I won’t be able to forget that soon either.
“Three circuits? If I can do three circuits, then I’ve got the first number.”
“Almost,” I say carefully.
Her excitement dims. “What do you mean, almost?”
“Well, the notes Nonc gave me detailed a few other moves, but nothing too difficult.” I’m being vague. While this is true, if I listed out the arch-unders and brush offs right now, she might get overwhelmed. One thing at a time. For now, I just want her to focus on what she’s accomplished.
She eyes me with suspicion. “What aren’t you saying?”
And I can’t help it. She wins my smile. “Nothing important. There’s more, but we’ll get there when we get there, and we aren’t behind schedule.”
She stews, clearly unsatisfied.
“Don’t worry, Iris.”
She rolls her eyes, full on drama-queen, but somehow I don’t mind it. “Yeah, like that’s an option.”
“It’s always an option,” I coax her.
A look flashes across her lovely face. It’s not belief, but I’m pretty sure it’s the wish to believe. Poor girl. For someone who makes other people laugh so easily, she’s wound pretty tight. Maybe if we work on the dancing enough, it’ll become something she enjoys. Something that allows her to let loose. Be free to express herself.
That’s what it’s supposed to be. The ultimate artform of the human body.
“Ready to get started again? Or do you need a bite to eat?” I ask, nodding to my platter of snacks.
She glances at the spread, her gaze appreciative. “No, no. I’m good. Let’s get back to it.”
I nod and start the music, this time choosing Cajun All-Stars. Their two-step rhythm is just a little faster than the Bonsoir Catin song, but I think she’s ready for it.
We begin, and she trips up at first, but then she finds her footing, and we start a measured, counter-clockwise revolution around the parlor.
“Thank you for the food, by the way. I was beyond hungry.”
“You’re welcome.” And I mean it. I’m not going to let what happened that first night happen again. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. How pale she looked and then how quickly and hungrily she ate the PB&J.
I keep snacks in my classroom for my kids who can’t count on getting a meal at home on the regular. I don’t like it, but I’m used to it. And I know I’m doing what I can. No one is sitting in my class, trying to learn while their stomach growls.
But they’re hungry because there isn’t anything in the pantry. Or there isn’t a pantry. Period.
That’s not Iris’s deal.
Maybe she was just having an off day, but by the way she and Ramon were talking about it, it sounded like it happens pretty often. I don’t know. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe she’s hypoglycemic and she needs to eat all the time.
But I have a hunch that’s not the problem.
Whatever her problem is, it’s not my business, but I’m still not keen on having one of my students too hungry to learn what I have to teach.
So I’ve put something out every night, and when they said they’d be late, I figured she’d need more tonight. More of a meal than a snack.
And she seemed to like it. I have to admit, it was kinda fun watching her try the boudin. It’s crawfish season. I wonder what she’d make of that.
Too bad I won’t find out.
I’m supposed to teach her how to dance. That’s all. And she’s keeping up with the faster pace.
“You’re doing great,” I whisper.
A soft smile plays on her lips. “It’s going okay,” she agrees.
“Ready to add something to it?”
You’d think I’ve asked her for a kidney. Her eyes get big and her lips disappear between her teeth.
“We’re just going to do a simple turn.”
The look in her eyes doesn’t ease. “You’re talking to someone who maimed her teacher. Nothing’s simple for me.”
Even though I know she’s scared, I can’t help but laugh. She’s too damn funny. And when I laugh, the crease between her brows fades. If I had to guess, I think she wants to make me laugh.
“You didn’t maim him for life,” I say, recovering. I want to make her feel better, but I see I’ve made it worse when that crease returns.
“How is he? Your uncle? I haven’t seen him around since the week after his surgery.”
She hasn’t seen him around because he hasn’t been around. Aunt Lorraine used his surgery as an excuse to kidnap Nonc and take him home with her where she could fuss over him properly. I