Page 91 of Igniting Sparks

“Impressive, Mina.” Bitsy sips her wine, offering me a rare concession. “Then again, you always had talent. Since you were a little girl. I remember you twirling about in the park, not a care in the world.”

For a moment, I’m back there again. A gangly, long-limbed child, twirling wildly, hoping the fairies would come. “I miss those days.”

“There’s no point in that. Life moves on, regardless of our desires.” And just like that, Bitsy returns to her polished, poised, and soulless self.

“Right.” I grab the wineglass from the server’s hand before he has a chance to set it on the table.

Trust me, sir, I need this more than you do.

The wine hits my stomach, its warmth spreading like vines through my insides, and I hear Braden’s voice in my mind.

You’re strong, smart, and your ideas for the dance studio are phenomenal.

Do I believe what he says? I want to, because I want to be the version of me Braden sees.

Saw.

After tonight, he has a very different idea in his head.

“Mina?” Leo reaches out, giving my shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “Are you okay?”

Not at all, actually.

But I can fall apart later. Right now, I’m going to plead my case.

Braden believes in me, and he’s the best man I know.

That has to count for something.

“I’m fine. Actually, I wanted to speak with you about the dance studio, Aunt Bitsy.”

Bitsy runs a finger along her napkin, eyes on me. “Proceed.”

“I have tons of plans for it.”

Her brows arch in surprise. “Plans? I wasn’t aware the studio was broken. What, pray tell, do you want to change aboutmystudio?”

Okay, this is not starting off well. Time to kiss her ass a bit. I’ll boil my tongue later. “Your studio is a pillar of the community, renowned for producing some of the top dancers in the area.”

“And you want to change that?”

“I want to expand it. Right now, the world of dance is closed to so many potentials. It’s prohibitively expensive, and there are always additional costs for costumes, shoes, and makeup. So many people can’t afford to attend classes, but they possess the raw talent you saw in me. I want to nurture it.”

“My studio is not a beacon for street urchins, Mina. Polo is expensive, too, but you don’t see me handing out free horses. Some activities just aren’t meant for all people. I pride myself on promoting the elite dancers of the area.”

“There are likely many future elite dancers that you’ll never know because the doors to your school remain closed, but if we offer a few scholarships per year, and require tryouts as part of the application process, we might find some real hidden gems.”

“Out of the question. Do you have any other ideas beyond charity?”

I down a large swallow of wine as the feeling of helplessness claws at me.

Still, I stay the course. Because if I back down now, I’ll regret it forever. “I do. I want to expand the range of dance taught at the school. Bring in instructors from around the globe and let students help shape the curriculum.”

“You want novices to determine the programs?” Bitsy sputters, her façade cracking momentarily.

“They deserve to have input. Create a dance community, not just a school. Make it inclusive instead of exclusive, for people who might otherwise never dare set foot inside a dance studio for fear of rejection. Doesn’t it sound wonderful?”

“Actually, it does,” Leo says, beaming at me with clear admiration. “Bitsy, I think this could be exactly the boost the studio needs.”