Chapter 19

Mom sat down next to her as Claire and I started our Bolero dance steps.

After we had learned most of the steps I stopped and asked, “Annie, could you go get a pair of your low heels, please, for Claire to learn with — you never know. They might just fit.”

Annie got up and got the shoes. I got down on one knee and, like that moment in Cinderella, put the shoe on her foot — it fit!

“Consider those an early birthday gift, Claire,” Annie said. They hugged.

“OK, Claire ... Ready to try this with heels, honey?” she nodded as K started the song. Claire gave me the kiss.

Never have I felt the sentiment of a song, like “The Circle of Life” made me feel. We went through the different steps we had learned, but this time it felt different somehow. Every arm movement was important now — Claire was superb.

I felt like I was going along for the ride, we were on a cloud together; with the wonderful Cor Ysgol Glanaethwy Choir singing and this version was within International Standard, barely over 2:45, our first routine with an adult standard, perfect for Charles & Claire.

We started into making it a routine at once, with K helping at the CD player; there really is a circle of life.

It only took us close to an hour to put together this routine, but with our new higher standards we spent a good deal of time on leg extension, pointed feet, hip rotation and hand position. It really was a significantly different style than we had ever danced.

Wait until they get a load of us? Claire’s hips and legs were beautifully articulated, just like the professional dancers I have seen on the Internet. Annie’s shoes make her legs the focus of attention. To me her eyes are still the focus of my attention.

“Annie, when is our next competition?” I asked unable to break my gaze or my grip with the girl in my arms.

“One week from today, Loverboy.”

“OK, everybody for that competition,
‘A’ Choice is “Skyfall”
‘B’ Choice is “What a Wonderful World’
‘C’ Choice is “Sway”
‘D’ Choice is “The Circle of Life.”

“Let’s make sure we have two copies of each of those songs.”

“Claire, first thing in the morning we will all go and surprise Sarah. Kallie and I will do our ‘Hate Samba’ routine for her, then you and I will do our ‘Sway Mambo’ for her, then we will all pile back in the car to come back here and practice each one of the routines, I just mentioned, each for at least thirty minutes. How does that sound to everybody?”

“Great,” said Claire.

“Fine,” said Annie.

Kalista was heading towards me at a gallop, but quite fortunately didn’t launch herself. We just made ‘firm’ contact – chest to chest. She grabbed me by the ears and kissed me real hard, saying “Thank you Charles for putting me first tomorrow. I do love you, you know.”

“Remember,” I said to her, “Tomorrow in front of Sarah, you must not say that, OK, Beautiful?”

“Sure, Loverboy,” she grinned. The other ladies smirked.

Annie got in contact with Sarah and they organized a trip to the dress shop for Kalista to get her little black dress along with heels for both McArthur young women.

I wasn’t going to be allowed to see Kalista’s dress until the evening of the ‘Date,’ but Claire got both a pair of white and black shoes with a one-and-a-half-inch heel just as specified. We at once started practicing all our routines and they all went quite well.

The next day we all got up early and drove to the McArthur’s to show off the new dance routines. We caught not only Sarah, but Daniel, Claire’s father, as well as Josiah and his girl Cassandra. Seeing all of them made Kalista a little nervous.

I said to them, “We have some dance routines to show all of you, if you have the time? Mr. McArthur, please stay and watch; it’s important to Claire, Kalista, and Sarah.”

He didn’t completely understand, but eagerly sat down next to his wife, as we prepared for the first number.

Josiah was looking at his Dad and was tearing up. Cassandra mouthed ‘What’s wrong’ and Josiah, mouthed back ‘You’ll see!’ He knows, he understands.

We’d added the “Marry You” routine to this, simply because Claire wanted her Daddy to see it, so it was first.

Annie worked the CD player, Claire and I got into starting position with me on one knee and holding her hand. Her father taken aback, but Sarah shushed him.

Annie started the music. We did our opening and Claire showed off the ring, causing both of her parents to gasp and then we went into our cha-cha routine. With Claire wearing the heels, her legs and her legwork were fabulous causing Kalista to go ‘Wow,’ a couple of times. Our turns and our side-by-sides went even better than at the competition.

