I do not own Dirty Dancing.

Chapter Eighteen

POV Penny

Preparations

"I can't believe it's tonight," Baby told me, commenting on the nearness of the Sheldrake. I couldn't believe it either. She'd made unbelievable progress the last few weeks. But then, she'd had Johnny teaching her. Today she was going to try on the dress she would preform in, the dress I should have worn. But I couldn't. Because I'd been dumb enough to sleep with Robbie, and had gotten pregnant. And Baby was performing tonight, instead of me, so I could fix it.

I stop myself, before I read too much into my mistakes. They'd happened, and there was nothing I could do about it now. Nothing except letting the Doctor take care of it. In an effort to distract myself, I fill in the details about tonight for Baby, "The Sheldrake's 20 minutes away. You'll change in the car,"

Leaving the Recreation Hall that was holding a Bridge tournament, which was below the Dance Studio, I caught Mrs. Schumacher. As she stepped out, her purse and it's contents spilled across the pavement. Mrs. Schumacher gasped in distress, and I immediately thought to help her. She was such a sweet old lady, even reminded me of my Grandma. Baby called out to her, having seen the same incident, "Mrs. Schumacher!"

"Hey, Mrs. Schumacher! Wait, we'll help you!"

Baby and I hurry over to her, and stoop to the ground to collect her belongings. The old woman laughed, "Such junk. Such junk," Mrs. Schumacher turned to me, a smile on her face. Oh, this dear sweet old lady. It was impossible not to like her. "Beni Bernstein's Dancing School, Avenue B. That's where I went," Mrs. Schumacher explained, nodding to me, "George Burns was a teacher," Behind her, Mr. Schumacher appeared. His wife took his arm, and Baby passes the handbag to her, "Oh, Thank you," She muttered.

"You're welcome," Baby answered, smiling softly as the pair made off together.

Upstairs, in the locker rooms, I have Baby try on the dress for tonight, a backless Coral halter dress that used eye-hooks to hook the straps together in the back. It was exceedingly low cut, and made from a flimsy fabric that bunched at the waist. The whole ensemble would include a silver belt, a faux diamond bracelet, some gaudy earings, a clip that held Baby's hair up, and the silver heels I'd given her when she first started learning to dance.

I circled Baby, making tiny corrections to the dress, once Baby had it on. "Nervous?" I ask her. Meekly, she nodded. I smile, reminiscing my first performance, with the Rockettes, only two years ago. "I was too, the first time I preformed. It gets easier the more often you do it." The thing was, this would probably be the only time she ever preformed.

"Okay. So they introduce us, the light comes on, Johnny does the... the..." Baby stuttered, unwilling to say exactly what it was. I smile at her. Deep down, Baby hadn't changed. She was still shy, especially about Johnny touching her like that.

"Caress?"

Baby swallowed, looking white as a sheet at the prospect, "Yeah." A few days back, I'd asked Johnny how that part of the routine went. He'd muttered something about her laughing, and had gotten real quiet about the whole ordeal.

I knew Johnny better than almost anyone, and I knew he had feelings for her even before he'd admitted it to himself. I also knew that Baby had feelings for Johnny, too. I could tell from the very beginning, just by looking at the way she shifted when he was near her, or in the same room. Under normal circumstances, I would be rooting for the two of them to get together. Baby was a great girl, and I couldn't have wished someone better for him. But relationships between staff and guest were strictly forbidden, unless you were a Waiter. Johnny would be fired if he started something with Baby and Max found out about it.

Baby's mental review of the dance pulled me back to reality, "He spins me out, then back in, and I go into frame. So I'll just keep my shoulders down, my head up, my frame locked. Stay on my toes..." She released a sigh, "What if I forget the steps?"

"Pull up, watch your frame, and remember, let him lead you," I responded steadily. She had two get this- tonight had to be damn near perfect, or questions would be asked and we'd all be fired.

"I'm afraid that I'm gonna forget to spike, get dizzy and fall on my face. No, I- I don't look at my feet, keep my head up, my eyes open. Tension in my arms, my frame locked, seat pulled up..."

"Thanks, Baby," I tell her. Baby looked down at me. I'd been pretty quiet about how grateful I was she was doing this for me, but she deserved to know, "Look, I just want you to know that I don't sleep around. Whatever Robbie might have told you. And I thought that he loved me. I thought I was something special." Shy, I return to fiddling with the dress. It was always hard for me to open up to other girls about my feelings. But I wanted to let Baby in. "Anyway, I just wanted you to know that."

Baby changed the subject, sensing how upset I was, "So how does it look?" She inquired. I smiled sadly. Baby looked beautiful in that dress. I knew Johnny would love it, too. But this would be the first Sheldrake I'd missed since starting work here. It was painful to think that I would miss even one, however unavoidable it was.

Baby giggled above me. She'd probably never worn anything so low cut before. Her hand reached up to pull the fabric higher on her chest. I look up at her, revealing my fear that something would go wrong. That the Surgeon didn't know what he was doing, that Baby would mess up, that we would get caught. Tears filled my eyes. Baby looked at me sympathetically. "I'm scared. I'm so scared, Baby,"

Baby pulled me into her arms, giving a comforting hug, "Don't worry," She reassured me softly. You'll be fine. You'll be fine,"

Once I was calm enough to do so, it didn't take me long to finish with her, making sure the fabric lay right, that the belt wasn't too tight, or that it wasn't so low cut her breasts would pop out mid performance. That wouldn't work out good for anyone, even Johnny, who might enjoy the view.

But finally, the dress fit properly. I grinned at my protege, "You look beautiful, Baby," My words were the honest to God truth. Baby had no idea just how beautiful she was.

The girl smiled down at me gratefully, but when she looked at her watch, it disappeared. I knew even before she said anything that it was time for her to get back to her family. "Penny, I'm sorry, but I have to go before my family gets suspicious,"

I smile one last time at her, and nod. At least she had a family she could go back to. My Mother hadn't spoken to me in years. "It's fine. The dress is ready for tonight." Quickly, Baby changed into her regular clothes. I stop her as she turned to leave, "Oh, Baby?"

She looked back at me, "Yeah?"

I smile at my friend, "Good luck,"

Baby's response both comforts me, and instilled fear. She smiled a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "You too,"