|
Title:
Tango of Awakening A
mirror of Tango del Amore Dedicated
to James P. Doyle – beloved O
God Let
all lovers be content Give
them happy endings Let
their lives be celebrations Let
their hearts dance in the fire of your love! Rumi
– “Aroused Passion” Dana Scully arrived home, with a bustle of shopping bags. Humming happily to herself, she went into her bedroom and set the bags on the bed. She slid off her coat and threw it over a chair, and kicked off her shoes. She reached into a drawer, pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a tshirt and tossed them on the bed. She took off her work suit, hung it up and then tossed her blouse in with her dry cleaning. Undressed to her bra and panties, she padded back to the bed.
Going to the bed she reached for her tshirt, but instead her hand
passed by to pick up the bag from Pilazzo’s Shoes. Smiling with
excitement, she sat on the bed and she opened the box.
A new pair of black tango shoes was nestled in the tissue inside.
Dana lifted them out.
They looked uncomfortable, with the cross straps.
However, the heel was wide and very sturdy.
The soles were amazingly flexible.
Dana slid one on. The
butter soft leather moved like a veil over her foot.
She put on the other shoe and held out her feet.
There was no doubt about it, these were the sexiest shoes she’d
ever had.
Reaching into another bag, she pulled out a new CD.
Tearing off the cellophane, she hurried into her front room and
turned her stereo on. Within
seconds, Five Tango Sensations was playing.
Dana closed her eyes to the music. The music didn’t roll out with a thunder like the Salsa and Flamenco music she was used to hearing. The tango music seemed to crawl out like a fog, as a mist slowly, sensually moving out and caressing her. Without percussion, the melody moved like water, the strings and the bandoneon ebbing and flowing in waves. She moved over to her open floor by her desk and tried to move along with it. It wasn’t easy, since the dancer moved with the melody rather than moving to the rhythm beat like most dances. She’d watched the dance, seen the precise ritual movements and thought it was one of the most beautiful things she’d ever seen. And soon, she would be able to dance it herself, she reminded herself.
She wasn’t going to stay home this Saturday night, working on an
article and subconsciously wait for Mulder to drag her out for parts
unknown. Dana wasn’t going
to be home to watch the inevitable bad Saturday night television, dinner
on the table in front of the sofa and telephone checkup conversation with
her mother. No, not this
Saturday! She was going to be
where there were other people, music and dancing. She
was going out and she was going to have a good time.
Dana had learned that the Community Center was hosting tango
lessons. She’d gone to her
favorite coffee bar a couple of weeks ago and there was a tango
demonstration going on. The
Tango Appreciation Society had roped off three parking spaces in front of
the coffee shop and three couples were dancing in passionate movement.
After a few dances, one of the men had passed out flyers to the
appreciative audience.
She’d kept the flyer in her purse for days, looking over it again
and again before she’d finally decided.
It was something so novel, so new to her.
However, it was just so blessedly normal, ordinary, without a hint
of dark hidden secrets and life threatening dangers.
When was the last time she’d just gone out to do something not
work related that was other than family obligations?
She couldn’t even remember.
It had been fun just shopping for the class.
Getting the shoes and buying the top and skirt she was going to
wear. Who knows?
Maybe she’d meet some new people.
Maybe some sensual Latino would sweep her off her feet.
She giggled at the idea. Not
likely, she admitted, but maybe she’d find someone nice to have fun
evening with.
She just wanted to do something that would allow her to be Dana for
a while. Not Agent Scully,
but just Dana.
Humming along, still undressed, she danced alone.
The butterflies in Dana’s stomach didn’t start until the drive
to the Community Center. As she parked the car, suddenly she felt an anxiety she
hadn’t felt since she was a nervous teenager starting yet another school
after her parents had moved to a new base.
The being-the-new-kid feeling.
She refused to let it paralyze her.
I never realized how much
being an Agent helped, she thought.
When I’m on the clock, I
can walk in anywhere- they don’t call the badge a ‘shield’ for
nothing... Now, I’m just
another new student. Well,
Dana, isn’t that what you wanted? God,
I hope I’m not making a mistake.
She walked into the Center, chin held high.
She signed up, paid the money and put on her ‘Hi My Name Is
Dana’ nametag. After
putting her purse and coat into a cubicle she turned to the crowd.
It was more crowded than she had expected.
There were between forty and fifty people there, and not a single
familiar face. Though the crowd had a mixing of ages and ethnic backgrounds,
her eyes seemed to be unerringly drawn over and over to tall, dark-haired
women with flashing eyes and long legs – laughing and confident on the
arms of their partners. Women
wearing tighter, lower cut tops and shorter skirts than she would have
ever dared. Suddenly she felt
very short, poorly dressed and awkward.
An unpleasant memory rose of dance lessons in school, of being the
last one picked, because she was the tomboy, she was shorter, she was the
brain, etc… the humiliation of having the teacher turn to her and
asking, “Dana? Would you be
my partner?”
People were coupling up. No
one approached her. Dana
considered slipping away before
she was noticed, rather than risking not being noticed at all.
As she turned back and glanced towards the door, she thought she
saw a familiar movement. A
man came into the edge of her vision.
