Part Seven: The college starts

On first of November the college began. Babe took classes for getting the teaching profession. Most of her classes don't began before ten o' clock so she could work some hours at the dance school. Johnny and Penny managed the course well. They had still too much students. After her classes were over Babe went home and learned or helped in the school. It was very stressful but she liked the way it was. She was very good in her classes and she passed the first tests with flying colors. Johnny was proud of her.

Babe: Johnny, I got my tests back.

Johnny: And have you pass it?

Babe: Of course, you had helped my learning. I passed it as the best of the class.

Johnny: That's great and need to be celebrate.

Johnny cooked a delicious meal and lit some candles. He put romantically music into the player and spoiled Babe. It was a great evening and a much better night.

On sunday Babe asked Johnny for some dance lesson. He gave her one. It was a special lesson. He should her some things he had learned at the dance academy. Babe was amazed and wouldn't stop. At one jump she got not the right position and felt hard.

Johnny: Babe! Did you hurt you? Can you go up?

Babe: I'll try it.

Babe took Johnny's offering hand and tried to stand up but her ankle hurt to much. She screamed.

Johnny: Don't move any further. I will call your father.

Babe: No! I'm going to be okay in a few minutes.

Johnny: No, you aren't. I'll call you father.

Johnny called Jake who promised to be there in a few minutes. Ten minutes later he arrived at the school. Johnny lead him to Babe.

Jake: Babe! What happened?

Babe: I was dancing and hurt my ankle. But I think it's nothing worse.

Jake looked at the ankle.

Jake: I think it's broken. You need to go to the hospital.

Babe: No Daddy, please not. Johnny help me!

Johnny: I think it's better if you listen to you father. It looks really bad, darling.

Jake: Have you something to do with this?

Babe: No, Daddy. It's not his fault.

Babe finally went to the hospital. Johnny stayed with Babe while she was x- rayed. Jake was right, the ankle was broken. Babe got a cast and could go home. Johnny carried her up to their apartment and he spoil her.

Babe: Johnny, you don't need to do this for me. I have got crutches and I can walk with them. I need to walk on my own.

Johnny: I know but I will do it.

Babe: It's only a shame that we can't dance for a little while. It's going to be boring.

Johnny: That doesn't matter. You can dance again when you ankle is health.

Johnny took Babe to and off the college each day. At monday she met a friend, Jenny at the cafeteria.

Jenny: Hi Frances. What happened to your foot?

Babe: I was dancing and felt.

Jenny: You can dance?

Babe: Not now, but I gave performance with my boyfriend at a night club and we have a dance school together. He's a great dancer.

Jenny: That's cool. I didn't know this. Where did you met him?

Babe: I met him in my holidays. He was the dance instructor at my holiday resort. He gave performance at a restaurant on Thursday but his partner were ill at this time. I offered my help and he showed me his dance in about a week. We danced the last dance of the season. He came with me and we are living together.

Jenny: That's so cool. I wish I had as much luck as you.

A few days before Christmas Babe's cast was taken off. Babe was very happy about this since she missed dancing. Johnny had managed that Penny would take over his classes for the holidays. He and Babe would spent the Christmas Eve with her parents and Lisa but after this day they would drove to his parents to Philadelphia. He spent each year a few days with them but this year he was really looking forward to see them since they would meet his Babe.

The Christmas with the Houseman's was nice. It seemed that even Jake started to like Johnny. And he liked that his daughter was very happy with him. They talked about the last few weeks, who the school was doing and how the college was. Babe was great at the college. She passed each test with the highest scores of the class. And the school run better than they had thought. They had made good results since the opening.

After the dinner Johnny drove to Philadelphia where his family was living. They arrived there at noon of the next day. Johnny brought her to his home where his mother Betty and his father Eddy were waiting.

Betty: Johnny, my boy. Good to see you. Come in.

Eddy: Hello Johnny. Who is this?

Johnny: I would like you to meet my girlfriend Frances Houseman. Babe this is my mother Betty and my father Eddy.

Babe: Nice to meet you.

They went all inside where Betty made some coffee.

Eddy: So Johnny, what are you doing? I haven't heard of you in a long time.

Johnny: I am teaching dancing in our school. Babe and I we have open our own school which is running well.

Betty: You have your own school. How did you get this?

Babe: I had given him the money.

