Chapter 11
It was Saturday afternoon and Kate and Jenny were at Lanie's apartment, enjoying the day for them. Although they saw each other every day, sometimes it was good to have a break to chat and do other things that didn't involve their work.
The three took the day to take care a little bit more of their appearance, because in spite of being vain, they didn't always have time to do moisturizing, nails, with all the rehearsals where Gates demanded no dark polish nail and hair in a bun.
In Lanie's living room, they were hearing to 'Jungle Love', as they chatted. Kate had a towel wrapped around her newly hydrated hair and was sitting on a cushion, doing Lanie's the nail, while Jenny was in the balcony, in the cell-phone.
"... so you finally declared?" Lanie asked with interest, after Kate had told her about the end of her date.
Kate finished passing the nude polish on her nails and then smiled to her friend, nodding with her head, her heart racing at the memory.
"Right after you guys left. And I have to admit, you two were right about it, there is no perfect time."
"Of course I was right, after all, I'm your particular counselor." And the brunette winked at Kate, who rolled her eyes and tossed the pad at her making Lanie protest, showing her hands: "Hey, my nails are still drying!"
"Anyway, we went to his loft later and I met his mother, Martha, but she was just leaving."
"Uuummmm, then you and the dancer must have had a very hot night, alone, after a beautiful statement in front of a billboard..."
"Lanie! I'm not going into details!" The brunette said laughing, knowing that her friend loved to know about the details and just to tease her further, Kate began to remove her hair from the towel and comb it slowly until Lanie complained . "Ok, let's say I used handcuffs on him."
"Oh my God, Kate, your naughty woman!" They both laughed and then, with dried nails, Lanie grabbed Kate's hands and asked curiously: "And when will you introduce him to your parents? Mrs. Beckett must be very curious to meet him."
"Mom is, you know that my father is a bit quieter. I'm programming a dinner with them after the show's debut, let them see Rick on the stage first."
And it was true. Her mother Johanna had been very curious when Kate had gone to lunch with her the previous week and Kate told her about her romance with Rick. So Kate wanted to get a dinner between the four of them.
"I'm sure it'll be fine." Lanie reassured her, then said: "I'm very happy for you and Rick..."
"I know Lanie, thank you." Kate said, smiling and then pulled Lanie with her toward the kitchen next door. "Come on, while we wait for Jenny, let's make a fruit salad."
"And unlike you, you ungrateful, I'll tell you all the sordid details of the rest of my night with Javi." Lanie teased and Kate shook her head laughing, taking their preferred cups and putting on the counter.
"And where were you, after you left Rick and me?"
"You won't believe, but I got in the middle of a dance dispute with Javi, there with his friends from the hip-hop." The brunette revealed, with a small smile, opening the fridge and taking several strawberries and grapes and then turning to Kate, who looked at her surprise.
"And how was that?"
Esposito led Lanie to the Company where he was in now because the Latin had a rehearsal at night, but neither of them were ready to say 'good night' and so he'd decided to take his girlfriend with him, and now the two entered a large pavilion, holding hands.
"Oow Javi, this place is huge!" Lanie gasped, looking at the sound systems, the floor with linoleum with bleachers on one side and two doors leading to the locker room and the administration.
"It has to be big, corazon, the movements we do need space and with everyone on the scene..." The Latin explained to her and Lanie, who was shorter than him even with the heels of her boots, rose in the demi-pointe and whispered in his ear provocative:
"And will you show me the steps?"
"Better than that." Esposito promised her, taking her by the waist with one hand while the other entwined with hers and Lanie leaned her forehead to his. She had missed to be with him after that hectic week.
Esposito smiled fondly and Lanie put a hand on his short hair, realizing that the brunette was letting it grow and she smiled. The couple closed their eyes and their lips touched in a kiss.
When the two separated, Lanie looked at him curiously and he said:
"After the rehearsal, you'll understand." And then he took her hand, leading her toward a few men of his age who were warming up and doing spins on the floor using their hands and heads. "Come on, I'll introduce you to the guys."
Twenty minutes later, Lanie were sat in the stands, below, to see the dancers closer. There were about 20 dancers there, including five women, all in shoes and baggy pants that helped to give effect in their movements. To Lanie, it wasn't a shock to see the big difference between ballet and hip-hop, because when she was a little girl, she had done a bit of everything and, with her boyfriend in the company, she had become accustomed to different styles.
The teacher was very young, and after they did a warm-up with some hip-hop steps, they began rehearsing the choreography that had Nelly songs in the girls' solo and Ne-yo, who happened to be one of Lanie's favorite singers.
"You become more amazing Javi, with each passing day..." Lanie said to herself, watching her boyfriend dancing.
It was the turn of the boys to dance and they interacted with their caps, holding them while making quick movements with their hands, then stopping in a pose to make room for Esposito. The Latin winked at Lanie, who smiled giving him a little wave, and then he threw his cap to the side, making quick movements with his legs and arms, going to the ground, making a spin with his head on the ground, stopping in a pose until the others joined him and the girls entered, dancing in pairs with them.