He was small, dressed in a red shirt, black pants and vest, and a
black fedora. Then he lifted a hand up slightly and she saw that he was
wearing black finger-less gloves.
Frohike?
She took a step closer and got a clearer view of him.
Yes, it was Frohike. What
was he doing here?
The diminutive Gunman strode to the table where the sign in sheet
was and quickly wrote his name and paid.
He hesitated a moment over the nametags, but finally printed his
name and slapped it on his vest. He turned to the group, looking without really seeing, he
obviously hadn’t expect to see anyone he knew.
She moved towards him, heart beating fast.
“Frohike?”
He turned around, eyebrows raised in surprise. “Scully?”
He squinted at her, as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.
Relaxing a bit, she gave him a shy smile and walked to him.
“Hi. I was about
ready to go home. I didn’t
think I’d be nervous, but when I got here and didn’t see anyone I
knew,” she glanced down at her feet, embarrassed. “I started to
panic.”
“Hey, that’s okay.” He said gently.
His hand went to hers, giving it a warm squeeze that comforted her.
“No need for that now. I
think we’ve known each other for quite a while.”
Dana sighed with relief. “Yes,
we have, haven’t we?” She
bit her lip, worrying it slightly. Flustered,
she said with a rush, “Frohike, look…I don’t have a partner…”
Before she could finish, he took off his hat and made a sweeping
bow. “Miss Scully, I would be honored if you would dance with me this
evening.”
Dana repressed an urge to giggle and curtsey.
However, she couldn’t stop the blush that rose to her cheeks as
she gave him her other hand.
As the instructors called the class to order, Dana’s preconceived
notion of a dark Latin dancer guiding the class was banished.
Their teacher was a tall, blond and probably gay man named Scott.
His partner was a cheerful, dark haired, willowy woman named Carol.
The talked about the tango, its origins in the brothels and clubs
of the disadvantaged Argentines, how it became popular by slumming higher
classes, and now was played in concert halls all over the world.
They led the class through some exercises, to help isolate the
body’s movements. They explained that this was particularly important since the
upper body is kept still, while the lower body moves much more freely. She
shared a grin with Frohike as they practiced moving their rib cage and
upper back from left to right while keeping the hips still. Dana felt her
lower back pop as she did the hips circles and leg rotations. Then the partners embraced to go through the first real
steps. Carol showed the
ladies how to step forward and back, leading with the hips, moving on the
balls of their feet, as Scott showed the men how to support their partners
and counterbalance. Dana
relaxed more and more as she got the hang of it.
As Dana became more comfortable with the moves, she was able to
give a little more attention to her partner.
Soon she realized that Frohike was doing the exercises and
movements easily, almost effortlessly. It was clear he was far more experienced with all of this
than herself. At first, the
idea triggered off the nerves again, and she tripped on the edge of his
foot. Rather than looking
impatient, he smiled reassuringly at her, and her nerves settled again. His supporting hand on the small of her back made her feel
anchored. She enjoyed the
grace of his movement and the confidence in which he held her.
Scott turned to them and singled out Frohike, delighted with his
movements. “You must have
learned from an Argentine teacher. You’re
quite experienced.”
“Uh, yeah, I used to dance some years back.
Though the teacher I learned from was Cuban.” Frohike replied;
sounding somewhat embarrassed by the attention.
Scott explained that the tango, like all dances has variations to
its form depending on the area in which it is taught.
The traditional Argentine form of the dance has a lot of
improvisation and intricate footwork.
He happily asked Frohike to demonstrate some steps to the men of
the class with Carol. Frohike
glanced at Dana, and she smiled encouragingly.
Frohike stepped to the center and tendered a hand to Carol, who
took it with a smile. With Scott giving instructions, Frohike and Carol moved
gracefully, showing the basic steps with flair. He danced very well with Carol, despite the difference in
their height. Dana was very
impressed. She never would
have thought that Frohike, her unusual friend who she had trouble
envisioning not huddled behind some form of electronics, was such a
marvelous dancer.
Scott talked to the class as they danced, pointing out positions,
explaining that in the tango even though the man’s role is called
‘leader’ and the woman’s ‘follower’, both partners take turns
‘leading’ at different moments. Since
their steps aren’t always mirrored – unlike other ballroom dances-
this makes the dance much more intense, as neither partner is considered
passive even though the man is thought of as ‘dominant’.
It adds to the passion and beauty of the dance.
Which is what makes it more sexual, Dana thought.
Frohike pulled Carol close and gave a slight dip.
He met Dana’s eyes over Carol’s shoulder as he pulled his
partner back up. Dana smiled. Scott
thanked Frohike for his assistance and let him return to Dana’s side.
She noticed that all the women’s eyes were on him, reassessing
him as he walked back across the floor to her.
However, Frohike only looked at her, smiling, obviously pleased at
having impressed her. She realized with a shock that she felt a small bloom of
satisfaction that the best dancer in the class was her partner. A man who had eyes only
for her.
She blushed as he took her hand again.
She didn’t dare say a word in case she might stammer. She kept
her eyes lowered, watching her feet, awkward again.
