Chapter 24

“OK, last subject – turning professional and going on this tour. I am beginning to believe, that we are going to like dancing for people on this tour more than anything else, so I suggest we all turn professional right away, informing the NDCA at the proper time. We go on this US Tour, and maybe even Michaels’ World Tour as well.”

“Then we maybe find out about going on the World Dance Council International Tour, or starting our own Tour, something along the lines of ‘The Claire and Special K Tour, Starring Charles & Claire, along with the newest dancing sensation of the ages, Special K.’ We could nickname it the CASK Tour.”

“Is everybody OK with everything discussed in here? Remember, this conversation is our secret. You keep it from Annie, Sarah, Daniel, Josiah, Jimmy, and anybody else, oh yeah K ... and Richie too.”

That made her blush, but she said, “Pinkie Swear?”

“NO, K this is too important for a pinkie swear, turn around Claire, and try not to listen.”

She did but had started to protest as she saw me walk up to K and realized. I heard her humming to herself ‘So This is Love.’

I leaned into Kalista, moving towards her mouth with mine. She broke into a big wonderful smile, as I pressed my lips deep into hers kissing her and opening my mouth. I felt her mouth open, as we had our most provocative kiss ever, lasting a few minutes.

When we were done, I said to her, “Tell anyone what we have talked about today, and you will never get another kiss like that from me, ever!”

I heard her say, “Oohh, Charles – that was awesome, yes – I understand. I Promise? Do you want me to leave, before you knock Claire’s socks off with one of those?”

Chuckling, I said, “If you wouldn’t mind? Clean yourself up in my bathroom before you go, OK?”

“Sure thing ... Loverboy.”

I looked over and saw Claire dancing to whatever she was humming. I turned her around and grabbed her face with my hands, and started ‘our’ version of the kiss I gave K.

I saw her eyes close as we touched lips. I pressed her body up against mine as this kiss became deep and soulful. I wrapped my arms around her, and we were now face to face.

We pulled apart as I said to her, “Vi amo tanto il mio cuore dolor” (I Love You So Much, My Heart Aches).

She responded, “Fino a che non sono sposati Carlo” (Until We Are Married, Charles).

It was Sunday morning, and we all got ready for the Barbecue Party. Claire and I were in our competition blue outfits, while Kalista was in a new party dress that was solid black and quite pretty. They had helped each other with their hair, Kalista looked eleven or twelve, while Claire looked ... good enough to eat, or at least kiss for a very long time.

Annie had on a new dress, with a little bit of a plunging neckline, as did Sarah. They almost looked ... too good. We left for the McArthurs and there were so many cars there, we got out in front of the house, and Annie parked and said that she would catch up to us. We all left our go-bags in the car.

As we walked into the back yard, we saw my mother’s older brother, Michael Moynihan, and his pretty wife Lori, along with Annie’s younger sister Nancy Taylor and her hubby, Jeremy. Coming up behind them were Grandpa Xavier and Grandma Ruth, Annie’s folks.

It had been some time since we saw any of them, much less this many, at the same time. Apparently, Nancy and Michael left their brood back in Springfield ... that’s where Our Newman clan all started. I tried looking up our surname while pursuing my Genealogy Merit Badge, but the name was too common to go back more than my granedfathers’ grandfather.

Grandpa Xavier, when he saw I was holding hands with Claire, gave me a big smile and a big thumbs up. I hoped that Dad didn’t show up, because I wasn’t entirely sure what I was capable of doing, despite my age and size.

But I did see his parents, Grandpa Richard Newman, and Grandma Josephine. Dad was an only child.

Despite them all being in their seventies, all four grandparents looked pretty darn good.

I assumed it was the draw of free food, along with the enticing invitation that said; “An Important Event in the lives of Charles Xavier Newman Jr, and Claire Tiffany McArthur!” Putting the Jr after my name wasn’t my idea, but Annie’s.

Claire and I walked over to the dance floor, and saw Brian and Susan, along with Brian’s mother, Shirley. Susan’s parents, Steven and Esther, were there as well. Brian and I shook hands, although without all these people around, we probably would have given each other high-fives instead.

Brian’s older sister, Karen, came over to say ‘Hi,” and I kissed the back of her hand. She giggled, as Brian mock-threatened me with a punch with his fist. My recollection is that she’s seventeen or eighteen years old.

