hands on her, merely mirroring her dance steps and shooting her a big grin. Then there was Thomas and Marcus. Elaine joined them with a new partner, and there was so much energy around them. Good energy, like the heat of the sun when her bones were cold.
She was surrounded by a group of people, and it wasn’t frightening. All she felt was love. No anxiety, despite the noise and people. Because all of it was charged with good energy, fun and love.
She met Rory’s eyes, saw he was making sure she was okay. Even now, on his night, with his friends, he was thinking of her.
I love you.
She wanted to say it to him so much it was an ache in her chest, trying to claw its way out. As the feeling rose inside her, she realized the words, that one key desire, might be the thing that could break down a wall her back had been against for so long. It had always seemed immovable, because what was on the other side of it was something to be feared. If the wall was gone, it would leave her unsupported, the bricks that had held up her reality for so long broken to rubble.
Rory extended a hand, and she came to him, took it, held fast. She danced with him with that connection, and he never let her go. Not once.
After the dancing, Johnny and Brick drew Rory away to spend some time reminiscing with his teammates. Daralyn had rejoined Elaine at their table, so she gave Rory a nod, a little wave, telling him she was fine. He sent her a searching look, but with her sitting by his mother, he seemed satisfied, moving away with the men.
Elaine was trying to figure out how to get her cell camera to pan the room, so she could then call Les and show her what was going on. Daralyn concentrated on helping her, but the music had moved to a hiphop piece. The people noise was getting louder, more raucous.
The wave of feeling from the dance floor was still with her, but she wanted to keep it that way. She knew the warning signs. She needed a few minutes where it was quiet.
She didn’t want to interrupt Rory, so she told Elaine where she was going, and left her with Thomas to help with the phone. They all understood she had to have those retreats.
“Go by the cafeteria area, see if they have some extra sleeves of plastic cups in the cabinets,” Elaine said. “I heard Patsy say they were running a little low, but she hasn’t had a chance to get away.”
A task to do, to be helpful. Even better. Daralyn hurried out of the auditorium, taking a deep breath once she reached the wide hallway outside. It had a bank of windows with a view of the front parking lot, full of cars. People had washed their vehicles before showing up tonight, so the lot lights reflected off shiny hoods and windows.
A handful of people were chatting out in the hallway. At the exits, others took a smoking break, standing in the open doorways. She avoided those places and headed for the cafeteria. Finding it was easy, since there were signs to it.
As she moved past the display cases of school awards and pictures, she stopped for a few looks. Not for the first time, she imagined what it might have been like, attending school like a normal child. Having a group of friends to meet in the hallways between classes.
Once she was in the cafeteria, she leaned against the counter that held the cabinets Elaine had mentioned and took a couple extra minutes to breathe. She filled her mind with good thoughts. Dancing with Rory. How he looked in his suit. Elaine’s happiness, realizing how content he was.
Elaine’s breakdown was a rarity. She was a farmer’s wife, a practical sort. Not gushy or sentimental. But while watching her son with his former classmates, her emotions had been there for Daralyn to see.
“There were days I worried he’d never be this happy again,” Elaine had said softly to her. “I prayed over it, cried over it.”
Daralyn had gripped her hand and Elaine put hers over it, squeezing. “You look happy tonight, too,” Elaine said. “And I thought the same about you. God brings us hope in the darkest of times.”
Thinking of those dark times, Daralyn remembered that she’d had no concept of God, except from biblical quotes her