Quartz: Tina & Mike

"You're late."

Mike caught Tina's eye in the mirror that hung above his dressing table. She was still as beautiful as she was at seventeen as she reached absently into her oversized tote to retrieve a pacifier and then adjusted her watch. "Yes, well, your daughter thought that it was time to be fed, and I can't really do that and drive at the same time," she reminded him with a teasing smile. She leaned over and brushed a kiss to his cheek, mindful of the thick stage makeup he was wearing for the ballet. "How much time do we have until you go on?"

Just then, the house lights flashed to indicate their ten-minute warning. "I'm supposed to be warming up side stage right now," he explained before grabbing his black satin shoes. He stopped to smooth his daughter's black hair affectionately. "If you think she's down for the count, I can set you up so you can watch from the wings."

Tina was at the theater most nights if she could make it. It had been easier before the baby had come, but she had started bringing Eliza once she was a little older. The other dancers loved to fawn over her, smiling and making all the appropriate noises between numbers. Even their strict director was a fan of the little girl, giving Tina special permission to pad around backstage whenever she wanted to bring Eliza by for a visit.

The little Chang family of three filed into the masses that were swarming around behind the thick velvet curtains. Tina smiled and waved to the statuesque ballerina playing Cinderella to Mike's Prince Charming. She would have been jealous of the girl's pure grace and beauty if Mike had been a different kind of guy, but instead, they had become good friends with the dancer and her husband. In fact, they'd built a strong network of friends in the industry once Mike had started with the New York City Ballet five years ago. She preferred them to the stiffs at the law firm where she was a junior partner in their entertainment division. Artists were always more fun, and she had just enough of that rebellious goth left in her to appreciate a good free spirit when she saw one.

Tina and Eliza settled into their usual seat as the dancers took their places. Mike was a stronger dancer than he had been in high school, skills honed by his years with the Joffrey and then at NYCB. She never grew tired of watching him. He shined tonight in his white costume, a sparkling bright spot in the midst of the sea of black tutus and spandex. He was so enthralled as his character when he was on stage, but as soon as the curtain fell, he was back to being just another father, doting over his fussy daughter as she fought sleep amongst the thunderous applause. Tina handed her over so that he could hold her during the intermission, a tradition that had started the first time he'd come back to dance after Eliza had been born. As much as she loved watching him dance, she loved this even better.

"My girls," he mused as he pressed a kiss to Eliza's downy hair and then drew Tina to his side. He was still sweaty and would be back at center stage in less than five minutes. "I'm really glad you're here tonight."

"You say that every night."

"And I never stop meaning it," he told her warmly. The overhead lights blinked again, and he reluctantly handed Eliza back over to his wife. "I gotta head back out there. I'll see you at next intermission, right?"

"We'll be here," she promised.

She always was.