Over by the grill, where Daniel was preparing to start cooking, I saw, what looked like an older version of Daniel. Daniel stopped what he was doing for a moment and introduced me to his parents Patrick Duncan and Mary Rose.

Sarah walked up to a stunning older version of her, and introduced me to her mother, Henrietta Claire (With red hair as pretty as Claires, with a slight stripe of silver) and Sarah’s father Jonathan Henry Rollins. Her older brother Jeffrey Creighton, who I had never met before, but had the same shock of red hair as the rest of them, shook my hand and told me that he had seen some of our dances on YouTube.

“How many times did your dances go viral and close down YouTube, Charles?” he questioned.

“I have lost track, Jeffrey, at least five or six I am aware of, but we have been so busy learning dances, to really bother with that. At least David Letterman got a chance to tell some bad jokes about it along the way. I know it happened years back, but I wish to give my condolences for your and Sarah’s sister June. I have seen her picture ... the world lost a very beautiful person the day she passed,” I said, filling up with emotion.

Daniel and Sarah’s parents had overheard me say this, and they all thanked me for my deep concern. I told them the story about my almost sister Kaitlyn, and they were all in tears, at the monumental coincidence of it all.

Kalista’s biological father, Randall Johnson, walked up to me to shake my hand and said, “I understand you have been teaching my little one to dance, and apparently she’s quite good!”

“Yes sir, she is; I am very sorry for the loss of June, Kalista’s biological mother, much like the bird the Phoenix, Kalista rose from the ashes of that terrible moment, to become the remarkable young lady that she is today.”

I felt Claire tug on my arm. I excused myself from the group and walked to an open area.

“Yes, Claire ... is there a problem?”

“No, Charles ... you just perform the whole ‘meet and greet’ thing so effortlessly. I said nothing while you were praising Kalista and June or flirting with Brian’s older sister. I’d keep my distance from her, X, it seems Brian is her advocate today.”

“Will you look at all these people? Daddy has got to be so happy. He’s always wanted to cook for a really large crowd, and this crowd is easily going to be his largest.”

“Oh, look ... there’s my uncle William and aunt Sammi. He’s my daddy’s older brother, by four years, and Sammi is the baby, five years younger than Daddy.”

“Can I go flirt with Sammi, she looks a little younger than Sarah, but she sure is pretty, and that dress, Wow!”

“Behave, she lost her husband Joseph Lemucchi, about seven years ago, and doesn’t usually come to events like this,” Claire said cautiously.

We walked over to her Dad’s siblings. I introduced myself to them, shaking William’s hand. I turned to Sammi and said, “When Claire told me you were her Aunt, I was amazed. I would have thought with that beautiful red hair and brown eyes of yours, you were just an older sister of hers I hadn’t met yet.”

Claire turned into me and quietly said, “You are just too smooth for your own good, buster.”

Sammi said, “I used to dance when I was younger, and I was pretty good. Maybe that’s where Claire got it?” She giggled, just like Claire does.

“Claire got more than dancing ability from you, my dear? She got your poise, your smile and if she gets as pretty as you are, I’ll be one happy camper,” I grinned.

Sammi blushed. Claire pulled me away.

I heard background music coming from over by the dance floor, and Claire and I wandered over to see Russell, her older brother, manning the music, as he has before.

He saw us walk up and said, “Ready to dance, you two? Charles, your mother gave me a copy of all of your music – I can play anything you have ever danced to, plus I have about five thousand other pieces of music on standby?”

“Claire, would you like to dance, or is it too early? This is going to be an extraordinarily long day; you know?” I asked.

She responded, “Well, do you want to do something slow and pretty, or fast and dangerous?”

“Six-Pack!” we both said laughing at the moment.

Russell must have heard us, and had it ready for us, waiting for my nod. Claire and I walked to the middle of the dance floor. She gave me a kiss, I nodded, and the music came blaring out of the large speakers, and people immediately started to gather around the edges of the dance floor.

We started with the Waltz steps and segued into the routine we had performed more times than any other. We were enjoying each other, everything going quiet, as usual; while the crowd was clapping to the tempo of the song.

I saw Kalista come up to the front of the crowd and started clapping real loud with the music and said, “Go Guys” real loud. There was a chuckle from the crowd.

They really liked our fast spins to the sixty-fourth note trills, and we were going great guns, moving all around the floor smiling at the folks at the edge. I grabbed Kalista, and we started dancing with Claire stepping aside for us, and I was right. Kalista knew every step as though we learned the routine together. What a truly remarkable young lady.

