Page 24 of Third Time Lucky

‘No idea.’

Mitzi chimes in from across the room, now sitting at the dining table with her laptop opened. ‘Silent bubble dance party and it seems there’s one happening next Friday night in Woodstock. Dancing!’ she coos. ‘I remember going dancing. It was so wonderfully freeing, letting the rhythm take over.’

Asher and I both turn toward her, intrigued by this new information. She danced, huh?

‘How did you figure it out so fast?’ I ask.

‘Mitzi’s obsessed with Google,’ Lucy says.

‘Google knows everything,’ Mitzi confirms. ‘I wish it was a thing fifty years ago. My nonstop Google searching got you here,’ she tells me directly.

‘Dancing,’ Lucy says, glancing my way. ‘That’s fun.’

‘You’ll need a new dress,’ Mitzi suggests to her.

‘Maybe.’

I notice Mitzi’s interest in our conversation and can’t help but wonder about her younger years. Maybe she wants to come with? I’m sure Lucy wouldn’t mind considering how close they seem.

‘What do you think, Mitzi? Going dancing with us?’

‘Pardon?’ she asks, her head cocked like she didn’t hear me. She closes the laptop, getting up slowly and making her way to the bar.

Lucy beams. ‘Are you inviting my grandmother?’

‘Psshhh,’ Mitzi shushes her. ‘If the answer to her question is yes, I would love to go dancing with you, Asher.’

‘Then it’s a date.’

‘Can I come?’ Lucy asks with a laugh.

‘I hope you do,’ I say.

‘Of course you can, darling,’ Mitzi says. ‘He’ll need a dance partner when I’m tired. And when I’m not, we’ll have a three-way dance party.’

I laugh at her choice of words.

Lucy’s eyebrows shoot up her forehead. ‘She’s a little filthy-mouthed for eighty,’ she teases, leaning into her grandmother, her arm around her shoulders now as she hugs her to her side.

‘It’s settled then,’ I declare. ‘Next Friday, we dance.’

‘Oh, how exciting!’ Mitzi coos. ‘We’ll go shopping, darling. I can hear Nordstrom calling us already.’

‘Thank you,’ Lucy mouths.

I nod. The pleasure is all mine because I am just a man who has a slightly huge crush on the woman sitting in front of me, and bringing her grandmother will keep me honest.

* * *

‘You asked her grandma to come? Why ?’ Aaron balks during our nightly phone call.

‘Because she seemed interested,’ I reply with a casual shrug he can’t see over the phone.

‘Did you also invite the girl you like?’

I laugh, but there’s an edge to it. ‘Obviously.’

‘Do you plan to date the both of them forever?’

‘Why? Does the idea of me dating two wealthy beautiful women make you jealous?’

He laughs heartily. ‘Not when one of them is a hundred and two.’

‘I dunno. Truth be told, I’m a little nervous, It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date and now, I’ve got two women to manage.’

A sigh sounds through the phone. ‘You’re reminding me of me and Mads’ first date.’

‘Do not tell the story again,’ I command. ‘This is all your fault, by the way.’

‘What is?’

‘Me being worried. You own that.’

‘How?’

‘You’re a gossip queen. Had you kept your trap shut this could have evolved naturally.’ I shoot back, unsure if I’m more annoyed or thankful.

‘Maybe in twelve more years… you two don’t seem to move quickly,’ Aaron interjects, rudely.

‘You don’t get it,’ I say, dropping my head against the back of my couch. ‘She’s scared.’

‘Of what ? My pussycat brother who won’t even tell a woman he’s just walked in on having an affair with his friend to go to hell?’ he moans. ‘Clearly, she’s been too influenced by the mass amount of ink under your skin. You look like a badass, but a pussy, you are.’

‘I’m going to hang up on you.’

‘OK – wait,’ he laughs. ‘Lemme ask, are you scared of her?’

‘Um—’ Am I? Is this feeling fear? ‘I dunno. Not her directly but possibly the overall situation,’ I admit, feeling the tug of uncertainty. Kris is still in my head, influencing my thoughts with words he’ll never really say.

The phone fills with him groaning. ‘Dude. What is wrong with you?’

‘Nothing’s wrong with me,’ I counter, unsure if I believe it myself. ‘Listen, Tin Man, you don’t get it ’cause I’ve actually gotta heart. I’m struggling. Shit’s complicated. I’ve watched this woman be destroyed, twice now. I can’t add to that.’

There’s silence across the line.

‘You know what the Ash I know would do?’ he says suddenly, clearly suggesting I’ve changed somehow.

‘What?’

‘He’d own that shit and charm the pants off this girl to prove there’s nothing to be afraid of.

I’ve seen you be smooth, man. You got it in you.

I’ve heard the stories. You take dead friend’s girlfriends to prom.

You cook for women on first dates. You stand up to cheaters while they stand at the altar.

The only person you don’t stand up for is yourself.

Around her – you’re suddenly a knight in shining armor saving a damsel in distress.

’ He’s half-goading but sincere beneath it all.

‘Girls love that shit. If you’re that into her, be that guy. ’

Rarely does Aaron think something through to a conclusion that makes complete sense.

I close my eyes, letting his words sink in, torn between the person I’ve been, the teen I was, and the man Lucy suddenly makes me want to be.

He’s right – I’ve always been one to go the extra mile for those I care about.

And Lucy… damn, she does something to my insides no one else ever has.

She makes me want to go above and beyond while becoming a better version of myself – for her.

I finally want to take the risk and put myself back at love’s door – for her.

Yet, the fear of failure looms, and I’m caught between wanting to be that guy and doubting we can overcome the ghost standing between us.

‘Also…’ I say, almost ashamed the words are coming out of my mouth to the guy who learned some of the eighties hottest dance trends when he was a tween – for fun. ‘Why in the hell would you choose dancing?’

‘Because I’m a disco dancing fuckboy. I do believe you’ve said those words before.’

‘Yes, when you danced your ass in front of the mirror while I was in the shower,’ I remind him.

He laughs. ‘You weren’t getting ready fast enough, and we had a timeline that day.’ His laughter fades. ‘Do you need me to come over there and give you a dance lesson?’

‘You want to teach me how to dance?’

I lean my head against the back of my couch, almost certain I should say no to this.

‘I guess it couldn’t hurt. But only if we can not focus on one decade’s vibe. No routines. No lifts. And I’m not grinding on this girl.’

‘That outs one of the best movie scenes ever. You’re so boring, Grandpa. But fret not, I hadn’t planned on giving you all my best moves. I could probably keep it PG-17.’

‘Alright then. Come over and teach me, Mr Miyagi.’

‘Ha-ha… you sound so much cooler than you are when you mimic me.’

‘Sure. Just come over and don’t tell anyone, Madi included, or I’ll start telling her stories from the vault about you.’

He gasps suddenly. ‘You wouldn’t.’

‘I so would.’

Sometimes being the older brother is fun.

‘I’ll be there in ten.’

* * *

I drop the phone onto the couch cushion next to me and unmute the TV.

What did I just do? I asked my brother to teach me to dance.

Shit. I’m dancing for this woman? I guess my two left feet would sink me, and she’s already seen me flounder around a dance floor once.

But still, this feels big. Considering I’ve not dated in a long time; I didn’t expect such big moves from the heart so quickly.