “That was rude of me. My name is Charles Newman, but you can call me X.”

You can call me X? What the hell was that? The number of people who even knew my middle name I can count on one hand. I say, ‘You can call me X?’ Geez, Charles.

She is awfully cute in a girly sort of way.

“Well X, that’s nice! My name is Claire. Did your mother spring this on you this past weekend like mine did?”

“Yes, Claire — actually, I think this has been a conspiracy between all the Moms in Columbus, Ohio.”

A girl! I am honestly talking to a girl. Her name is Claire with nice brown eyes now that I have seen her up close. She’s a redhead and is pretty.

Breathe, remember to breathe, Charles.

“OK, Ok, ok. Has everyone found a partner?” asked Jimmy.

I turned to her and asked, “Will you be my partner tonight, Claire?”

Her smile turned into the dimples again. The prettiest I had ever seen in my life.

“Oh yes, X! Charles, I would love to be your partner.”

Her grin is adorable, as well.

Maybe this Cotillion thing won’t be so bad after all.

Jimmy clapped his hands twice, “Everybody! Face the mirrors, in your couples. Boys on the left and girls on the right, everybody got that? OK, now boys turn to your right and girls turn to your left, so you are facing one another. Anybody need any help, yet? Anyone not know their left foot from their right?” A few chuckles sounded throughout the hall, both boys and girls.

“Next,” Jimmy continued, “Girls, move to your right so that your left foot is between your partner’s feet.”

Claire and I had done everything he had said so far.

“Now ladies, put your left hand on the boy’s right shoulder. No, dear, your other left hand. Boys, this is your first moment of truth. Put your right hand on the girls back. Not the hip or the waist. Your partner will tell you if you are too high or too low, won’t you girls?”

“We will continue when the giggling stops,” Jimmy said.

I now had my right hand on her flank. Her hand was on my shoulder. I caught her looking at me. She smiled and giggled.

I may have as well.

“All right,” Jimmy said breaking our glance with his voice, “Now boys, put your left hand out, palm up, like someone, is going to give you some money. Ladies, put your right hand, palm down, on top of the boy’s hand. This is what’s called the ‘Closed Position.’”

“We will get more detailed as we learn the different dances, steps, and their variations. Let’s learn some steps, shall we? Does anybody know what a Waltz is? Anyone at all?”

I took my hand off her hip and raised it.

“Yes, the young man with his hand up? What’s your name, please?” Jimmy asked.

“Charles. Charles Newman, Sir!” I answered.

“Yes, Charles — What is a Waltz?” He asked.

“The only ballroom dance that has a three-four tempo, Mr. Bradshaw,” I replied.

“Yes, that’s right, Charles! You can — All of you, please, call me Jimmy!”

“Yes sir, Jimmy,” I replied.

“Can you demonstrate the Waltz, Mr. Newman?”

“I am not sure, Jimmy. I went online to look up the different dance steps last night, and suddenly, I don’t recall reading anything about it.” I was so very nervous.

I really put my foot in it this time.

The whole room chuckled and giggled at me. Claire was beaming that her partner knew something about dancing. Oh, her smile could light up an entire city!

“Well then, Charles. Why don’t you and your partner...”

“Claire, sir ... Jimmy,” she responded, looking at me directly.

“Why don’t you and Claire come over here by me?” he suggested. “I will show the class how this dance works using the two of you as guinea pigs. Is that all right with you, Charles?”

I turned to Claire and asked her, “Is that all right with you, Claire?”

All the girls in the room broke out into giggles and ‘awws.’

“Yes, Charles. I would love to learn to dance with you,” she smiled saying.

Jimmy said, “Come here, the two of you? Hurry up, we only have an hour. We can’t spend it all on one dance.”

I grabbed her right hand, and we walked up to Jimmy. I was very nervous. I felt like I was sweating through my new shirt.

“OK, now, assume the Closed Position,” Jimmy said. “Back up people, give them some room, please?”

Everyone pulled back giving us plenty of room as Jimmy put on some music, which I recognized.

JOURNEY
Lying beside you
Here in the dark
Feeling your heartbeat
with mine
Softly you whisper
You’re so sincere
How could our
love be so blind?

Jimmy spoke, “Do you hear the beats, or possibly feel them?”

I turned to Jimmy and answered, “Yes, Sir. Do you want us to use the traditional box step, Sir?”

Claire looked at me, saying, “Wow!”

“Yes,” said Jimmy, “Continue, Charles.”

So now I come to you
With open arms
Nothing to hide
Believe what I say
So here I am
With open arms
Hoping you’ll see
What your love
means to me
Open arms

With the music going on I began demonstrating as I spoke over the vocals, “Claire, I will step forward with my left foot at the same time you step back with your right foot. Then, I will slide my right foot over. You match that move with your left. Then, I will move my left foot, your right, to meet up with our other feet. We repeat it backwards, starting with my right foot. That makes a box, get it? Does that sound agreeable to you? Do you feel the beat, Boom-tic-tic ... Boom-tic-tic?”

