I love to dance, especially ballroom and swing. Over the years, I have attended many dances to satisfy my passion. A few years ago a new face appeared at one of the dances. He immediately attracted my attention because he was tall and very good looking with wavy steel gray hair. Competition for partners can be fierce among the women so I quickly headed over and asked him to dance. Happily, he accepted and that first encounter with Ed changed my life.
As we danced, we introduced ourselves and I learned a few things. Ed was married and his wife, Paula, had work obligations that often kept her from sharing some of his hobbies, ballroom being one. She encouraged him to go and enjoy. It had been a few years since he'd gone dancing so he decided to give it a try. I could tell very quickly that he was a good dancer and more importantly, he knew how to lead. I immediately felt very comfortable in his arms and I complimented him on his dancing.
Other single women were soon asking him to dance and I felt a bit of pride when he would seek me out. He was very polite and I felt a thrill every time I heard him say, "June, would you do me the honor?" Actually, it was I who was honored.
That evening flew by and we shared the last dance, a nice slow one. I felt like a school girl with a crush, I wanted to hold him close and not let go. Fortunately, Ed kept everything proper and we just chatted about the evening and he assured me of his return the following week. He also made my evening by saying I was a wonderful dancer and wondered if he could reserve more with me. I looked up into his hazel eyes and replied, "You can have them all."
Later that week, at another dance, I kept looking for Ed. That evening was a bit of a downer, no Ed and even my regular partners were not as good as he. That night I dreamed about the evening I'd spent with him.
The week slowly dragged until finally the day came for the next dance and I had hopes of being with my new partner. I arrived early and was surprised when Ed came walking in a few minutes behind me. He walked over and we laughed because we had both come early to get a good table. All of that was for naught, however, because we learned the hard way that if we wanted to stay partners, we needed to remain on the floor. Otherwise one or both of us would be asked by other people to dance.
I can't recall a more pleasant evening. Ed, as usual, was a perfect gentleman and, in my humble opinion, a wonderful partner. I did my best to ignore my schoolgirl crush and concentrated on my dancing. We received several compliments from other couples on how well we looked together.
Ed whispered in my ear, "The reason we look good is because of you, June."
I gave his hand a squeeze and said, "Nice try, but no."
He laughed and said, "How about maybe we both dance well together."
"I'll buy that."
Over the next several weeks, we were pretty exclusive as dance partners. We became more relaxed and a friendship began to grow. With that came conversations regarding our lives, dreams, goals, but nothing political, religious, or sexual.
It was nearly two months before I met his wife, Paula. She was very friendly and I liked her immediately. A brunette with fiery green eyes, a few inches shorter, a little smaller in size, and a much smaller bust line. She was very engaging and loved to talk a lot. He was very quiet around her which is much different than the Ed I had come to know over the past several weeks.
Ed and Paula danced a few times and I couldn't help but notice she wasn't very good. She would encourage Ed and me to dance, saying she was content just to watch. "I'm first to admit, I am a terrible dancer. I don't have a good sense of rhythm but Ed is understanding and patient so we just enjoy and have fun anyway."
Ed took his wife's hand and said, "She's wonderful in everything else."
I could tell they really loved each other. A plus, I thought, because now I can be a friend and there won't be any romantic entanglements.
At the end of the evening, Paula suggested I come over to their home for dinner that week. I accepted and we exchanged phone numbers.
The next day, Paula called and we picked a time and date. I offered to bring something and she suggested a bottle of wine. Fortunately I keep a supply of dry reds and she approved of my selection.
Their home, just a few minutes from mine, in a nicer neighborhood was lovely and spacious. She definitely knew how to decorate and created a comfortable atmosphere. Dinner was excellent and the conversation lively with lots of laughter. Paula had me in stiches as she recounted stories about how badly she danced. The best story was of her wedding reception. During the "chicken dance" of all things, she tripped and nearly took down the table with the cake. "I'm glad Ed knew how bad I was when we were dating. I'm happy he met you and can finally enjoy his dancing. He talks about how good you are."
"Thank you for sharing your husband with me; he is a marvelous dancer."
Paula lifted her wine glass in a toast, "To friendship and a lovely dance partner."
I felt a bit embarrassed. I think I even blushed.
It was an enjoyable evening and the beginning of many more to come. We started having dinners together on a regular basis and alternated homes for hosting. We agreed that the guest would bring a dessert and wine. When Paula and I chatted over the phone regarding what to bring, we generally engaged in girl talk about everything. I was glad we had that connection because very soon it would be important.
