"Somewhere beyond the sea, she's there watching for me. If I could fly like birds on high, then straight to her arms I'd go sailing."
"I got to put her in the water."
"Please, don't do this. We have time to work it out."
She sipped her drink and rested her chin in her hand as the song continued. She didn't bother looking up when someone sat down next to her at the corner table.
"Would you like to dance?" The man was decent looking, brown hair, green eyes, and a nice smile. A friendly guy, the kind she never would have paid attention to.
"Right now, I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer, a lot of people are going to die."
"I don't think so."
"Come on, I've watched you all evening. You haven't dance one time." He stood up and held out his hand. "Just once."
She sighed, but managed a smile. "Fine."
"I'm Joe, by the way."
"Peggy." He pulled her close, swaying easily to the music.
"Peggy…this is my choice."
"So, Peggy, what's a pretty girl like you doing here alone and looking so sad?" he asked, a teasing light in his eyes.
"Peggy?"
"I'm here."
"Today's…the three year anniversary of…" she paused and collected herself.
"The death of your husband?" he guessed.
"I'm gonna need a rain-check on that dance."
"No." she shook her head and looked away. "Well…he might have been. I don't really know. He never showed up for our date."
"Alright. A week, next Saturday, at the Stork Club."
"You got it."
"He must have been quite the man."
"8 o'clock, on the dot. Don't you dare be late. Understood?"
"He really was." Peggy paused and a wave of emotions came sweeping up.
"You know, I still don't know how to dance."
"I'm sorry, Joe. I can't." She shook her head and walked out of the club. Joe followed her onto the street.
"Peggy! Wait!" he caught her shoulder and pulled her around. She avoided his gaze, but her make-up had been smudged with tears. "It's just a dance, Peggy."
"I'll show you how. Just be there."
"It's not, Joe. And let me just save you the trouble of me."
"Hey." He gently took her chin and tipped it up so she was looking at him. "Why don't you let me decide if you're trouble or not? And I may have never met…"
"Steve."
"Steve. But if he was such a great guy, he would have wanted you to be happy. Wouldn't he?"
"We'll have the band play something slow. I'd hate to step on your-"
"…Steve? … Steve?...Steve?"
Peggy slowly nodded and sniffled a little. Joe wiped away a few of the smudges and held out his arm.
"So may I have this dance?"
Peggy smiled a little and took his arm.
"You've been asleep, Cap, for almost 70 years. …you gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, just. …I had a date."