Then she got her steps backward and tripped.
“Don’t look down.” Frohike said softly.
“What?” Dana looked up.
“Don’t look at your feet, you’re more likely to get them
backward. Just relax, look at
me.” His voice was soft and patient. “Just step forward- right, now left. Move to the right, yeah, side, side. Good, now back, right, now left.
Shift on the ball of your foot, not the heel. That’s right. See,
you’ve got it.”
Dana shook off her discomfiture and concentrated on what she was
doing. Following his guide,
her steps became smoother. She
relaxed more, listening to the music and his voice and letting her body
follow.
“Everyone!” Scott called for attention. “Okay, Carol and I
want to thank everyone for coming. We
think we have a wonderful group for this new class series.
We’ll see you next week! The
Center is now open for dancing until midnight!
So keep practicing!”
Everyone clapped in response.
Dana saw some couples moving to gather coats and purses and new
couples moved onto the floor. She noticed that though Frohike hadn’t taken his hand from
her back, but he hadn’t moved to start dancing again. He was giving her an opening, she realized, in case she
wanted to go. She didn’t.
She reached out and took his hand again.
Taking the lead, she stepped forward.
He stepped back and took the lead again, propelling her to the side
with a smooth arc. Even
though she was still a little clumsy, she went with the flow, letting
herself go.
Dana danced on and on, enjoying herself more and more.
Frohike was endlessly patient and gentle.
It was so nice to dance with someone close to her own height,
rather than having to hyper-extend her steps for her partner’s long legs
like she usually did. She
felt like she was really dancing rather than just galloping along trying
to keep up. Frohike’s hand
stayed centered on her lower back between her hips and her shoulder
blades, rather than creeping up between her shoulders.
It was so comfortable, how they fit together.
Her feet were getting tired. Her
legs were getting tired. Even
her arms were getting tired. She
ignored her body’s protesting. She’d
just take ibuprofen tomorrow and be sore.
She didn’t want the evening to end now.
She was having fun...she was really having fun.
The music stopped at twelve.
Once again they were thanked for coming and were asked to return
next week. She turned to Frohike, disappointed to see the night end.
“Uh, Scully?”
Dana was sure he was blushing.
Frohike? The man who
could tease and flirt with her mercilessly?
Blushing?
“May I…treat you to coffee?”
He stammered out.
She smiled softly and blurted out the truth. “I’d like that.”
Frohike drove ahead; leading her through winding streets to a
neighborhood that Dana was unfamiliar with.
This surprised her, she expected him to turn into the parking lot
of the nearest Starbucks. Finally,
he pulled up and parked. She
drew in behind him. He walked
to her door and waited while she got out of her car.
With a touch to her elbow he led her through a pair of doors with
“Cuban Flame – Open 24 hours” flashing in neon above them.
The interior was a combination of Victorian architecture and
fifties diner style. The oak bar looked about a hundred years old, but the tables
and booths were Formica with gingham vinyl table cloths. Glancing behind the bar, Dana saw a wider variety of tequila
and rums than she knew existed. The
ceiling over head was covered with Victorian tin tiles, painted brown.
The smell of cooking food was heavenly, even though she wasn’t
very hungry. Frohike led them
to a booth. Dana slid in, the
leather seat felt soft and stretched under her.
It was intoxicatingly comfortable.
She smiled in appreciation. Frohike
gave her a shy grin. “I
hope you don’t mind coming here. It’s
one of my favorite dives. The
food here is incredible.”
“It smells it. I’m
not that hungry, though.” She
said wistfully.
“Coffee good for you?”
“That would be wonderful.”
The waitress was a bone skinny black woman with hair wound up with
a vivid headscarf. She greeted them with heavy Spanish accent, set down two
glasses of water and held out menus.
“Café con Leche?
And Forticas de Moron.” Frohike told her.
“Dos?” The waitress held up two fingers.
“Si, gracias.”
“Bueno.” She walked away.
“You speak Spanish.” Dana observed.
“Yeah, I took it in school, and then when I lived in Miami, I
used it all the time. I’m
out of practice though. Do
you know languages?”
“I have some college German.
I wish I knew more.” Dana
took her water and drank gratefully.
“But it’s still come in handy.”
He sipped his own water. “What
brought you to the class?”
Dana explained about seeing the demonstration at the coffee shop
and being taken with it. “It’s
just so beautiful and so intense. I
just wanted to see if I could do it.
The music is just so haunting.
What about you?” The waitress returned with two steaming mugs and a
pair of plates. The first sip
of the Cuban coffee was sweet, intense and flavorful.
It was like a heavily sweetened expresso, mixed with hot milk.
It was rich and good. The
plates held a small handful of sugar cookies.
Frohike told her about living in Miami, learning the tango and then
becoming competitive dancer there. As
he mentioned his old partner, Nikita, she got the hint of a lost love
story and said as much.
“Yeah, she tried to hold on, but I’m a lone wolf.” He gave
her one of his outrageous grins.
She masked her humor with a quirk of her lips and a raised eyebrow.
Frohike dropped his eyes first and looked abashed. “Well, maybe
it wasn’t quite like that. When
we danced together and when we were alone, I adored her.