Claire reiterated the “Go Guys” said earlier by K, and K and I were about to finish this dance together, and we nailed it, finishing perfectly with the end of the song, and she even added a layback at the end. As that wonderful song title says, ‘Thank Heaven for Little Girls.’

The crowd loudly cheered as Claire came back, and the three of us bowed to them, as they started to come up to us.

Claire’s much older sister Esther gave Claire a real big hug, Josiah gave K a hug, with Cassandra watching closely. My first hug was from Annie, followed quickly by Sarah, who approached me like she was going to give me a big kiss, but seemed to settle for a backbreaking hug instead. Her hugs had become my favorites for two big reasons!

Russell started the Glenn Miller version of ‘Little Brown Jug’ and the ‘Seasoned Citizens’ got up on the dance floor and ‘cut a rug.’

Claire and I deferred, saying we had a long day ahead of us. People understood, and there was suddenly a new energy all throughout the place.

It appeared most everyone had arrived, and Daniel announced the food was going on the grill. There were a total of four grills, two cooking chicken, one with hamburgers, and the last one with bratwurst and hot dogs. The smell quickly wafted over the huge backyard, adding to the whole atmosphere.

Daniel’s older brother William was opening packages of food in preparation of cooking. It looked like they had worked together before. It was a like a ballet, with William opening the packages directly onto the grill, and Daniel moving them to an appropriate place for the actual cooking. There were two large boxes of various kinds of chips behind them.

Russell had put on some new music and I heard ‘My Cup Runneth Over,’ and took a walk back to the dance floor, but it was full, so instead, I walked Claire to a quiet corner and just danced in place, talking.

“Claire, I have never seen so many redheads in one place before ... between the McArthur’s and the Newman’s, we may have set a record for the total number of redheads ... without it being a re-union.”

“Charles, do you think your father will show up today?” Claire asked.

“I hope not, Claire. This party is so much fun – I have myself surrounded by beautiful ladies, although I haven’t seen all of your siblings, except for Russell, Esther and Josiah?”

“They are arriving a little later, Ken and his wife Sarah Jane, along with their three kids, John’s coming from college, Robert’s coming in from New York, where he’s a struggling artist.”

“What kind of artist? I asked.

“Sculpture. He just sold a piece to some millionaire somewhere, for $50,000 dollars.”

“Big Deal, we got $100,000 from Michael Bublé,” I bragged, “Along with $2,150 a day for clothes and shoes, per person!” We both laughed at that.

This really was a time to ponder. What if I hadn’t gone to Cotillion that fateful day last June?

“Oh, by the way, Claire – lean in to me a minute, would you? I have got to say, that you are looking more and more like your mother these days, and I mean that ... in all ways.”

She looked down at her chest, appearing to be proud of her growth, but still slapped at me saying, “You are incorrigible, Charles Newman. I love you anyway. Actually, Annie told me that she expected mine to end up bigger than hers, maybe even bigger than Sarah’s. That’s how big they may have to get to get your attention away from my Mother.” She giggled and blushed after saying this.

“Your jealousy is duly noted,” I said as we gave each other a smooch, just as Kalista was walking up.

“I’ll bet you didn’t know Sarah and Claire taught me the Six-Pack, did you Charles?” she gloated.

“Nope, but knowing my Princess, the chance that she did was good enough for me. Kalista, can I ask you a personal question?”

“Sure, I’ll marry you, Charles,” Kalista said grinning. Claire gave me a look. Then K.

“No, that’s in the future, way in the future ... my question concerns your dad, Randall?”

“What about him, X?”

“Did he give up your parental rights to Daniel and Sarah? He must have ... otherwise the deals we have recently struck with Michael would have required Randall being involved, and not Daniel.”

Claire responded, “Charles — Daniel and Sarah knew that Randall was devastated when June died. Even though Kalista was born, at that point he already had two teenagers. He didn’t want the responsibility of a new child, so after June’s funeral, Daniel had the papers drawn up, and everybody signed them, putting Kalista Rosemary McArthur in the permanent care of Sarah and Daniel McArthur.”

“Rosemary, Princess? Your middle name is Rosemary? That’s beautiful; I knew I loved you, but Rosemary. That’s my favorite fragrance, a kind of minty freshness, which is exactly what you are,” I said being near enough to kiss her.