Eddy: Oh, of course you have. Can I ask you, what you are doing for your living?

Babe: I'm going to the college and study for a teaching permission. And I helping Johnny with the school. I do the paper work and such things. And we are dancing sometimes at a night club.

Babe and Johnny were staying at a little inn.

Babe: I don't think that your father liked me.

Johnny: He likes you. He only has a problem with me. He don't think that dance instructor is the best job I can do. He thinks that I'm a loser. And he doesn't like the idea that we have our own school because that means that we are independent. He always thought that I would came back to him after a season ended and plead for a job. But this is history now because I found you. I never going to leave you no matter what will happen.

Babe: I love you Johnny and I will never leave you, too.

They spent the New Year's Eve with his parents and went back after this. Penny needed help with all the work. Besides that Babe needed to learn for her first intermediate examination which were set in the first week of February. Johnny and Penny taught their classes. Babe passed the examination with flying colors.

Johnny: I'm so proud of you. I think you have earned a reward for this.

Babe: What kind of reward?

Johnny: Oh, I have thought of something special.

Babe: Yeah, what?

Johnny: In the next few weeks Penny and me are going to show you how to teach our dances. So you can work actively with us. And if you know how to teach it I will have another surprise for you!

Babe: Oh Johnny, this would be great. And what's about the other surprise.

Johnny: You know that in about three months a new season at Kellerman's will begin and I got a letter from Max today. He will hire all people from the last year. And I don't want the same problems like last year if you are going to stay there as guest. So you will come with us as dancer. Max won't say anything about us because we are both staff.

Babe: That's a great idea. And we can dance at the "Sheldrake" again.

On the last weekend of the February Johnny invited Babe to a sea food restaurant.

Babe: Johnny, why are we here?

Johnny: We have to celebrate something. Actually two things.

Babe: And this would be?

Johnny: First we were in the black for the first. We have earned more they we have put into the school.

Babe: Congratulation. I knew that you would be successful.

Johnny: It's not alone my gain. You have done as much as me and Penny.

Babe: I know but you are the great dancer here! And what is the second?

Johnny: Today I received a letter from the International Dance Association. They are going to make a dance competition for some schools. They are going to invite the dance instructor with partner and two of their students. They are going to take place in two competitions. I got an invitation and I going to make you to my partner.

Babe: We both are going to dance on a competition? What are we going to dance?

Johnny: I though about a changed form of our "Mambo". What do you think?

Babe: I like the idea of it. And who are you going to take as your best students?

Johnny: I don't know yet. We have lots of good dancers. I think we are going to make a little competition of ourselves.

Babe: And the winner is going to take part in the big competition.

Babe and Johnny ordered their food and enjoyed the evening. On the other day Babe would do the preparations for their competition. But first she made breakfast for her and Johnny. She brought it to the bed. Johnny woke up by the smell of coffee.

Johnny: Actually is the man taking the breakfast to his love and not the girl.

Babe: You were sleeping and I was getting hungry. So I made it. Next time you can make it.

Babe went back to the bed and began to have breakfast. Suddenly she stood up and ran to the bathroom. Their she vomited. Johnny went to her.

Johnny: Babe are you okay?

Babe: I think something was wrong with my food yesterday.

Johnny: I don't think so. We ordered the same and I feeling well.

Babe: Perhaps it was only my plate. But I already feel better. Lets have breakfast.

Babe looked a little pale and Johnny was worried about her. As long as he knew her she was never ill but her broken ankle. Babe insisted on working a little bit at the office. After lunch she was looking much better. Johnny agreed to show her the dance they were going to perform at the competition. They were doing well.

On the next morning a monday Babe was feeling ill again, but it was not as bad as the day before. When she was feeling better she went down to the school and made the advertisements for their competition. After she had finished this she went to her mother for a short visit.

Marge: Oh Babe. Nice to see you. How are you feeling?

Babe: Hi Mom. I'm feeling better.

Marge: Better? Have you been ill?

Babe: Not really. I think something was not okay with my sea food on Saturday. But I'm okay now. How are you doing?

Marge: Oh everything's okay her. Lisa is writing to a boy I think she is in love with but she won't tell me something about him. Your father is at a congress in New York and won't be back for a week. How are you and Johnny doing? How's the school and college going?

