Vivian sighed.
“I was frightened. I remembered how upset you were after the rehearsal.”
“You weren’t at that rehearsal.”
“No. But James told me you were shaken.”
Elena nodded.
Vivian continued.
“I thought that little boy didn’t understand how difficult standing might be for you.”
“He didn’t.”
“And I worried you would feel pressured into doing it.”
Elena considered that.
“That concern wasn’t unreasonable.”
Vivian looked relieved.
Then Elena added, “But you said I couldn’t dance.”
Vivian lowered her eyes.
“Yes.”
“You didn’t say standing might be unsafe. You didn’t say I might not want to try. You said I couldn’t dance.”
Vivian twisted her purse strap.
“I suppose I was thinking of the way you used to dance.”
Elena looked at her.
“That’s what everyone keeps doing.”
Vivian’s expression changed.
Elena continued.
“Even I was doing it. Comparing everything I can do now with what I could do before.”
She glanced toward James, who was speaking with the photographer.
“I didn’t need to stand for our dance to matter.”
Vivian nodded slowly.
“No. You didn’t.”
Elena smiled faintly.
“Next time, you can ask me what I want.”
“I will.”