Responding with her patented smile, “Oh, Charles – when you say something like that to me, I just have to kiss you. OK with you, cousin?”

“Go for it, K,” Claire said.

With no one else in sight, Kalista pushed me up against the gazebo, and laid quite the kiss on me. I remembered our ‘visit’ in the spa, that worried me so much that day, but now Kalista, Claire, and I seem to be hitting on all cylinders, and that includes Mom and Sarah as well.

Speaking of the D-cup devils, Annie and Sarah just showed up, with Sarah saying, “Kalista, clean him up. That was quite the dance you three did earlier. Practicing for the SST, are we?”

“Actually, no – my dear Sarah? Change of subject, if that’s all right ... I just found out Kalista’s middle name was Rosemary. Out of curiosity, Mom had you given, little Kaitlyn a middle name?”

She started to cry.

“Oh, I am sorry Mom, that was insensitive of me – never mind?”

From beneath her tears, Annie spoke, “Rose, her middle name was going to be ... Rose.”

“Before everybody starts crying about this,” I said, fighting them myself, “what are your middle names, if you have them?”

Claire responded with a big smile, “I am Claire Tiffany McArthur.” I gave her a kiss.

Annie said, “You already know my middle name is Marie, didn’t you Charles?” I gave her a kiss and said, “I do now.”

“Sarah, how about you — you got a middle name, beautiful?” I asked.

“Actually Charles, my complete birth name is Sarah Mary Elizabeth Rollins.”

“Well,” I said. “A truly magnificent name for a truly stunning woman.” I went to give her a kiss, and she planted one on me, that seemed to go on forever.

“Is there a reason, my wife is kissing my daughter’s boyfriend?” A booming voice came up to our group.

Sarah pulled away and wiped off my lips, saying, “Sometimes dear ... I forget he’s only fourteen.” I think she blushed. She certainly was beaming.

“As odd as this may sound, Charles – I understand,” Daniel said. “When I was your age, my twin John and I would get ourselves into all kinds of trouble, and it usually started when we swapped girlfriends ... and they didn’t know it.”

“Your brother John, June’s first husband, and you, were twins? Why didn’t I know that before?” I wondered aloud.

“I guess it never came up, Charles.” Daniel said with a chuckle. “Honey, I have got to get back to the food ... behave.” With that he slapped Sarah on her butt.

She giggled and said, “You got me in trouble, Charles.”

“Oh no my dear ... you got yourself in that mess all by yourself, but if I do say so myself, after Claire, or course, you are the second-best kisser of my ladies.”

I knew what was coming, but it didn’t matter, Kalista hit me in the shoulder, Annie wacked me on the back of the head, and Claire gave me a kiss to take my mind off her mother.

I quietly broached the subject, to my ladies, on taking Michael’s World Tour Offer up front, and I immediately got four “Yes” answers.

“Sarah, will Daniel have a problem with this?” I asked.

“Actually, No Charles – I think he understands your motives are pure ... aren’t they?” she said.

“About Claire and Kalista maybe, but when it comes to my future mom-in-law, I wouldn’t know if I can safely use the word ‘pure.’ I am not sure if one of us may not end up corrupting the other one.”

Sarah looked at me like I was a fresh bowl of milk, and she was a putty-tat. The other ladies giggled at this.

“Change of subject, ladies? First a question to you Sarah, will Randall, Kalista’s biological father, have any recourse once he hears what we all will be making, or should I avoid the subject of money when I make my big speech about why they are all here?”

“He has no legal recourse,” Sarah remarked. “He gave up all parental rights to us, less than a week after Kalista was born. I am sorry, Kalista, it sounds like you were bought and sold, but he didn’t love you or want you, not like Daniel and I did ... do. I would avoid the subject of specifics regarding money, Charles.”

“Thanks, doll-face,” I said to Sarah, Claire tagged me on the back of the head.

“Oww!”

I saw Jimmy arrive a little bit ago, so I am just about ready to make the speech. I am still waiting on a phone call.

As if, on cue, my phone rang, “Hello, this is Charles Newman – Yes, Ken, he is? Thank you – Hold him there for five, please? He will know when. Thank you.”

“HERE WE GO, LADIES,” I said as I took the hands of my two dance partners and headed to the dance floor, where I got a headset microphone from Russell. Claire helped me put it on and Russell told me to go.