We moved so perfectly together, as if we could read each others’
minds. There was all this
anticipation, all this buildup…and then the reality was a huge Cuban
family all wanting to know my intentions, an Uncle owning a laundry
business with room to grow in, and a mama with a big bad case of Grandma
fever.” He took a sip of
his coffee. “Too long with
them and the room started to spin, the lights went dark, and it got really
hard to take deep breaths.”
“So, you left the dance floor?” She teased.
“You betcha!”
She fell back in her seat, laughing with him.
Taking a cookie, she nibbled it, trying to gather her thoughts.
The flavor was interesting; the cookies were made with a dash of
lime. It was familiar and
exotic all at once. After she
collected herself, Dana turned thoughtful.
“I understand. When
I was with Jack, it would have been so easy to stay with him and become
the FBI team marriage. It was
so neat and smooth, almost like it was expected of me.
It would have been simpler to take it rather than risk finding out
what I wanted…who this new person Agent Scully really was.”
Frohike nodded with a smile. “Well,
if it helps, I’m glad I got to meet her.”
She smiled back. “So am I.”
Too soon, Dana realized it was going on two o’clock.
The conversation had come so easily; she’d lost track of time.
Frohike walked her back to her car.
As she unlocked her door, he cleared his throat.
She turned to him as he extended his hand. “I had a lovely
time.”
She took his hand and shook it, smiling.
“So did I.”
Dana looked at him for a moment, waiting for him to say something
more. He didn’t.
He stepped back so she could get in the car.
As she drove away, she’d wished she’d asked if he was going to
be back next week.
As she went to sleep she wondered what it would have been like if
he’d kissed her goodnight.
The next day, Dana took ibuprofen, elevated her feet and rested on
the sofa. She alternately watched television and read, not really taking
either in. She found herself
replaying the events of last night over and over in her mind.
She had such a good time. Being
with Frohike had been an unexpected, but welcome pleasure.
She had been so amazed by his talent at dancing, and how easy
he’d been to talk to afterwards. She’d
had a better time last night than her last several dates put together.
Wait a moment, Dana!
She thought. Date?
Where did that come from? That
wasn’t a date. That was a
friend coming to her rescue and then going out for a coffee.
That wasn’t a date. Then
why did it feel like one? It
shouldn’t. Neither of them
had asked to be there, they had just run into each other.
That’s not a date.
She remembered her late night wondering about a goodnight kiss.
She shook her head at herself.
That was just a fancy, and a silly one at that.
Besides, she’d kissed him before. Last Christmas, he’d worn
this silly hat that suspended a sprig of mistletoe over the head of anyone
who stood directly in front of him, well, if they weren’t exceptionally
tall. She had laughed, leaned
in and kissed him. She half
expected him to kiss her excessively passionate in return, but he
hadn’t. He’d grinned and then gave her a soft press of his lips.
It had been a little more than a peck, but still chaste and polite.
It had been sweet.
Of course, there had been Las Vegas.
Inwardly she still cringed with embarrassment when she thought of
that. Dana had kissed him
then, too. He hadn’t kissed her back, hadn’t taken advantage of her
drugged and alcohol altered state. That self-restraint had only made her
feel safe to flirt even more wildly with him.
She’d licked his ear, kissed his neck. When his back was turned,
she pinched him on the behind. She still giggled and blushed at the memory of that.
He never seemed to hold the incident against her.
He’d even teased her about it, calling her ‘Party Girl’.
Dana had always liked Frohike.
He made her laugh with his outrageous flirting.
He’d brought flowers to her when she was in the hospital.
He’d always been ready and willing to help whenever she and
Mulder asked. He’d told her
the truth about Diane Fowley, even when Mulder wouldn’t. They
were friends. There was
nothing wrong with having a good time with a friend, was there?
Even when it was unexpected? Dana’s phone rang and she jumped with a start.
Sitting up, she grabbed the phone. “Hello?” “Dana, it’s me.” “Hi, Mom.” Dana
smiled at hearing her mom’s voice; it was like drawing a warm quilt over
herself. “How did your class go? I know you were looking forward to it.” “It went great.
I was really nervous at first, but one of my friends was there and
we danced together.” She
relaxed back onto the couch. “Oh, that’s nice.
Was it anyone I know?” Her mom asked. “No, mom, I don’t think so.” Dana searched her
memory, but couldn’t remember them meeting. “I had a good time.”
She confessed with pleasure. “I’m so glad you had a nice time.
I think it’s so good you’re getting out and doing this.
Is it fun? The tango
looks so hard, Dana. Are you going to go again? With your friend?” “I am. I
don’t know if he’ll be there or not.” Dana thought about it, and
just told the truth. “I hope so. It
is hard, but it’s so much fun.” Still
smiling, she told her mom about the class. Dana drove to the Community Center in a cloud of
nervous anticipation. Several
times during the long slow week she’d been tempted to call Frohike, to
find out if he would be coming again.
Every time she stopped herself.
The classes were something she was doing for herself.
