Thursday come round quicker than ever Spike expected. He was waiting after school with his dance bag in his hand. Erica would be here any moment to take him to meet a real dancer from Broadway. He was fit to burst with excitement.

Erica's Limo pulled in at the curb. Spike paused long enough to give her driver a brief wave before climbing into the back where Erica was waiting.

"Did you have a good day at school?" Erica asked as she helped Spike strap himself in.

Spike nodded.

"Is your dancing friend here yet?" Spike asked, dancing the only thing on his mind.

Erica laughed at his excitement.

"He will be here at five o'clock just like I said."

"I've got my tap shoes." Spike said hugging his bag to his chest.

"I hope you do."

"And he really dances on the stage."

"He did but now he is a Choreographer which means he designs all the dances in a show and teaches it to the other dancers."

Spike's jaw dropped slightly.

"That's a real job."

"Yeah."

"Cool…"

Spike then bit his lip.

"What's wrong?" Erica asked.

"Will he mind my..?" Spike pointed to his cochlea implant.

"I think your twinkle toes will impress him so much he won't even notice."

…

Flynn Murray arrived a five on the dot. Jackson was sitting on the couch while an excited Spike was showing him the jive dance he had learnt at Jazz class. There was no music but he was keeping time just the same.

Erica met her old friend at the door with a hug and a kiss on both cheeks.

Flynn spotted Spike and turned to watch.

"I take it this is the talent I had to see." he said.

Spike was so busy with his dance he hadn't noticed the new arrival.

"My grandson." said Erica proudly.

"How long has he been dancing?" Flynn then asked.

"He's only been having lessons for a few months. His real ambition is to be the next Fred Astaire but there aren't any tap classes in town right now, but he does Ballet and Jazz and I've been teaching what I can remember."

Flynn nodded thoughtfully and that was the moment Spike noticed the new arrival and stopped.

"Hi!" Spike said suddenly nervous.

Jackson got up to shake the younger man's hand as well.

"So you're the man who helped my wife be a showgirl."

"I think she more helped me get out of Reno and finally get my break in New York."

"Yes. Not often we have a Broadway star in our midst."

Flynn smiled awkwardly,

"Well, off-Broadway."

"Close enough I think." said Jackson inviting the young man to sit down. "Can I interest you in a drink before we get started?"

They settled on the couch with coffees, while Flynn talked briefly about how he was taking a break before next month's new production started, a musical based in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night but with song from the Sixties.

"Sound intriguing." said Erica politely.

"Yeah we have hopes that this time we'll make it to on-Broadway and be the next Mama Mia."

Spike was sitting opposite Flynn, patiently listening and smiling happily to himself.

Flynn finally put down his coffee cup and smiled back at Spike.

"Well I guess we'd better look at you then." he said. "Introduce yourself and tell me why you want to be a dancer."

Spike stood up.

"My name is Spike Aloysius Lavery and I love dancing, it is the best things ever. I love the music and I love to move… I want to dance like they do in the shows…" He did a little tap dance without his tap shoes, "Erica said you can teach me?"

"We shall see." said Flynn.

Flynn indicated for his to turn round and Spike turned slowly on the spot.

When he was about halfway Flynn noticed the hearing aid.

"Wait, is he deaf?"

"Not with his implant in." said Erica. "And that makes no difference to his feet."

Spike meanwhile covered his hearing aid with his hand a little embarrassed.

"Of course not." said Flynn quickly in answer to Erica's statement. "But when he gets older, if he's serious about being a dancer… Competition is very fierce…"

"Then having something unique about him will help in standing out in the crowd." said Erica coming to her grandson's defence.

Flynn made sure he had Spike's full attention again.

"I just want you to know that dancing isn't just fun, if you want to be a professional it involves hard work and dedication."

"I can do both of those things." said Spike. "I got a class merit in working hard on our volcanoes project from Miss Downing."

Flynn grinned.

"Cute." He clapped his hands together, "Now enough talking! You have great posture, let's see how you dance."

"Shall I put my tap shoes on?" Spike asked.

"If you like."

…

The raised area in the apartment that Erica had been using to give Spike his dance lessons was now being used as a stage by Spike as Flynn took him through his paces.

Spike was panting, half worn out by everything Flynn had been teaching him but he was grinning widely too.

"You are a very quick study." said Flynn. "Very graceful too. You can stop now."

Spike stopped and sat gratefully on the floor.

Flynn handed him a glass of juice.

"Take a break. You've done very well."

"So," asked Erica joining Flynn. "Will you teach my grandson?"

Flynn nodded.

"I'd be happy to while I'm here."

Spike cheered at the news.

"If he keeps up like this," Flynn added quietly to himself, "I might even offer him a part in my show."

…