The end was near, and Claire and I finished with our ‘married walk’ that ended the routine. I then picked her up, in tempo of course, and the song ended.

Everyone was quick to their feet and applauded furiously with Josiah whistling the loudest. I hadn’t put Claire down yet, causing some snickers.

“I haven’t got past the marriage ceremony yet, but maybe, in a few years,” I said. Daniel and Sarah looked at each other for a moment, but all was good.

I put Claire down and went in front of everyone and said, “Even though our age difference makes it impossible for us to dance in a competition together, until she’s at least eighteen, Kallie and I have got a routine to show all of you.”

Claire announced, “And now ... performing a Samba, to “Hate on Me,” by Jill Scott, for the first time anywhere — The dance team of Charles & Kallie!”

Mom was ready with the music, Kalista and I were in position, she gave me a quick kiss and she whispered, ‘I love you.’

The music started, and Kallie looked straight at me, not missing a step. Her Rhythm Bounce was remarkable, and when we got to the Traveling Voltas, I was in awe of her technique. She was better than Claire. Her hips were wild, and she knew it.

She really enjoyed the sexier moves. We got to the Bota Fogos Steps and Kallie actually got better as she was going. Her foot points were amazingly well done. Her arm positions were spot on. I caught myself watching her and almost missed the end, but she hit it like a pro.

For only six people, there was a lot of noise. I saw both Daniel and Sarah applauding and crying. Kalista ran to them and hugged them both. Claire was looking at me and was licking her chops, but I motioned her to back off.

She still came up to me and we hugged as we said to each other, “I love you,” Claire added, “The birth of a new dance team today and I am more than a little jealous. She danced better than me.”

I held my tongue.

I announced, “Please everyone, sit down, there is one more routine this morning.”

“Aren’t you tired?” voiced Josiah.,

“Absolutely not, Josiah! Dancing with either one of these beautiful young ladies is my inspiration. I grow wings with either of them in my arms.”

I bumped “Sway” and decided to try out our newest dance.

Continuing on, “Lastly, this morning is a brand new dance for Charles & Claire, called the Bolero. The music is the song from the Lion King called the “Circle of Life” performed by the wonderful Cor Ysgol Glanaethwy Choir. This dance will look different from any we have done before. With this dance, we could go anywhere in the world and perform. It is to World Dance Council standards. Claire, would you join me please?”

Annie at the CD player again – Claire kissed me to start.

We danced with articulation and strong attention to detail. I was aware of my hip movement and Claire’s extension as well. Her arms were perfect, not just great, but perfect.

Her legs, those legs were fantastic. I was trying to match her enthusiasm. I was a little tired, but her smile kept me in it. Our side-by-side spins gave me goose bumps and we went until the final notes were done.

Kalista was up before we were halfway through encouraging us, Annie and Sarah were crying. I saw Daniel covering his eyes, but I think he just was embarrassed to show his feelings. My dad would do that too. I am making it my mission to get Daniel and Sarah dancing together, again.

Everyone was hugging everyone else. Daniel came up to me with emotion clearly showing in his eyes and said, “Charles, I used to dance with Claire’s mother, and I was pretty good, but I have to tell you something. That was the best damn dancing I have seen in my entire life! Thank you for sitting me down to watch that. Could you brush me up on some of the dances sometime? I need a little work!”

Sarah was quick to add, “He needs more than just dancing, but it’s someplace to start.”

That made everybody laugh.

Daniel left for work, waving goodbye to all of us. Josiah came up to me and quietly said, “I am quite proud of my little sister and the young man she met at Cotillion.” He was filled with emotion as he and Cassandra left.

All the ladies were going shopping, so I was doomed to follow them around the mall. It wasn’t so bad. Claire had shown me how to use iTunes on my phone, so all the while they were shopping I was listening to music, deciding if it was up to Charles & Claire’s new higher standard. You could sample a song for about thirty seconds.

Kallie got my attention and pointed to a stage where people were dancing. They had a dance stage in the middle of the mall?