She couldn’t let her enjoyment become dependant on the actions of
another person. At least,
that’s what she told herself. It
sounded so much more self-assuring that admitting that she was scared that
he might say no, and it risked taking all the magic out of the dances for
her. She’d replayed that night over and over all week.
Snippets of the sensuous music would flow through her head and she
would hum them under her breath. She’d
be drinking her coffee and thinking over what she and Frohike had talked
about at the café afterwards, losing her attention until she realized
that she hadn’t heard a thing Mulder had said to her. In the evenings she’d practiced her steps in her
apartment. In her mind she
was dancing with him again, fitting together so well.
She hoped this time she’d be less clumsy and more in harmony with
the music and with him. She
hoped he’d come again. She’d feel more comfortable with him than with
a stranger. Maybe they could
go for coffee and talk some more… She wore the same sleeveless turquoise top and black
wrap skirt she had worn last week. They
had felt reassuring to her as she slipped them on. Putting on the shoes again had given her glow of excitement. Dana went inside the Center.
Again, she put her coat and purse in a cubicle and gave her money.
This time, a nametag was already prepared for her.
Carol, the instructor’s partner, walked over to her. “Dana, hello!”
Carol smiled at her. “I’m so glad you came back!
Is Frohike,” she stumbled a little over the name, “returning
too?” “I haven’t talked to him today.” Dana evaded.
“I was planning to meet him here.” “You two danced so well together. I know you’re a
novice, so it must be helping to be with such an experienced partner.
He’s so good, and you’re showing a lot of promise.” “Yes, he is. Are
you sure? I thought I was
awfully clumsy.” Dana was
warmed by the unexpected praise. “Oh, we all are at first, don’t try to expect
perfection! This is a very
physical dance. You have to
really trust and connect with your body.
That takes a little time. You’re
doing just fine.” Carol
told her kindly. “Would you
excuse me? More students.” Dana nodded. As
her instructor moved away, she saw Frohike coming in the door.
She sighed, in half pleasure and half relief.
He looked around, looking for her, she suspected. His face lit up
as his eyes found her. He
appeared to be as happy to see her as she was to see him.
Suddenly, she wondered if he’d been thinking over the week with
the same hope? Then it struck
her how he was gazing at her. He
seemed to be looking at her with more than welcome; it was as if he was
looking at her with longing. He’s
checking me out, Dana
thought, He’s really checking me
out. He really likes the look
of me. He isn’t just teasing, he thinks I look hot. The awareness both thrilled and unnerved her. She hoped to high heaven that she wasn’t blushing as she
gave him a friendly smile.
“Hey, Scully.” He said happily.
“I was hoping you’d be here.”
“I’m glad to see you, too.
I really enjoyed the last class.
I wanted to dance again. I’ve
been practicing at home all week.” She admitted.
“Would you give me the pleasure of being your partner?”
He asked, taking off his hat and offering his arm.
“Yes, I will.” She slipped her hand through his arm. “Oh, and
Frohike?”
“Yes?”
“Call me Dana, would you? You
might never know it, but I actually like my name.”
She gave him a wry grin. The look in his eyes, it was as if she’d given him
a gift. “Okay, sure,
Dana.” The class was called to order before anything else could be said. Tonight, the instructors had them move in circle now, counterclockwise
across the floor. Scott explained how novice dancers tend to keep more
toward the center and the more experienced dancers moved to the outer
spiral, where they had more room to improvise in.
It was part of tango etiquette. Dana found though she still wasn’t as smooth and as easy with the
dance as she had hoped; she was far less awkward than she’d been last
week. She was able to add a
little more flair to her steps, raising her feet higher and shifting her
balance on the balls her feet with more ease. She was still struggling to
find the flow with the music and still remember where to place herself,
but it seemed more within her reach.
She was more conscious of Frohike now, rather than fretting so much
about her own awkwardness. He
was gentle and calming, moving with care.
She knew that he was reining in his own dancing, but there was no
hint of impatience in his body or movements.
He seemed more at ease in his skin than she was in hers. Dana lived
in her mind so much, that simply being physical was demanding for her.
It was as if he flowed in his body, rather than demanding its
obedience as she was trying to do with hers. She envied that.
As the class moved around and around, she realized that they were
drawing closer together. The
music was at a faster tempo than last week, pushing the pace.
She started whipping her steps around his feet, from the middle to
the outside with a flourish. The
second time she tried it, she brushed his shoe and almost tripped, but he
winked at her and she had to swallow a giggle.
“Whoops, almost! Try
it again, Dana!” Encouraged Scott as he moved by with Carol.
Dana tried again, this time swaying her body more with the step.
This time it went perfectly.
Again, the feel of his hand on her back made her feel grounded.
It rested there with just enough firmness to make her feel
supported, but not enough to feel restricted.
His hand holding hers just gave a light press to guide, but not
compel. The ease in which he held her helped drain some of her own
tenseness away. As they moved
closer though, she suddenly became more aware of the heat of their bodies,
the vibration of the movements, the careful attention he paid to her.
It was so focused, that it heightened the intensity of the dance
for her.
