inkssaying,

    “Hey,youtwomustbethirstyafterchattingallthistime.ehavesomedrinksthatDornajustmade…”andhahemeachacocktail.

    “Thankyousomuch,Mary”saidRomi.“Youshouldn’thavetowaitonus.Giveusadwewouldhavewalkedetthem…”Marysmiledandsaid,

    “It’sokay.Weareallsistersanddispehallthispoliteness…”Maraalsowalkedaveeachofthemasmalldishoffingerfoodfromhertray.Dornastoodbehindthebarandlookedaroundtomakesurethateveryonehadbeenserved.Shetookoffherapron,rolleddownhersleevesandsaidtoAngelica,

    “Heydj,whataboutsomemusic?”

    “Noproblem”repliedAngeliodding.Sheturnedaheroom,herskirtwithhibiscusembroideredatthehem,swayingasshewalked.Soonthergelivingroomwasfilledwiththedelightfulmusicofacssicalwaltz.DornawalkedovertoAmalia,bowedasrespectfullyasalemaendingonehandtowardshersaidsolemnlyinadeepvoice,

    “MayIhavethehonorofthisdance,Ma’am?”SheiandYokowerevulsedwithughter.SeeingthatAmaliawasstillinagoodmood,theypulledherupfromthesofaandwalkedaroundthedancefloorwithherseveraltimesasifstrollingandexergintheparkwithMaureenfollowingbehind.Then,fearingshewouldtwistheranklehheeledshoesorfalldown,theyledhertoasofatorest.DorovertoNovelandsaid,

    “You’tpossiblydahthatnine-footlongtrain,soyoulysitandbeaspectator!”ThenturningtoElena,thebridesmaid,shesaid,“Butyou,beautifulbridesmaid,don’tsitthereinadazedoingnothing.eanddahme!”ShepulledElenaupandtheywalkedtowardsthedancefloor.Whiledang,Dornacalledoutinaloudvoice,“Hey,pianist!balletdancespecialist!eandjointhedanceorelsethislovelymusicwouldbewasted!Whatareyouguyswaitingfor?eon,joinineveryone!Youtoo,greatphotographer.Youhavebeenbusytakingpicturesofeveryoneelse;it’stimeyouenjoyedyourselftoo!”SoCharinainherbluedressandwithhercamerastillhangingbyastraparoundherneck,joihethrongofwhitebridalgownedbridesonthedancefloor.Thismakeshiftdancefloorwasneandcouldnotaodateallthebrideswiththeirfringskirts,soeveryonewasjustswayingtothemusic,carefulnottostepontheirownorotherpeople’slongskirts.Suddenlythemusiged.Thewaltzstoppedandgedintoalively,fastpacedjitterbug.Therewasarustleamoe-gownedbridesastheyscatteredtothesidestoallowtwofigures,alsodressedinbridalgownshavethefloorastheyswuicallyaroundinthenewdahehemoftheskirtofohedancerswasembroideredwiththemagnifitandcolorfulpeony,whilethewhirlingskirtoftheotherwasembroideredwiththenobleandstatelyorchid!Ah!QueenAishahadarrivedandwasleadingMegginnhappilyjitterbugging.Shehadletloosetheonshenormallyworeatthebackofherhead,releasingherlongbrownhair,allowingittoswayandturnfreelywiththehemofherskirtasshedancedvivaciouslyalong.

    18

    Noonewasaroundthedesertedstreeteratnight.Thedimstreetlightshoneonanolddipidatedtruckparkedu.Thecarwasnotlocked.Itwasjustapileofjunkthatheremotestiinstealingasitwasatbestapileofmetalscrapsthatwasstilbletomove.Behindthenarrowsidewalkwasthedesertedrosegardehesoundsofughter,versationandjazzmusiccouldbeheard.Thisjazzcouldonlybeenjoyedasbausidcouldnotbeusedtodancebecauseitstempowasirrational,sometimesquidsometimesslowanditssoundnowloudnowsoft…afarcryfromthecssicwaltzin

inkssaying,

    “Hey,youtwomustbethirstyafterchattingallthistime.ehavesomedrinksthatDornajustmade…”andhahemeachacocktail.