I saw a guy who was doing the DJ thing. As Claire and I walked up to the raised stage, someone yelled out, “It’s Charles & Claire, “ and we were immediately surrounded by maybe fifty kids, all of them wanting our autograph.

After that was over, the DJ said over the mall sound system, “Let’s see if we can get Charles & Claire to dance for us today?”

I was tired, but forces beyond our control were at work here, so we walked up on the stage and walked over to the DJ.

He said, “I got Bruno Mars, ‘Marry You.’ You up to it? Everybody here has seen it on the Internet, but live ... would be wicked.”

We nodded our heads and the stage cleared faster than I would have expected. Claire gave me the kiss and then we got into position. The crowd sensed what we were about to dance and started to scream.

“Performing to Bruno Mars, ‘Marry You’ Charles & Claire.”

We did it again for the second time in ninety minutes, but this crowd deserved the same intensity we gave it before. Once again, we only saw each other as we danced. The crowd was screaming, but somehow we stayed in rhythm and in step and hit every beat and every step.

They were all singing with it, as we came towards the end, I decided to pick up Claire again, but this time there’d be a kiss. Hopefully, Annie and Sarah were somewhere else out of view. It was over – I picked her up and we kissed.

The crowd, having swelled to well over a couple hundred, went crazy, taking pictures, but we kept kissing. I saw arms waving in the distance, it was Mom - busted! I put Claire down.

The crowd gave us a last big yell, the DJ thanked us as well.

I stepped off the stage and picked up Claire and brought her to the floor level. Mom gave Claire the ‘wipe off signal’ and she cleaned off my lips and the mouth area all around the lips.

We walked up to our Moms, who were both trying to hold back big smiles. Sarah said semi-quietly, “Claire, if I had a boy like Charles when I was your age, I would be kissing him all the time too, so don’t worry so much.”

“I have been meaning to thank you, Mrs. McArthur?”

“For what, Charles?”

“For deciding to have one more child, it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun dancing with Josiah.”

“Charles, you are too much, sometimes,” Sarah said shaking her head.

“Only sometimes, Sarah?” I said smiling back into her Claire-like face.

“Claire is in love with you, Kalista is something with you, I am growing quite fond of you myself, and this morning I think you finally got my husband on your side. Just don’t fu ... mess anything up as the old saying goes and the ‘The world is your oyster.’”

It was the day before the next competition, and we were practicing each of our routines we had ready. As we were finishing up “Sway” Claire suddenly stopped and said, “Charles, this isn’t going to make any sense to you, because I am always telling you, that I am happy that you make all of our decisions on what we’re going to dance.”

“It’s OK, Claire. What would you like to dance for our competition routine tomorrow?”

“The Bolero – ‘Circle of Life.’ I have been thinking about what you said the day you taught us that routine.”

“What specifically do you mean, Claire?”

“You gave the different reasons we have won competitions. I don’t want to win anything we don’t deserve to win. I want to win because we are better than anybody else.”

“My beautiful girl, We ARE better than anybody else our age, and tomorrow is the day we prove that, by dancing the Bolero. In the off chance, it’s not available, which of our other routines do you want as a backup?”

“Skyfall,” and “What a Wonderful World.”

“Did you hear that Mom? What did I tell you just yesterday about Claire?” I chuckled.

“Charles, what exactly did you talk to Annie about yesterday?” Claire inquired smirking.

I replied, “That you have grown up and are possibly a better dancer than I am, but I don’t care, because when we dance - the world watches you, and so do I.”

Kalista had just walked in and turned around with Annie behind her.

Claire and I kissed each other, and we held each other for the longest time. I heard a door open and we separated.

“Do you want to practice, or are we good enough?” I asked Claire.

“You have been good enough since the day we met, Charles ‘call me X’ Newman. We have danced a lot over the last week, let’s rest, all right,” Claire asked.

“Annie, we’re gonna lay down for a while, OK? Usual rules?” I inquired.

“OK, you, you have danced a lot the past ten days, so rest your legs. Usual rules, Kalista, help me in the kitchen, please?”

“Sure, Mom ... oh my – Ohhhhh. I am sorry Annie, I don’t know what caused me to say that,” Kalista said surprising everyone, including herself.

