A dance from long ago

A few days ago I realized that new Twirl enthusiasts (the three that are out there) had no idea how to catch up and read old twirls. I have two solutions for you:

1) Check out the Dancing and Dance categories and read all the old entries. This weekend I'm going to figure out how to get this on the sidebar, I swear. I'm in the middle of a vast redesign/organization project. It'll be awesome. Eventually.

I don't like organizing.

2) I can e-mail you the text so far. Just drop me a line!

And for the previous Twirl, go here. For the one before that, go here.

Shall we find out what's in the mysterious envelope that was hidden in the dance hall wall?

Yes, lets.
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Leaping onto the horse, Vivi and Wade discussed what was in the envelope the entire way back to the car.

"Money!" Vivi shouted over the horses' hooves.

Wade tapped the envelope and shook his head. "Too light!" he said. "Maybe it's a will."

"No, it's definitely too light for that," Viv protested. "Plus, it'd be sealed."

Wade nodded, his back flexing as he turned the horse away from a cactus. "Maybe it's movie tickets." Vivi could feel his grin and shook her head.

"A recipe," she added, giggling. "For fried squirrel."

"Directions," Wade added. "To the nearest pharmacy."

"And a magic tonic to make one fall in love with you over stewed toad," Vivi chortled, leaning against his back as she laughed. The horse hurried over the dry brush as her laugh filled the quiet Texas night.

"A map," Wade mused, running his fingers over the envelope. "It's thin enough. And there were plenty of outlaws back in the day. They could have hidden it in the wall so others couldn't find their secret stashes."

Vivi poked his shoulder blades. "You've been watching way too many pirate movies. Why don't you just open it?"

"Because," Wade drawled, slowing down the horse. "That'd be too easy. Besides, we should wait for the sheriff."

"Why?" Vivi asked, waiting for him to lift her off. He set her in the dirt. In the fading sunlight, it looked like crinkles of joy had been etched around his eyes. With a grin, he leaned down and pressed her lips to hers. When he raised his head, he said simply, "It's the right thing to do."

Vivi wondered if arguing with him would win her another kiss. Before she had time to decide, Wade was boarding up the horse and wiping him down. After a quick dinner at a nearby diner, Wade dropped her off by her car. She drove home humming to herself, her thoughts focused on the envelope. Someone went to a lot of trouble to hide a thin envelope in the wall of a old dance hall. It could have been there for more than 100 years.

She wasn't sure if she could wait for tomorrow to find out.

Sliding into the back door, she placed her foot gently on the first stair. She hadn't been home since nine this morning. If she hurried, she could get upstairs before her parents realized she was back and deal with the lecture tomorrow. She stepped up and the stair squeaked in betrayal.

"Vivi!" her father bellowed. "Come into the living room."

Cursing, Vivi placed her dance bag at the foot of the stairs. Smoothing back her frazzled curls, she hoped she looked pleasant. She stepped into the living room and stared at her father. His sallow face was twisted into a scowl, his inky hair plastered to his forehead. The purple circles under his eyes had grown saggy over the past few years, and the dark goatee on his chin was peppered with grey. Vivi's eyes slid to the wall, where her father was immortalized at the height of his youth. His black eyes bore into the camera, his arrogant smile etched into the photo for all of time.

Until that moment, she had never realized it was a shot of the Lover's Dance. The dance Mrs. Angelson wanted her to do with Damien. It was like she had stepped from a dream. All the worry of Mrs. Angelson's favor, Damien, her father, her school--even how she saw herself came flooding back. The comfort and calm she had felt with Wade was gone. She felt drained, her eyes sinking to her cheeks.

"Vivienne!" She snapped back to attention. "Are you listening to me?"

"Yes," she lied. Her father's eyes narrowed and he stood, stepping towards her in one graceful movement. Once a dancer, always a dancer, she thought bitterly.

"Then you agree?"

Vivi said nothing. She held his gaze, her jaw tight. He snickered. "Just as I thought. You were not listening at all."

Vivi stayed quiet as he circled around her, hurling his words in short jabs.

"Vivienne, Mrs. Angelson called this afternoon. She is concerned about your performance. And your dance teacher at school e-mailed me the other day and said you had been off in practice." Vivi opened her mouth. Her father shot her a look and she closed it. "I don't care about your excuses. I don't care if it's drinking or drugs or even a boy. As long as you don't get pregnant or too deep into anything, I'm not concerned." Vivi's eyes widened as he continued.

"What I am concerned about is your dancing. When you were little, you had a place etched for you in the dance world. But when I"-- His face tightened and he shook his head. "However, things have changed. You will have to fight harder than I ever did." Her father's jaw tightened. "And you are better than I ever was. Mrs. Angelson can take you far. But you must work harder. From now on, you are to focus on your dance only. I will e-mail your teachers and hire a tutor for the house. You can return to school for finals only. Right now, dancing is all that matters. We must prepare you to audition for New York, Europe."

Vivi felt like her throat had been scraped dry. "What about college?"

"College?" her father roared. His pale skin flared into purple and red splotches. "For what? You have a talent, Vivi. A gift. Why would you throw that away? You can attend college after your knees are shot and your feet twisted. You know a dancer has a small amount of time. You're already much later than I wanted."

"But what if I'm good at something other than dancing?" Vivi argued, clenching her fist. Whether it was the fatigue or a fluke, she felt strength she had never known while facing her father. For once she wasn't afraid or worried. In fact, the only thing she really cared about at this moment was what was in the envelope.

"You're a dancer," her father hissed, poking a long bony finger in his chest. "You will always be a dancer. I don't want to hear anything else about it." Grabbing her chin in his hands, he glared at her. "We have a meeting tomorrow morning at 10 with Mrs. Angelson. Then you will practice the rest of the day in my studio. There is much to do."

"I have plans tomorrow," Vivi protested. There was no way she would miss dinner at Wade's grandfather's house and visiting the sheriff. She had to know what was in that envelope. It was driving her crazy.

"Cancel them," her father commanded. "There's a lot you must learn." Taking Vivi's silence for acceptance, he whirled around and disappeared into the back of the house.

Vivi stared after him, her eyes burning a hole in his back. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed her dance bag and barreled up the stairs.

She wasn't too concerned about meeting Mrs. Angelson or what she had been telling her father. Because she wouldn't be at that meeting.

In fact, she wouldn't be here tonight.

To be continued.....

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have a second edition of the New cookbook Series, BBQ Chicken and Baked Beans. Friday we have an interview with the Cookie Stealing Bunny and a Candy Animals on Saturday. And of course, we find out what's in the flower that Samantha received!