Page 69 of Dancing on Air

“Yes, you do.”

His smile slipped. “I—” Just then the door opened and his mother strolled in.

“Why did you sick your father on me?” she demanded.

Cora stepped away and almost left the room, but he took her hand and stopped her.

“I’m not doing this now,” he told his mother. “We can discuss personal issues outside of the workday.”

His mother’s eyes narrowed at Cora as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve filed for divorce.”

“Good for you.” He took Cora’s hand and pulled her towards the door. “Actually, Mother,” he said, stopping just inside the door, “you’ll need to gather your things and find someplace else to live. Cora’s moving in with me. Tonight.” Before his mother could respond, he left the room with Cora in tow.

“Did you really just do that?” she asked, trying to keep up with him.

“I did.” He smiled and then kissed her. “You’d better eat something and get back onstage. We have a few hours left of practice, then we need to go upstairs and gather your things.”

Cora laughed and then rushed off to eat her lunch.

He was surprised that his mother sat out in the seats and watched the rest of the practice. She took a few phone calls but stayed quiet. After he called an end to the day, she walked over and said something to Cora before coming over to him.

“I’ll have my things removed before you get home. Thanks for letting me stay the night.” She left quickly before he could gather his thoughts to speak.

“I hate to ask but what did she say to you?” he asked as he fell into step with her in the hallway.

“Your mother? She said that I really am good. As good as she was back in her day.” She smiled at him.

Surprise caused him to stop walking. “Seriously?”

“I was as shocked as you.” She took his hand. “I think she’s happy for us. She says she has arranged to move into a hotel so that I can move in tonight.”

“Good,” he said, still unsure why his mother was being so cool about everything.

“I think she’s trying.” Cora wrapped her arms around him. “So let’s start moving my things,” she added with a little cheer.

“Just how much do you have?” he asked, following her to the elevators.

“I packed yesterday before you called me.” She hit the button for her floor. “Four boxes.”

“Four…” He frowned. “Only four boxes?”

“Not including my clothes. But I shoved everything into my large suitcase,” she added as the elevator doors opened.

“Four boxes and a suitcase,” he repeated. “That’s all?”

She stopped just outside her door. “For the past few years, I’ve lived in a shoebox with another person. There wasn’t any room for me to have much more than that.”

“Right.” After she opened the doors, he saw her four boxes and suitcase sitting just inside.

“I was going to unpack tonight,” she said with a shrug.

“Now you don’t have to.”

“Do you think we can get it all in one trip?” she asked, walking over to her closet to get a few more things.

He nodded. “Yeah, easily.”

Less than an hour later, those four boxes and suitcase sat on his bedroom floor. Correction—their bedroom floor.