“It’s all right with me, it will be our little secret OK, K?” Annie said tearing up, just a little.

Claire and I turned around at this and we waved goodnight to them both.

Our usual rules meant shoes were removed with everything else left on, but my pant belt was bothering me, so I took it off. I may ask Annie about those beltless slacks I see advertised.

After we both got up on the bed and turned to face each other. I turned on my music feature on my phone, selected the shuttle feature and the first song to play was “Falling Slowly,” perfect for Claire and me. As we both fell asleep, I heard “The Circle of Life” start.

We both woke up, refreshed before anyone came in to surprise us. Claire and I both walked into my bathroom, me to wash my face and she started to comb her hair. This felt like one of those moments that’s important, but I wasn’t real sure why.

I excused myself and tried to walk past Claire, but she stopped me saying, “We are going to be our very best tomorrow, aren’t we, X?”

I replied, “They won’t know what hit them, my dear.”

We walked together down the stairs and saw Annie and Kalista preparing everyone a nice meal. Annie motioned us to sit down. There was a lot of food.

“Is someone joining us for dinner, Mom?” I asked.

“No, Charles, just the four of us. I thought, with your music selection, and your intense new training schedule, a big meal the night before is just what we all need. Did you two rest well?”

Now, that’s what’s called mis-direction, I believe? Softening us up with a big meal telling us how we needed our strength, then the meat of the interrogation begins.

I looked at Claire and she gave me a go-ahead nod.

“Actually Mom, Claire and I were a little uncomfortable, so we cuddled a little, with her behind me. She had her hand on my hip.”

I looked up and saw Annie’s mouth wide open and a really nasty look on her face was starting to form around the corners of her mouth.

“Annie,” Claire said. “It was nothing like that at all! We both stayed on our own sides. The only difference from the usual rules was Charles belt bothered him, so he took it off. Honest Annie, that’s all, OK?”

“Charles,” my mother said with her hands up on her hips, “What you think is funny, ISN’T?”

We all had a fabulous meal, Annie and Kalista seemed to be getting a lot chummier, but I don’t see a problem with that. After our meal, Claire and I got up and practiced one-time through, ‘The Circle of Life.”

I never felt lighter on my feet, despite all the food I had just eaten. Claire’s hips were in perfect tempo and her legwork, along with her arm and handwork was very nice. My legs felt quite comfortable, not sore in the slightest.

I was leading with my hip and it felt so good. The newer shorter music keeps us better focused, I think. There is no middle of the dance to worry about anymore, just the beginning and the end. Tomorrow, we’re either going to win big, or fall flat on our faces.

“Claire, do we want to be anywhere special in the order tomorrow, can we still be last? We have earned it?”

“Charles, when we were falling asleep and our music came on, I saw us leading masses of people, who were behind us, waiting for us to inspire them. Let’s go first tomorrow, Loverboy, OK?”

That made Kalista giggle and my mom looked at her and put her arm around the charming little girl saying, “Our kids have grown up, haven’t they, K?”

“Yes Mom. My brother and his girl sure do look like they might just win tomorrow, don’t they?”

Claire and I looked at each other and pinched each other. We were awake, but what was that we just heard?

Mom explained about Kalista’s earlier gaffe and they talked for a long time, with Kalista asking about and really understanding the story of Kaitlyn and mom’s pregnancy. Kalista was content being my sister and Annie’s ‘almost’ little girl.

“Claire, does my smartphone have a video capture-type software?” I asked.

“If you mean, can you video something, yeah! Oh, you want to video our routine and see what we might be doing, that could be better,” she said grinning at me.

“You got it in one, Sugar-Lips.”

“Kalista, you know how to use one of these, don’t you?” Claire asked.

Taking it from her, Kalista said, “Of course I do, Claire!”

Annie got up and said, “I will start the music for you, when you need me to.”

Claire gave me a kiss and I nodded. Knowing our routine, Kalista was like a TV cameraman, staying close enough to catch our entire bodies as we danced around the floor, but moving as we did, staying out of our ‘flight path.’ This is going to help us get so much better. Watch out people!

