Waltz of Her Life

He led her into two basic steps. "What's the matter?" he asked. "You seem a little distracted."

Linda instantly realized that it wasn't fair to Stephen for her to be so obsessed about her previous dance partner. She apologized. For the rest of the dance, she gave him her undivided attention. He stiffly, but gamely led her through several more basic steps and even a chase step.

He gently nudged her away during one of the rock steps, which was her cue to start triple stepping back and forth with him, making it appear that they were chasing each other.

Whenever a song finished, she would look around the entire studio for Michael again, but he was gone. Could it be that he had just slipped in for a few dances and then slipped out, unnoticed? Maggie walked by her, dressed in one of her shimmering designer outfits. "Hey Mag," she asked. "Did you know that guy who was here, earlier, Michael?"

Maggie paused, to consider Linda's question and search her mind. "Michael?" she said. "There haven't been any Michael's here that I know of."

"He was a great dancer," Linda said. "He led me through some silver and gold. I thought he might have been a visiting instructor, or coach. Didn't you see us?"

"No," Maggie said. "But I was on a long phone call in the office." She touched Linda's wrist lightly, excusing herself to socialize with one of the doctor couples sitting at a table in a far corner.

Who could it be then?

She then remembered the mysterious gentleman in the beautiful, marble hall.