Lanie saw the beautiful brunette who dance with Esposito and for a moment, she felt jealous, but then shook her head. Both were professional and knew how to separate things and with that, Lanie relaxed in her seat. He loved her and had given her many prove, as well as she had.
When the rehearsal was over, Lanie stood up, opening her arms and moving toward Esposito who was sweaty and they embraced.
"So did you like it?" He asked, catching his breath while Lanie released him and she nodded smiling.
"You're very good Javi..."
"Hey Esposito!" One of the dancers called and the couple turned to him, who was with some friends there on the linoleum. "Call your girlfriend too."
"What is it?" She asked with interest and Esposito took her hand, excited, guiding her to his friends.
"It's a competition that we do, movements, just to relax."
"But I don't dance hip-hop!" Lanie said, confused and worried, but he reassured her, while his friend was beginning to show some footsteps.
"The interesting thing is to be able to adapt the steps as well." He said, stopping beside her and repeating what his friend, Jake, had done and then adding a few more steps. Esposito turned to Lanie, who was still frowning. "See what I did with my feet? It is like a pas-de-bourrée."
"Show us something." Jake asked excited and Lanie then nodded, taking a deep breath. She made the pas-de-bourée, ending with two pirouettes and Jake and two friends who joined them whistled.
"You're good!" Jake praised and Lanie laughed, as he began to make another movement, which looked a lot like other Ballet movement and the brunette began to relax, making her boyfriend smile and kiss her cheek.
"See? It's not hard."
"Okay, but now I want you to teach me that step."
"Okay."
Esposito began to repeat the movement from before and after looking again, Lanie began to repeat it in front of him, with him, both facing each other and repeating, making quick exchange of feet and using their arms, making the boys applaud the couple.
Soon Lanie was already learning the new movements with the help of Esposito and his friends, as she passed some ballet movements also, until it was time to go home.
Outside, Lanie and Esposito exchanged a few kisses and Lanie clasped her hand with his, breaking the kiss and asking:
"My house?"
"Certainly Hermosa."
Lanie finished telling Kate about the rest of her night, while they sat in the stools, eating fruit salad, when then Jenny came into the kitchen with moist eyes and the phone in hand, making the two friends lowered the spoons and rise, concerned, approaching the blonde.
"Jenny, what's wrong?" Kate asked, leading her to one of the kitchen stools while Lanie held her hand.
"It's Kevin... Since last night he's been acting weird..."
The two friends exchanged a mysterious look and then Lanie asked:
"But yesterday you two didn't left together?"
"We did." Jenny said, wiping an eye and breathing deeply. "I thought we would spend some time together, but then he dropped me off at my apartment and went home, saying he was tired."
"Jenny." Kate said gently, making the blonde look at her. "Ryan must be really tired, the week was difficult."
"I know, but now he's not even answering the phone!" Jenny looked at the cell-phone in the table, frustrated and sad and then Kate gave her a cup of fruit salad, to calm her. "I know that this morning he and the boys would go to the game, but this afternoon he hasn't been answering my message."
Jenny knew that Ryan wasn't cheating on her, he was an amazing guy, right, and loved her, but she was starting to get worried about the way he had been acting since last night. Jenny then stuck a spoon in the salad, filling it with the fruit and ate it, saying tearfully:
"Tomorrow is my birthday and as I'm going to Connecticut to see my family, I thought we would at least spend the night together..."
Jenny's parents and younger brother lived in New York, but every year on their birthdays and Christmases, the family would go to Connecticut to celebrate with their grandparents and uncles, it was a tradition. Lanie and Kate said nothing.
Lanie continued to hold her hand as Kate stroked her back as Jenny finished eating, sighing until Lanie stood up and said:
"I'm sure he'll call you soon. What you need right now is to watch a marathon of movies with your best friends, accompanied by some strawberry drinks." And Lanie winked at Kate, who went to the kitchen to prepare the drinks while Lanie took Jenny to the room, which seemed to cheer up a little with the idea.
"Are you sure that Jenny will like a dress?" Ryan asked Rick and Esposito, while the three looked at a rack of dresses.
The truth was that Ryan was planning a surprise for his girlfriend so he was avoiding her. He had left her the night before early to start planning and then, after going with his friends to see the Mets that morning, now he was checking what was missing for the surprise.
Ryan took a light pink dress, examining it and Rick reassured him, as he exchanged a message with Kate, in one of the chairs that were there. The dress, though simple, was elegant to the Arab food restaurant where he would take Jenny that night.
"Of course she will. Kate just told me that Jenny didn't bring any dress to Lanie's house."
"And then, you know how much Jenny likes to wear dresses." Esposito added, while looking for more dresses and frowned to see a neon orange dress with a scarf. "Who on Earth would use something like this? She'd look like Charizard!"