Babe: College is fine. But I think it's a little bit boring. It's to easy! There is no challenge for me. The school is doing very well. Johnny was able to pay me back the money I had loan him and we are very successful. We are going to take part at a competition of the National Dance Association with a couple of students. And everything's okay between us. He is so sweet. He really loves me. He and Penny are showing me how to teach dancing so I can work together with him at the school. And we are going together to Kellerman's again this season. I will help him teaching there.

Marge: That sounds great. I am happy for you. It seems that you have found you own life.

Babe: Yeah, I think so, too. Should I speak with Lisa? Perhaps she is telling me about this guy.

Marge: You can try it. She's up in your room.

Babe went up to her old room knock on the door and went inside.

Babe: Hi Lisa. How you are doing?

Lisa: Babe! You are here. I'm okay.

Babe: Mom told me that you were writing to a guy.

Lisa: Yes, I do this. He is great. I think I'm in love with him and I think he feels something for me, too.

Babe: Who is this guy? Where did you met him?

Lisa: You must promise me that you don't tell it Mom. I don't want that she knew too much about him. I'm going to tell her later about him.

Babe: Okay, I am not going to tell her. So tell me.

Lisa: I met him last summer at Kellerman's. Don't panic it's not Robbie. But he worked there, too. And I think you know him, too. His name is Billy.

Babe: Billy?!? You means the guy you were dancing with on the last evening.

Lisa: Yes, this is the guy. I think I had fallen in love with him at this night. Do you know him?

Babe: I think you could say this. He is the guy who took me to the staff quarters the first time. There I spoke and danced with Johnny for the first time. Did you know that he was only working there because of his cousin?

Lisa: Yeah he had written it to me. But I don't know anything else about this person.

Babe: Oh, I met this guy. He's a good guy.

Lisa: Well then is everything all right. Are you going to tell me more about this guy. I mean you have spent the most of the time with the staff.

Babe: Perhaps later but I think we have the nearly the same favor. And I can tell you that Billy is really a nice guy. Thousand times better than Robbie. And when you are going to tell it Mom and Dad, please invite me. I want do see their faces.

Babe went back to Johnny who had finished his last class.

Johnny: Who was your day?

Babe: I paid Mom and Lisa a visit.

Johnny: Really? What did they say?

Babe: Not much. Daddy is out of town for about a week to take part on a congress and Lisa is in love with a guy she met at Kellerman's.

Johnny: At Kellerman's. Guest or staff?

Babe grinning: He was staff. He was a porter and spent most of his time off with the dancers. He was there for his first season because a very lovely dancer he is related to had helped him getting the job.

Johnny: I don't think I know this person. What's his name?

Babe: I think you know this person better than you think. His name is Billy.

Johnny: Billy?!? Lisa is in love with Billy?

Babe: Yes, and I think it's very serious. I haven't told her that he is your cousin.

Johnny: Good. But I think we could play faith. What do you think?

Babe: I don't know. They are only writing each other now. Perhaps we are to fast if we arrange a meeting between them.

Johnny: We can ask them on a way they don't notice what we are planning. I'm going to call Billy.

Johnny went to the phone and dialed the number of Billy. He was answering at the first ring.

Johnny: Hi Billy, how are you doing?

Billy: Johnny, nice to hear you. I'm doing well, I think. What you are doing?

Johnny: Your father hadn't told you? I teaching at my school with Penny and my girlfriend.

Billy: No, he hadn't told me. That's great for you. I don't have any work and helping dad a little bit.

Johnny: Perhaps I can help you. You have some experience at the office, haven't you? I think I need a little help in the office. My girlfriend who is doing the paperwork needs to learn for college and she is helping me with the classes. Would you like to come down here and help out?

Billy: Why not. It's still better than helping Dad. And I would like to see Penny and you again. And I'm looking forward to meet you girlfriend.

Johnny gave Billy the address of the school.

Billy: Should I tell you something strange?

Johnny: What's the matter?

Billy: A girl who I'm writing with is living in the same city. Her name is Lisa and I met her at Kellerman's.

Johnny: And do you like this girl?

Billy: I think I'm in love with her. She's a great person. Perhaps I going to pay her a visit when I'm visiting you.

Billy would arrive on the next day so he would have no chance to write her that he was going to be in her city.

Johnny: I think he really loves her. And I don't think that he knows that Lisa is your sister. And he doesn't know anything about us.

TBC...

A/N: What do you think so far?