I looked it over, pointing out our few arm and hand attitude issues, but for the most part it looked quite good. Claire watched it and pointed out a moment when my leg didn’t look right. I agreed and realized how easy it was to fix it.

“When we get back from this competition we may just video every routine we’re currently working on, OK Claire?”

“Sure, Loverboy.”

We wore our tan and brown outfits figuring they would work equally well with the “Circle of Life” number or “Colors of the Wind.” We did some last-minute retooling of ‘Colors’ to conform to our new personal dancing standards. Only someone who had seen it before, would even notice the changes we made.

We arrived at the auditorium to the kudos of everyone who walked by us, all saying, “Break a leg” to us. I sure hope nobody meant it literally.

As we walked up to a familiar face at the NDCA Junior II check-in table, the young lady said, “I expect you want last again, Mr. Newman?”

“Actually, today we want to be first,” I said, surprising her. I gave her our comp music. She went on to say, “Are you doing the Six-Pack today, for your Encore piece?”

I turned to Claire as I answered her, saying, “We’re going to switch it up today. And do a Rhumba to this piece of music,” as I asked Mom for “Colors of the Wind” and handed it to the woman. She looked quite shocked but got it together and confirmed the two pieces of music.

Annie, Kalista, and Claire all had looks on their faces of wonder and amazement.

I turned to Claire and said loud enough for all to hear, “Today we find out if we are as good as we think we are — Let’s go, we’re up first today.”

We casually walked over to our starting area with many young people asking us for autographs. We obliged every single one of them.

The Announcer came on:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the third competition of the Summer Season. We may have something brewing today, but I will let you find out for yourself. Will all the dancers please come to the floor?”

We all trouped out, with our fans screaming for us when they saw us lead the pack of dancers. The Announcer introduced us all to the crowd and then asked all of us to leave except those who were performing first.

While everybody else cleared the floor leaving us, a buzz started through the crowd. I heard a few ‘your da man, Charles’ and Claire got a few wolf whistles.

We ignored it all as we got in position to dance. I’d told Claire, no kiss today. She understood; our merits, we wanted to win on our merits.

“Dancing a Bolero, to the Cor Ysgol Glanaethwy Choir’s production of “The Circle of Life” are Charles Newman and Claire McArthur.“

I started with my hands only moving and then with Claire’s arms responding. There wasn’t a sound, but the choir and us and Claire’s legs never were as sharp, or as beautiful as they were today. My legs had wings and I was feeling really good, my hips rolling like a pro’s, as we moved from step to step, the Bolero Spin taking a full two beats to be finished.

We did two of them, with my hips in perfect sync with hers and we moved towards the end of our routine. It went by so fast, but here it is.

The end ... go Claire, and it was ... PERFECT!

Instantaneous sound blew the roof off the place. I was so overwhelmed by my emotions; I grabbed Claire and spun her around. People weren’t just screaming like we have heard in the past — this time they were honoring us. A wave started and went around the indoor stadium twice. We waved to everyone and left the floor although the noise didn’t abate. We went back out and it got louder again.

The Announcer came on and said:
“Please everyone, that was fabulous, but we do have other dancers to perform today. Wonderful job, Charles & Claire! And now performing...”

We went off to the ‘kiss and cry’ area where the other dancers meet up with their coaches, multiple trainers, and managers. We had Annie and Kalista, that’s all we needed.

Kalista came up to me asking me to bend down so she could kiss me. It was a magnificent kiss she gave me, my little sister, who loves me. We separated, and Mom came up to me crying and we hugged each other, like two people who hadn’t seen each other in twenty years.

About forty-five minutes later, after the rest of the Junior II’s danced, the Announcer came back on:

“Well, Ladies and Gentlemen. In my over forty years of watching and announcing dancing, the judges confirmed what I am about to say that Bolero got the first perfect score in over thirty years. Winning their eleventh consecutive NDCA competition, Charles & Claire.”

The place was wonderfully insane with sound. Claire and I went out and applauded the crowd for their appreciation. We brought Annie out, Kalista came out too, all of us loved by regular people who love to watch others dance. I sure hope this dance gets on the Internet; I am proud of Claire and myself.