“Hello, Everybody ... I said. ‘Hello Everybody,’ can anybody hear me — one more time, HELLO EVERYBODY?”

I got a big “Hello” back from the crowd, and they all were laughing.

“My name is Charles Xavier Newman, and me and my girl, Claire Tiffany McArthur, would like to welcome you to our party. Is the food almost ready, Daniel?”

He gave me two great big thumbs up and yelled, in his best ‘Rochester’ voice, “Ten minutes, Boss.”

More chuckles from the crowd!

“Let me tell you all ... a little story. A little over thirteen months ago, my Mother, did the smartest thing she had ever done ... she enrolled me in the Bradshaw Family Cotillion. I did give her more than a little attitude. (Chuckles erupted) The conspiracy was complete; my best friend Brian Fleming and I were TOLD that we needed some ... polishing. We were a little wet behind the ears, apparently, so we showed up on that fateful night.”

I felt emotions broiling underneath, but I tried my very best to quell them.

“That night some things happened that have affected me greatly, I met this lovely young lady, and Brian; Come on out Brian; met Susan Williams; where are you, Susan? And the four of us ... became dancers.”

That generated some nice applause.

“I don’t know where the talent originates, it certainly wasn’t spontaneously alive in me, I just hadn’t asked the right question to the right person yet. Anyhow, Claire and I, with the support of my mother Annie Newman; wave to everybody Annie; We have entered a total of thirteen competitions, in the last thirteen months...”

“ ... We won all thirteen of them,” Claire yelled for all to hear.

With that Jimmy pushed out a wheeled cart that had all our trophies on it. Everybody oohed and awed over them. “We will be available for pictures and or lessons, just sign up with either Annie Newman or Sarah McArthur. We aren’t cheap, either!”

There was another group chuckle.

“Along the way, I have met another amazing young woman, Kalista Rosemary McArthur. Come on up here, K. We haven’t danced together in competition, but it is inevitable.”

Another big applause — there were a lot of McArthurs there.

“So, are we all having a good time, so far?”

As a group, they yelled, ‘YES!’

“Great. Along the way we met and danced with Multiple Grammy recording artist, Michael Bublé, and he, as the saying goes, ‘Made us an offer we couldn’t refuse.’”

“On Labor Day this year, Claire, Myself, Kalista, Annie and Sarah – are joining Michael on his new tour around the United States. So pretty soon, you’ll have to pay to see us dance. Tonight, we are still free of charge.”

That got a big whoop, along with some cheers and applause.

“The Tour will be called the ‘Something Special Tour,’ and a year later, will be followed by the International version of the SST.”

“HEY MICHAEL, have we got a deal?”

Out of the crowd, and up onto the dance floor, jogged Michael Bublé, who shook my hand, handed some music to Russell, who gave him a handheld mic, and he waved to the crowd. Most everyone knew who he was, so there a tremendous applause for him. Some swooning was involving!

After the applause died down, Michael put the microphone to his face saying, “Yes, Charles, we have a deal!” and we shook hands again, as some pictures were being taken.

Daniel left his food station and took Michael’s hand and shook it as well, and leaning into Michael’s microphone yelled, “Food’s Ready – Get it while it’s Hot!”

As people scattered to get in line for food, Claire came up to me and kissed me. Then asked, “How did you know Michael was here?”

“I got an e-mail from him saying he wanted to come; it was up to me. He thought it might be too big of a distraction, but I told him we both wanted him to show up. I also fibbed about your brother Ken, who is my ‘bouncer’ today. He’s got my number, and I have to approve anyone not on his list.”

“His wife Sarah Jane, and their three kids, Rich, Jeff and Lily couldn’t come today. However, he’s a big 6ft6 ex-offensive lineman from Ohio State, and he offered his services to me, because he loved his little sister.”

My phone rang again. It was Ken, and he told me a drunken guy, who said he was my father, along with a kind of trashy looking girl, were at the front gate, wanting to get in.

I told Ken to wait a moment. I found Annie and asked her to come with me. I also got Jimmy, Daniel; Brian and my older brother Steven to follow me out to the front of the house.

I saw my dad for the first time in over three months. He was indeed STINKING drunk, and his significant other, a redhead, was very pregnant. That must have happened months before the call he made to Mom. He introduced her as Bridget Rodgers.