    “Thankyousomuch,Mary”saidRomi.“Youshouldn’thavetowaitonus.Giveusadwewouldhavewalkedetthem…”Marysmiledandsaid,

    “It’sokay.Weareallsistersanddispehallthispoliteness…”Maraalsowalkedaveeachofthemasmalldishoffingerfoodfromhertray.Dornastoodbehindthebarandlookedaroundtomakesurethateveryonehadbeenserved.Shetookoffherapron,rolleddownhersleevesandsaidtoAngelica,

    “Heydj,whataboutsomemusic?”

    “Noproblem”repliedAngeliodding.Sheturnedaheroom,herskirtwithhibiscusembroideredatthehem,swayingasshewalked.Soonthergelivingroomwasfilledwiththedelightfulmusicofacssicalwaltz.DornawalkedovertoAmalia,bowedasrespectfullyasalemaendingonehandtowardshersaidsolemnlyinadeepvoice,

    “MayIhavethehonorofthisdance,Ma’am?”SheiandYokowerevulsedwithughter.SeeingthatAmaliawasstillinagoodmood,theypulledherupfromthesofaandwalkedaroundthedancefloorwithherseveraltimesasifstrollingandexergintheparkwithMaureenfollowingbehind.Then,fearingshewouldtwistheranklehheeledshoesorfalldown,theyledhertoasofatorest.DorovertoNovelandsaid,

    “You’tpossiblydahthatnine-footlongtrain,soyoulysitandbeaspectator!”ThenturningtoElena,thebridesmaid,shesaid,“Butyou,beautifulbridesmaid,don’tsitthereinadazedoingnothing.eanddahme!”ShepulledElenaupandtheywalkedtowardsthedancefloor.Whiledang,Dornacalledoutinaloudvoice,“Hey,pianist!balletdancespecialist!eandjointhedanceorelsethislovelymusicwouldbewasted!Whatareyouguyswaitingfor?eon,joinineveryone!Youtoo,greatphotographer.Youhavebeenbusytakingpicturesofeveryoneelse;it’stimeyouenjoyedyourselftoo!”SoCharinainherbluedressandwithhercamerastillhangingbyastraparoundherneck,joihethrongofwhitebridalgownedbridesonthedancefloor.Thismakeshiftdancefloorwasneandcouldnotaodateallthebrideswiththeirfringskirts,soeveryonewasjustswayingtothemusic,carefulnottostepontheirownorotherpeople’slongskirts.Suddenlythemusiged.Thewaltzstoppedandgedintoalively,fastpacedjitterbug.Therewasarustleamoe-gownedbridesastheyscatteredtothesidestoallowtwofigures,alsodressedinbridalgownshavethefloorastheyswuicallyaroundinthenewdahehemoftheskirtofohedancerswasembroideredwiththemagnifitandcolorfulpeony,whilethewhirlingskirtoftheotherwasembroideredwiththenobleandstatelyorchid!Ah!QueenAishahadarrivedandwasleadingMegginnhappilyjitterbugging.Shehadletloosetheonshenormallyworeatthebackofherhead,releasingherlongbrownhair,allowingittoswayandturnfreelywiththehemofherskirtasshedancedvivaciouslyalong.

    18

    Noonewasaroundthedesertedstreeteratnight.Thedimstreetlightshoneonanolddipidatedtruckparkedu.Thecarwasnotlocked.Itwasjustapileofjunkthatheremotestiinstealingasitwasatbestapileofmetalscrapsthatwasstilbletomove.Behindthenarrowsidewalkwasthedesertedrosegardehesoundsofughter,versationandjazzmusiccouldbeheard.Thisjazzcouldonlybeenjoyedasbausidcouldnotbeusedtodancebecauseitstempowasirrational,sometimesquidsometimesslowanditssoundnowloudnowsoft…afarcryfromthecssicwaltzin