Dana suddenly remembered the other thing that made the tango so
sexual, the eye contact. The partners look into each other’s faces, in their eyes,
for most of it. When, other than making love,
do we make such constant eye contact? She wondered.
She noticed his eyes, as if she were seeing them for the first
time. They were green in this
light, warm and rich, flashing with intelligence and concentration.
She didn’t want to break the gaze and let her body simply move on
its own, flowing around him, keeping her attention on his face.
It was as if the dance was beginning and ending here, between their
eyes.
When it ended, Dana breathed deeply.
She felt a little dizzy. She
wondered if he’d been as caught up in those moments as she had been.
She didn’t dare ask. She
simply smiled, and he smiled warmly back.
With that, she felt safe again, though exhilarated.
Too soon, class was over, and open dancing began.
Once again, they stayed by unspoken assent.
It seemed only natural to return to the café again.
Once again, Frohike led the way in his car and she followed in
hers. They found parking
spaces in front, under the hissing neon sign.
As she was gathering up her purse, he opened her car door for her
and offered her a hand out. Going into the place, he opened the door for her.
She was starving. She’d
been so nervous wondering about the class that she’d only picked at her
dinner. She looked over the
unfamiliar dishes on the menu, wondering what to pick.
“What’s simple?”
“Would you like me to pick something?
Do you like seafood? Or
chicken?” He asked.
“Would you mind? Chicken
is fine, seafood would be awfully rich this late.”
“How about a beer?”
“Only if you want me to risk falling asleep at the table.”
He ordered Arroz con Pollo for the both of them, with iced tea.
Dana leaned back, relaxing against the comfortable leather of the
booth. She normally didn’t
like it when men did these things, ordering for her, holding doors.
In her experience, men tended to do these things as a method of
controlling the situation. However,
she knew Frohike wasn’t like that.
He was just interested in pleasing her.
She wasn’t used to liking it.
The tea came first, with lime in it instead of lemon.
Dana sipped it gratefully. Before
the silence could get awkward, he spoke first.
“You’re practicing is paying off.
You’re doing really well with the dance.”
He poured a little sugar into his tea, and then offered the jar to
her.
“Did you think so? I’m
still a bit clumsy, but I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.”
She poured her sugar and stirred it in.
“I almost called you this week, to see if you were coming back
again.”
Frohike set down his own spoon.
He looked at her with a wry grin. “I, uh, almost called you
too.”
For some reason, this stuck her funny.
She chuckled, and he followed suite.
She clinked her glass against his.
“Great minds think alike.”
Suddenly everything was comfortable again.
They chatted about current events, politics, and things going on in
Washington. Again, Dana was pleasantly surprised. Most of the men she knew got weary of the Washington scene at
work and either didn’t wish to talk about it or only wanted to hear her
parrot back their own opinions. Maybe
it was due to his slightly paranoid and rather cynical outlook, but
Frohike looked at political matters over carefully.
He listened to her views attentively, occasionally nodding in
agreement or raising his eyebrows in quizzled surprise.
The waitress moved in silently and then a steaming plate of chicken
and rice was in front of Dana. Warm
steam and the heavenly smell rose up to her nose.
The chicken and rice had been cooked in a tomato sauce with garlic
and spices. The spicy flavor exploded in her mouth. It was thirsty, but excellent.
She mentioned that she had enjoyed their last cover story about
exposing the former Nazi agent. Soon
he had her rolling with laughter over his undercover antics, impersonating
a woman’s long lost son and skittering around her house trying to look
at her butt for a birthmark in the shape of Germany.
“I was so relieved when we found out it wasn’t her, but her
neighbor. She’s a nice old
lady. It was a big
disappointment for her when she realized that she’d been used by that
woman.” He looked down.
“And by us, second hand.”
“Do you still go see her?”
Scully asked.
“Yeah, I’ve gone to see her a couple of times.
She gives me some strudel to take back to the guys.”
He smiled fondly. “We’ve
tried to look into where her real son might be, but nothing’s turned up
so far.”
“That’s so sad.” She
reached over and squeezed his hand. “But you’re trying to help.”
“Small comfort, though.”
He picked the check up, but when she handed him a ten for her
share, he refused. She
protested. “No, let me pay my half.”
“No, I’ve got it. Look,
you can pay next time.”
Finally she nodded, and tucked the ten back into her wallet.
He walked her out to her car, just as he did last week.
She smiled goodnight to him. “I
had a great time.”
“Yeah, me too.” He
held out a hand. She shook
it, then drew it a little closer. Impulsively,
she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his cheek.
“See you next week, Frohike.”
She got in her car. He
stood on the sidewalk and watched her drive away, waiting until she was at
the end of the block before turning away.
What had she been thinking? Dana
tossed and turned in bed the next morning.
Was it just that it felt like a date to her that she just wanted to
act like it was? The urge to
kiss him had just been so sudden and she’d just moved with it.
She could still feel the softness of the skin under her lips, the
slight brush of whisker, the slight tang of his cologne.
She sat up in bed. There had been the soft and smoky smell of
cologne on his face. She wracked her memory and she couldn’t remember the scent
of it on him before. And his
beard, it had been shorter than normal.
He’d shaved and put on cologne before coming to the center to be
with her.
