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“Don’t you dare cry, bitch, or you’re going to make me cry.”
“I can’t help it!”
We hug again, both trying not to cry and failing miserably. They are mostly happy tears, but there’s a sadness there too. I try not to dwell on it because living with Dillan is what I want to do, and I know Pippa wouldn’t want me to feel sad on her account.
“Let me help you pack,” she says when we pull away.
“Yes, please. Between my stuff and Isaac’s, there’s a lot. I guess I don’t need any of my furniture so we can chuck that mattress in the dumpster.”
“Where it belongs.” Pippa follows me to my room. “God, Lizzie, I’m so damn happy for you. You’ve been working so hard for so long; you deserve all the happiness in the world.”
We spend the next hour chatting as I pack up my and Isaac’s clothes. I tell her all about the plans for the studio’s renovations I’d thought of doing but couldn’t afford before. The conversation is so light and carefree; I can’t believe I’m not dreaming. It has to be a dream. Getting my dream studio and the love of my life all at once has to mean I dreamed the whole thing.
But when I get a text from Dillan with a photo of him and Isaac and a message telling me to be safe on the way home, I almost start crying again.
“God, I’m so happy,” I tell Pippa, sitting next to her on the bed. “I’m too happy. Is this too much too soon? What if I’m jumping the gun here?”
“Don’t think that way, Elizabeth Daphne Moore,” Pippa says, putting her arms around me. “Good things are allowed to happen to you, even though I know your brain is telling you otherwise. I promise. I promise. You hear? And you know what that means, right? Dillan is crazy about you and not in the ‘uh-oh’ way, but in the ‘awww’ way, and that’s a very rare thing.”
I can’t stop the large goofy grin on my face. “I love him so much, Pippa. Him and Isaac. I never thought I could love anyone that way, and now I love them both.”
“And the best part is, you don’t have to dance at the lounge anymore,” Pippa says. “I know you were worried about having to do that again.”
“I still haven’t told Dillan about that. I’m nervous as hell he’ll be upset. No man would be happy to hear that their woman used to dance almost naked—for money—in front of other men. I mean, he’s not some ‘I don’t give a fuck what my girl does’ type of man. He’s definitely not going to like this. Ah, crap. I wish I could lock this part of my life away and never revisit it. It’s just not something I really want to think back on.”
“Then don’t,” Pippa says. “Don’t think back. Only think forward.”
“I just keep thinking about my old exes, the ones before Rex, who broke up with me when I told them. And they weren’t even the aggressive types! They just said ‘nope’ and were gone. You can never know how they react.”
“Right. Don’t wake sleeping dogs.”
“I think the phrase is, ‘let sleeping dogs lie.’”
“Whatever. It all means the same thing.”
“You’re right, Pippa. Only forward. I know I’ve got to tell him eventually. I don’t want him to find out by some stupid coincidence.”
“You do you, girl.”
She helps me load my clothes into the car. There’s still a lot more I need to grab, but at least this way, I’ll be set at Dillan’s for a few days. Even though I’ll be seeing her again, we still hug like it’s goodbye because, for us, it is. It’s the end of an era. The end of just Pippa and Lizzie, and the beginning of something new and beautiful.
On my way back to my new home, I decide to take a quick detour.
I’m back in my studio. When I unlock the door, it feels like stepping into a whole new world. Now that most of the weight of the financial responsibilities has been lifted, there’s all this space for pride and a bubbling excitement.
The construction crew is gone. Slowly, I walk around the space, finally taking it all in and imagining Dillan with a paint roller in his hand and on a ladder while Isaac and I add new paint to the areas further down. All my life, I’ve wanted to dance, and the fact that I now have my own dance studio is overpowering. In the most wonderful way, of course. With a smile, I start to dance. Nothing specific, certainly nothing choreographed.
In my dance studio, everyone’s invited. I’ll offer classes for people of all ages.
For the little ones, it’ll be not just about learning steps. It’ll be about embracing the joy of movement, feeling the music, and letting it flow freely. I’ll be here to nurture their creativity and help them dance fearlessly, without worrying about judgment.
Now, for the teens, it’ll be a mix of groove and grit. We’ll dance to the beat while I share the secrets of not buckling under pressure and chasing dreams even when they seem impossible. It’ll be about building resilience and rocking it on the dance floor. Trust me, I wish someone had told me that when I was their age.
And for the adults, well, it’ll be more than just dance, it’ll be a journey. Our dance sessions will be a chance to release frustrations, talk openly about struggles, and leave with a renewed sense of confidence. Dance is not about perfection—it’s about celebrating the joy of movement and finding strength in every step.
I dance through the space, imagining the laughter of children, the determination of teens, and the newfound confidence of adults.
And hey, thinking of dreams—I can’t wait to give Dillan a few dance lessons. I don’t even know if he can dance, but I’m determined to find out. If he dances the way he moves in bed, it’ll be sexy as hell. Either way, it’s bound to be a memorable experience.
