Usually, the condo was quiet. It had a feeling of being lived-in, but it was quiet. With three people with overwhelmingly busy schedules, it was to be expected. That all changed when there were more than three people present, whether that was their grandchildren, Ricky and Emily or Nicole. Sharon always liked the condo best when it was loud and thriving. It made it impossible for her to think of the years she was alone in the same rooms; she could focus solely on the present and how happy she was.
Charlie and Mark rushed into the condo with their stepmother struggling to keep up behind them. Sharon immediately stood up, her arms extending to her grandsons as they rushed into her hug. She smiled widely and kissed their heads, wishing they weren't so big that she couldn't pick them up.
"Grandma Sharon, Grandma Sharon!" Charlie bounced up and down once he pulled free of Sharon's embrace, the look in his eye telling Sharon the little boy had important news.
"Yes, Charlie?" She sat back on the couch with the boys settling on top of her, quickly raising her gaze to see her husband greeting his daughter. She turned her gaze back to her oldest grandson, her fingers running through his hair.
"Guess what ballet we're doing after The Nutcracker!" He resumed his bouncing where he sat, his bony bottom digging in to Sharon's thigh.
She gently shifted him over but kept her arm around him, pretending to think for a few moments. "Hmmm. The Nutcracker again?"
"No, Grandma Sharon!" Mark giggled and shook his head excitedly. "Guess again!"
"Is it… Anna Karenina?" She raised an eyebrow and laughed at the confusion on the boys' faces.
"No… What's that?" Charlie tilted his head as he looked at her.
"Something we'll talk about when you're older." She smiled and laughed again. "I give up. What ballet?"
"Swan Lake!" Charlie and Mark shouted at the same time, and Sharon felt a wide smile cross her lips.
"Oh, that's one of my favorites." She sighed happily and pulled the boys a little closer. "You know my favorite is The Nutcracker, but Swan Lake is absolutely beautiful."
"Could you show us some of your favorite parts?" Mark's voice was a little hesitant as he looked up at her, his brown eyes wide with curiosity and hope.
"You're always promising to show us, Grandma Sharon. Will you? Please?" Charlie added, folding his hands and dramatically holding them up to beg.
Sharon looked between her grandsons for a few moments, surprised by how eager they were. "Okay, okay," she finally agreed, smiling as she nudged them off the couch. "Just a few, though. I might show you more once you start rehearsing."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Mark giggled happily and jumped out of Sharon's way so she could stand up.
The boys returned to the couch, leaning against the back and facing the kitchen so they could watch Sharon. She nudged the chairs out of the way and glanced to Andy, unsurprised to see him and Nicole watching quietly. Their curiosity was just as obvious as Mark's and Charlie's. Smiling, Sharon closed her eyes for a moment to center herself.
With only the music playing in her head, she slowly started dancing in the small open area between the kitchen and the living room. Her feet remembered the steps with an ease that surprised herself and she got lost in the dance. She could easily picture the scene in her mind with the seven ballerinas representing the swimming swans, allowing her to continue dancing beyond what she intended to show her grandsons. She finally stopped when she could feel the ache in her feet and her chest, and pressed her hand against her chest as she panted, looking first to Andy and then to the boys.
"Wow…" Charlie spoke first, his eyes wide as he stared at her. "Grandma Sharon…"
"Sharon, are you okay?" Andy hurried to her side and rested his hand on her elbow, his eyes looking her over for any sign that something was wrong.
She could only manage a breathless laugh at first, then a smile. "I'm fine, honey. I… got a little caught up in it." She laughed again and leaned up to kiss him softly.
"Please can you show us more, Grandma Sharon?" Mark begged, his head resting in his hands as he continued watching her.
"Not today, Mark." Andy looked back at their grandson and shook his head.
"Awwwww. Please, Grandpa Andy?" Mark used his puppy dog eyes, something that always won Andy over.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart." Sharon gently pulled back from Andy and kissed Mark's head. "You know how you have to put practice in to get the dances just right?" Mark nodded, tilting his head so he could keep looking at Sharon. "Well, if you don't practice, you can hurt yourself dancing. Since I haven't practiced in a long, long time, I have to be careful so I don't get hurt."
"Why don't you practice more?" Charlie asked.
She laughed softly. "Because I think I'm a little too old. Practicing could actually hurt me as much as not practicing."
"Does it make you sad you can't practice and dance?" Charlie shifted to make room for her as she leaned against the back of the couch between the boys.
"It does," she admitted, "but it also makes me happy watching you two dance. And watching your Aunt Emily dance as well."
"Is that why you come to all of our shows?" Mark leaned up, trying to reach eye level with her.
"Well, that and because I love you both very, very much." She kissed his nose and stood up. "Now, say goodbye to Nicole and we'll figure out what Grandpa Andy has planned for us." She winked at her husband and reached for his hand as the boys rushed to their stepmother's side.
"That was beautiful," Andy murmured as he took her hand.
She blushed and shook her head. "I'm sure it was sloppy and uncoordinated."
"I have no idea what it was like technically, but it looked amazing. You looked amazing." He kissed her cheek and smiled. "I love watching your body move like that." He winked and she gently smacked his arm.
"Watch your mouth, there's children around." Despite her admonishment, she smiled and squeezed his hand.
"Sorry. I'll save that for tonight." He laughed and they turned back to their grandchildren in time to see them start rushing back.