Dana smiled and shook her head.
Was Frohike feeling the same way she was?
It was reasonable, if he were going to spend the evening with a
woman he would take extra care with his grooming, wasn’t it?
It wasn’t like they were just sitting around watching a movie or
fixing the computer. That
didn’t mean that he thought it was date or anything.
She’d probably embarrassed him with her kiss.
And yet…
He opened the doors, and offered his arm.
He’d ordered for them, taking care to get something she’d
enjoy. He was attentive to her and polite.
He’d been more than just gentlemanly; at least that’s what it
felt like. being
less of herself. Maybe it was
just her tomboy streak, she wasn’t sure.
That was why in Las Vegas, after the drugs had taken affect she’d
been, well, liberated from the usual restrictions she placed on herself.
She had actually been doing it, being silly and flirtatious, being
the sex kitten, the thing that other women were able to do so easily.
It wasn’t the real her, but none of the men in that bar had known
or cared. They had all been surrounding her, begging for her attention.
Frohike hadn’t been fooled for a second.
He’d swept in and took the measure of the situation.
Then he’d rescued her, snatched her away and upstairs.
All the time when she’d been addled and sexy, he’d been
unmoved.
Had she moved him now? With
just her real self?
Dana swept back the covers and got up.
She was making far too much of this.
Okay, she was enjoying herself.
She was finding his company appealing and there were things about
him that were attracting her. Just
let yourself be happy and have fun, Dana.
There’s no reason to analyze it death. She told herself firmly.
There’s a whole week before
you see him again, try to get a hold of yourself.
The week passed and Saturday arrived.
To Dana’s chagrin, she still showed no signs of getting a hold of
herself. Thank goodness, all
that had needed to be done at work that week was grunt work, phone calls
and updates. She was getting
so cheerful at the office that Mulder asked her if she was taking Prozac.
At lunchtime, she’d been going over to the park and listening to
tango music on the portable CD player as she ate her sandwiches.
She spent this afternoon shopping.
She found a sleeveless teal linen blouse that could alternate with
the turquoise top in her dance outfit.
She went to three separate shops looking for a new perfume.
Finally, she came across an interesting one. It was a scent of green tea and ginkgo leaves, which seemed
terribly exotic.
As a final splurge she went to a nail salon and got a manicure and
pedicure. She found an
absolutely gorgeous copper red for her nails. She relaxed as the girls
rubbed her hands and feet, feeling positively decadent. At the last
minute, she chickened out for having the vibrant color on her fingers and
picked a pale pink that was almost transparent. The lovely red glowed on her toes though, and even though
they wouldn’t show in the tango shoes, she’d know it was there.
Dana’s heart was pounding a mile a minute as she stood in the
Community Center waiting for Frohike to arrive.
What if she’d scared him off with her actions the previous week?
She hoped not.
Frohike walked in. He
took his hat off and smiled as he walked over to her.
“Hi Dana. Did you
have a good week?”
“Yes.” She smiled back, then shook her head.
“I mean, no. I had a
dull week. Mostly reviewing old case files, getting current updates,
phone and paperwork stuff.”
“Yeah, same here. Byers
has been doing some mysterious research, but the rest of us have been
cooling our heels. And unlike
Langly there’s only so much Tomb Raider I can take in one sitting so
I’ve mostly been doing hardware, repairing stuff.”
He looked her over. “Hey,
you’ve got a new top.”
She glanced down at the teal linen.
“Yeah, I’ve had it a while and just was waiting for an
opportunity to wear it.”
“Great color for you. It
looks nice.” He offered his arm. “Shall we join the rest of them?”
“Thank you, and yes.” Dana
was relieved. Apparently her impulsiveness last week hadn’t disturbed
him. Frohike was his usual
comfortable self. Irrationally,
she now was slightly disappointed. She
was relieved that he appeared, but now she wondered if she had moved him
at all. Now
I’m getting ridiculous, she thought.
Scott called the class to order.
“Good evening everyone! Tonight
we’re going to do something different now that we have our basics down!
Tonight we’re going to alternate partners with each dance, so we
can get comfortable with the dance with other people.
Okay? Now, Carol and I
will pair you up so nobody will feel like a wallflower!”
Dana gave Frohike a glance of mild alarm.
He smiled reassuringly and touched her hand.
“You’ll do just fine.” He murmured.
Scott gestured to Dana, waving her over.
“Dana, would you dance with Vincent?”
Dana walked over and appraised Vincent.
He was a pleasant looking man, slender with thick head of hair that
resembled a wolf pelt. His
smile was nice and open, but not predatory, to Dana’s relief.
“Hi Dana.”
“Hi. Nice to meet you.” She
smiled back. Well, she thought, he’s only
a half a foot taller than you
are. That’s something.
She looked over at Frohike. He’d
been paired with one of the tall raven-haired women, who always seemed to
have a plunging neckline on. His
nose was right at her chin.
The music started. Vincent
moved out with Dana, and she moved with him.
Back, turn on ball of foot, shift hip, move to the side, move
forward, shift again, she went through the steps without tripping.