“Yeah — I think I got it, X,” she smiled looking down at her feet then looked up straight into my eyes and quite possibly straight into my heart.

But now that you’ve come back
Turned night into day
I need you to stay

OK. So, I waited for the beat. It was like I found my place in the cosmos. I was dancing for real with a pretty girl. I heard her quietly saying, ‘Boom-tic-tic ... Boom-tic-tic.’

After a few measures, Jimmy cut in and said, “Let’s give Charles & Claire a big hand for starting us off. You have all been watching long enough. Now, feel the beat and, everyone, Dance!”

The song repeated twice, so everyone could work on it. Jimmy watched and helped those struggling until the song had ended the final time.

Claire turned taking her skirt with her left hand and curtsied to me, “Thank you very much, Mr. Newman, you are a wonderful dancer.”

I blushed.

“I had honestly never danced before in my life, Claire. It was just that the music — along with such a pretty partner, inspired me to do what I did.”

She blushed and smiled back. Those dimples!

Let me describe Miss Claire McArthur to you: With her heels, she was my height, I didn’t mind. Ironically, or maybe because of some kind of destiny, she was a redhead as well, but a darker red than my mom’s coloration.

No guess on her weight or measurements, but she was very pretty. When she smiled, she had the cutest dimples.

Oh, she had brown eyes, imagine a twelve-year-old Jennifer Garner, but with pretty red hair.

“All right everybody, take a break. We start back up in ten minutes,” Jimmy announced. “Charles and Claire, come here, please? I would like to ask you two a favor?”

“Certainly, Jimmy,” I responded.

This time, she grabbed hold of my hand and led the way.

Jimmy asked, “Was that honestly the first time you have ever danced before? I find it hard to believe. You both were marvelous, with a natural movement in your waist, hips, and legs. I know your class is over at seven-thirty, but would you mind staying over a while to show the returning students how a Waltz is ‘properly done?’ Many of them have likely gotten a little sloppy since last season, and a little competition would be a good thing for them.”

“Just a minute please, Jimmy?” I said.

Taking her by both of her hands, I asked, “Claire, can you stay to dance with me? I won’t do it without you.”

“Sure, Charles. I can stay a little while, and show off,” she replied.

“Yes, Jimmy. We can stay and dance for you and the returning dancers.”

“Thank you, you two! If I didn’t know any better, you could be the next Fred and Ginger.”

“Who?” we said together.

“Oh, never mind. Take your break. We start back up in five minutes.”

“Excuse me, Claire. I need to use the restroom before we dance again,” I said. We looked at our hands clasped together.

“Sure X. I will be waiting for you — forever,” she answered.

Oh Man!

After the break, Jimmy told us all to get back into the couples we were in before. He said that instead of learning another new dancestep, he would begin the mini-lesson regarding ‘Etiquette on The Dance Floor.’ I comfortably put my right arm around her waist while we stood together. She glanced over at me, and didn’t pull away.

“OK, everyone, I am going to teach you some of the Rules of the Ballroom Dance floor. First, when there are two or more couples on the dance floor collisions can happen. You must always be aware of where the other couples are. Ladies. If you see an oncoming couple about to collide with you, simply tap your partner on the shoulder. This is known as ‘The International Dance Panic Signal.’”

A few snickers permeated the room. “Just remain calm. Do Not Grab Your Partner! That will only startle them, and a collision is inevitable.”

He went on to say, “The next Rule of Dance Etiquette comes at the end of each dance. Gentlemen, always offer the young lady your closest arm and politely take her back to her seat. Even if she asked you to dance!”

“That brings me to the next ‘Rule of Dance.’ You will not always attend a dance with a partner. Remember the International Dance Pick-Up Line, ‘May I have this dance?’ Ladies, it’s all right to refuse, politely,” Jimmy said as I felt Claire taking my hand in hers.

That got everyone laughing.

“Lastly, my Bradshaw Family Cotillions’ credo is “Dancing is Fun, So Have Fun Dancing!” It should be enjoyed and experienced. Watch other dancers ... You might learn something.”

Looking at his watch, Jimmy said, “We don’t have the time to start another dance style. Next week, you will be learning the Basic Foxtrot, as well as the Waltz Step known as the Left Box Turn. I am going to put on a Waltz number and let you practice until our time is up.”

“Please pick up a Rise and Fall Practice Exercise Card on your way out today. Remember, ‘Dancing is Fun, So Have Fun Dancing!’”

We all applauded Jimmy as he started the musical number, “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You,” the Elvis Presley version, and I moved in front of Claire and tapped her on the shoulder asking, “May, I have this dance, Claire ... I never got your last name?”

“Oh, it’s Claire McArthur, Charles, or should I call you, X?”

“You can call me anything you want, as long as I can dance all of my dances with you,” I said with a smile. “For the rest of our lives.”

“Well, aren’t you the charmer, X,” she smiled back. She squeezed my hand, and I squeezed hers in return.

We danced and danced, and I could swear my feet weren’t touching the floor anymore as I waltzed with my new partner, the lovely, redheaded, brown eyed, dimpled, Miss Claire McArthur.