“Sso, can I come and enjoooy the parrrty, Charles?” he asked with a marked slur to his voice.

Gosh, I wanted to strike him so badly, but words can hurt more than fists.

“You gave up your right to be here ... when you left us, while we were out of town. You couldn’t even do it face to face... could you, Old Man?”

I was in a rage. My hands were clenching. Tears were falling. I felt my mother’s hand on my back.

“This lovely young lady Bridget is more than welcome to be here, but ‘I NEVER WANT TO SEE OR HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN!’ IS THAT CLEAR? You had your chance with this beautiful woman standing next to me ... and YOU BLEW IT.”

“We will be filing divorce papers in the next seventy-two hours, and if you ever show up here or at our house again, the police will be on speed dial, DO — YOU — UNDERSTAND ME — SIR?” I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

Mom had started to cry. I put my arm around her and gave her a hug.

There was a pause. This man, I used to call ‘Dad,’ was looking over the group of people I had with me, and said, “We got annnother parrty to go tooo, dddon’t we Bridgey baby?”

She pulled herself away from him and now ‘Dad’ was standing there all by himself ... wondering what to do next?

Do I hate him; Yes – but why? Because of the way he treated and disrespected his own wife, and children — but if I shoo him off, what might become of him?

I ran up to him, and hugged him, and just kept hugging him. I looked at him and said, “Clean yourself up, Dad. Steven and I may still whip your ass for treating your wife like you did. Bridget, take him and get him sober, and then have him call us in a couple of months. When is my half-sister due?”

“Labor Day,” she responded.

Karma’s a bitch, ain’t it?

As they left to go back to their car, Dad turned ... in tears, and said, “Thank you, Charles — fffor nooot having your thugs beat me up. I certainly would have deserved it,” and they left.

I had never seen my dad cry before.

Mom and I turned to go back to the party, as we grabbed each other’s hand. I told Ken to call me if he shows back up. Daniel said he would get someone to bring Ken some food.

As we walked back to the party, my big brother Steven came over to me, putting his hand on my shoulder and said, “Excuse my bluntness, Charles, but you got ‘some big hairy ones,’ don’t you?”

They all laughed at that.

I was so very near the edge of totally breaking down, after seeing my dad like that.

“Where have you been, Charles?” Claire asked.

“Talking to my dad, Beautiful,” I smiled weakly.

“What ... your Dad showed up? Where is he? What did you do to him? Is he hurt — Are you hurt? Tell me Charles, what happened?”

Leaning into Claire, I said, “He’s OK, he’s going to go dry out with his very pregnant redheaded girlfriend, Bridget. I told him we’re filing divorce papers. I was so mad at him. I wanted to hit him, to hurt him, for what he did to Mom and all of us.”

“But, I couldn’t.”

“I love the ass-hole, excuse me for that, and he IS my biological father, but he certainly isn’t my ‘Dad’ anymore.”

She turned me around, and gave me the ‘breath of life,’ with a kiss that woke me from my current dismal existence.

Emboldened a little, I said, “Let’s go dance, how about ‘Marry You?’”

“You mean the song ... or did you invite a minister here today, Loverboy?”

“The song, Claire-Bear ... a minister isn’t going to do anything except confirm how much I love you — And lust for you.”

The smile on her face said everything. Her smile gives me wings.

We found our way back to the dance floor. I told Michael we were going to dance to ‘Marry You,’ and asked if he had brought that with him?

“I told you Russell, didn’t I?” Michael said.

“Yes, sir Mr. Bublé, you did. Anytime you want to start, Charles?” I saw Russell handing Michael a five-dollar bill. Only five dollars?

I got down on my knee to Claire, and I winked at her. She winked back. I nodded, and we started. It was like we were back at the Mall. We were stepping with an energy we hadn’t had in a very long time. It was like we were gliding just above the floor, instead of dancing on it.

Everybody loved the wedding moments that Annie had helped us with. When we did our side-by-side steps, everybody got up, and started applauding.

Michael was singing his heart out, and we were dancing with our hearts in our throats. We were near tears as the song and our dance was over. I finished with the ‘picking her up move’ I had done before, right in front of Sarah.
She happened to have been right in front of us, watching at the end of this number.

The music ended, and Sarah said, “Oh, you can have her,” which got a great laugh from the crowd, even from Daniel who was watching from his grills. While still in my arms, Claire gave me a nice kiss.