Vincent took larger steps than she did and she had to stretch a
little. His hand on her back
was too high and only making contact with his fingertips.
His other hand engulfed hers.
Her steps flowed and she didn’t trip, she realized with pride.
It was harder dancing with Vincent than Frohike, she felt less
supported. Vincent was less confident, but then he was a novice like
herself. Dana moved
carefully, trying to be reassuring as she danced with the new man. She shifted with grace, concentrating on the music.
Vincent took too large of a step and she had to do two short ones
to keep up. She swallowed a
sigh of irritation.
The song ended, and everyone stopped.
Carol and Scott moved around again, telling everyone to turn and
re-partner with the person to their left.
Dana introduced herself to a man named Mitch, who looked straight
at the neckline of her top as he said his name.
She found him under-whelming.
The next song had a faster tempo, Dana had to step faster and with
more precision. Unlike her last partner, Mitch didn’t have any problem
putting his hands on a strange woman.
She was very conscious of his hand on her back, especially when it
dipped down much lower than was
polite, when they had turned away from the majority of the class. Dana immediately put her foot down on his toes and shifted
her weight. He started with a
grunt and raised his hand.
“Oops.” She said coldly.
He gave her an apologetic, wary half grin.
For the rest of the dance, his hand stayed at the middle of her
back. When the dance ended,
she had to wipe her hand on her skirt from his clammy sweat.
The next dance, they changed partners again.
This time she was with an older gentleman who held her well.
He moved a bit slowly, but she matched his pace perfectly and he
smiled with pleasure as they danced.
Her confidence lifted as she shifted and swayed in his arms.
The music filled her mind and heart.
Over and over again, she changed partners.
Some men danced well, other poorly. She enjoyed dancing with most
of them, but none danced as well as Frohike.
When she could, she peeked at Frohike to see how he was doing.
He danced well with all the women, though she could tell at some
points that he had to restrain his dancing, or was more assertive in the
lead. If his partners took
long paces, he was able to match them without over-extending.
She noticed he didn’t seem as relaxed as he was when he danced
with her.
Some of the men she danced with really pushed, as if they wanted to
control the dance and her all the time.
The subtle give and take between partners that she enjoyed with
Frohike seemed to escape them. They
tended to hold her hand too tight and pull her body too close in, which
made it difficult if they took a long step.
It was challenging, trying to adapt herself to a new partner every
dance. It was very good
practice; she started to realize how much she had absorbed of the lessons
and the steps. Dana was
pleased with her performance.
At long last, she found herself back in Frohike’s arms.
It felt like coming home after a long day.
The music started and she moved easily with him.
He gave a gentle smile as they danced.
They moved closer, probably in self-defense from having to
compensate for their long-legged classmates.
Dana looked into Frohike’s hazel eyes.
They were gentle, soft green in this light.
She stepped to the side and for a moment felt the press of his
thigh against her own. She
didn’t move her leg, just shifted her weight and raised her other leg
into a crane lift and he gently rotated her back. It was the most
difficult step she’d tried. She was a little breathless, whether from the difficulty of
the step or the closeness of his body, she wasn’t sure. Suddenly, she
knew that she liked it.
Scott and Carol clapped for attention.
“Okay everyone!” Scott declared. “That was really good! You
all are really working hard! Now
we have an announcement! For
our sixth and final class we’re going to have some live music to dance
to! So you have that to look
forward to over the next three weeks!
Have a good time and keep dancing, and we’ll see you next
week.”
“A live group?” She looked at Frohike.
“That’ll be fun.” He grinned. “We’ll have to practice.”
She nodded at him. “Yeah,
that’s true. Let’s get
started.”
She was more aware of his body than she’d been before.
The heat from him, the touch of his thigh against hers, the brush
of her hip against his, the brief presses of belly to belly, all were
causing her head to swim. Their
bodies fit together so right, so easily.
Their feet and ankles worked around each other, never colliding.
Their eyes met and connected over and over.
Suddenly Dana realized that there was nothing about him she
didn’t like. He wasn’t
handsome, true, but she liked looking at him.
She liked the softness of the line of his jaw.
She liked his short stature that put them at eye level.
She liked his grey-streaked hair that he pulled back from his face. She liked his slight paunch that fit so comfortably under her
breasts when they embraced closely. She
liked his butt, and the cute way he jumped that time she pinched it.
She thought his eyes and hands were beautiful.
His hands were wondrous. Small
and graceful, with fingers that could work with such precision over
delicate equipment. He could work with such care, intense concentration through
those hands. She could feel
the warmth of his supporting hand against her back.
She could feel the textures of his fingers twined with her own. She
couldn’t resist the thought of what it would be like to have those hands
on her body. On her naked
flesh. She lowered her eyes
and moved her face away to hide her sudden blush.
He stopped and looked at her.
“Dana? Are you
okay?”
“Yeah.” She said, her voice slightly husky. “I guess I’m just a bit hungry, that’s all.
I didn’t have much dinner.”
“Do you want to leave?” He
sounded concerned.
“No, that’s okay. I’d
like to dance a bit more. Then
let’s get some food.” She
grinned. “This time it’s my treat.” |