"So, I think I'll take this, it's her favorite color." Ryan decided as his friends accompanied him to the checkout line and then Esposito said, rubbing his hands:
"You already ordered the roses to go to the restaurant, but now we have to go there and confirm the reservation table for 2."
"Why go there? Just call it." Rick said confused and Ryan shook his head, saying:
"Espo wants to be able to parade in your Ferrari, Rick."
Esposito looked at the blond, feigning indignation and Rick opened a smirk, taking his car keys and shaking it:
"It would be a waste not to walk in it, after filling the tank..."
"I agree bro." Esposito said and they both laughed, patting Rick's back and Rick said, before leaving:
"Don't forget to pick up the tuxedo with Mrs. Hollis, we'll wait for you at the restaurant."
"Okay, thank you guys." Ryan thanked sincere and they both smiled saying:
"Hey, that's what friends are for."
It was seven o'clock and Jenny seemed to be a little happier with the help of her friends. The three drank their strawberries drinks while watching 'Pride and Prejudice', when a knock at the door interrupted them and the Lanie, knowing who it was, said with a smile:
"Jenny, go to the door, I'm sure you'll like to see who it is."
Jenny frowned, getting up and going to the door and opening it. Seeing her boyfriend, wearing a tuxedo with his hair combed back, smiling and holding a gift, her lips trembled.
"Kevin?"
"Happy early birthday Jen." He told her, handing her the package and watching her nervously. Would she like the gift? Seeing that he had avoided her to surprise her got Jenny emotional.
"I'm sorry Kevin..."
Without opening the gift, Jenny threw herself into Ryan's arms, hugging him tightly, crying. With a small smile, he hugged her, stroking her back and saying,
"Hey Jenny, it's okay..." Ryan was guiding them into the apartment and when Jenny recovered, she turned to her friends, shaking her head, but smiling. That was why they had insisted on doing her hair and nails. Her friends were the best.
"You girls already know everything?"
"Uh-huh." Kate nodded, smiling. "And by the way, the bouquet that arrived at your apartment is from the two of us, okay?"
"Thank you, girls..." She thanked them, drying her face and Lanie said:
"Now open your present."
Jenny sat on the couch, with Ryan at her side and undid the package, holding her breath, amazed at the pale pink dress. She ran a hand through it and then turned to her boyfriend that said softly:
"That is the first gift. It's for you to use in our dinner. "
Jenny then bent, giving him a peck.
"Thanks Kevin..."
"You deserve, love."
Twenty minutes later, Jenny went to meet Ryan, already in her new dress, her hair falling in soft curls and a glittery makeup. Seeing her, Ryan smiled, passionate:
"You look beautiful Jen."
The blonde blushed and, after hugging her friends, Ryan held out his arm, leading her to the door. Outside, Jenny stopped Ryan, who looked curious and her and she leaned her forehead to his, delighted with everything he had done for her.
"You're amazing Kevin, and I love you so much."
"I love you too, Jen."
They exchanged a kiss before they enter the elevator, to go to their dinner.
It was now eleven pm, and Lanie and Kate had fallen asleep on the couch while watching the Grey's Anatomy marathon, with several drinks. Lanie woke up when she had heard knocks on the door and, with a weary sigh, she got up going to the door and finding Rick there.
"Hey Rick, came for Kate?" She asked him, hiding a yawn and giving him space to enter, closing the door then.
"I came, she asked me to come get her by this time." Seeing his girlfriend asleep on the couch, a smile spread across his face, as he sat on the edge of the couch, touching her shoulder. "Hey Kate, wake up."
"If you wake me up, I'll kill you..." Was all she mumbled, still asleep, and turning away from his hand.
Knowing she would wake up with a pain in her back if she slept there, he put an arm under her legs and the other around her back, taking her into his arms with ease, she was light, although her height. Kate buried her face in the space between his neck and his shoulder and Rick realized by the strong aroma of cherries she had hydrated hair, making him to want to smell them.
"Kate is going to kill you if she wakes up and sees that she is being carried." Lanie said amused, as she opened the door for Rick.
"I know, but it's better than she complaining of back pain." Rick then smiled at his friend and said: "Esposito asked to tell you that he is coming here. Good night, Lanie."
"Good night, Rick." She thanked him and, before closing the door, she said with a smirk, leaving him bewildered: "And no handcuffs tonight, dancer."
Outside the building, Rick was approaching his car when Kate started to wake up, a little confused and Rick stopped walking, stroking her back with an apologetic smile to see her raising an eyebrow. Rick helped her in her legs and she reassured him, smiling:
"It's okay, Rick, I know you couldn't wake me up."
She laid a hand on his shoulder, to balance herseld and Rick kissed her lips, gently asking:
"Tired?"
"Uh-huh... Several strawberries' drinks with vodka."
"Come on, let's get some rest."
And he opened the door of his Ferrari for her, who admired the red car with interest, then entering it, where they exchanged one more kiss and Kate clasped her hand with his over the steering wheel saying amused:
"It's a beautiful and expensive car... If tomorrow we go out, I drive."
"You drive."