| Totally exhausted from rehearsal, Christine leaned back, took a sip from her water and closed her eyes. She felt the sweat streaming down her back and the need of a nice, hot shower. Jeremiah came up and pattered her shoulder. “Good body position, Tiny . . .but you should work on your spins. They could be more smooth.” Smiling again, she looked at the choreographer. “I’ll work on them - big promise - but have to practice my voice, too.” – “Don’t stress yourself too much, honey – You will be great!” said Jeremiah, his nickname being Jez, as he left good humored the dance studio. Languishing she starred after him. “He would be just perfect for me,” Tiny thought out loud “If he wouldn’t prefer more masculine types . .” Grinning she thought of his boyfriend Michael. But that’s the business – three out of four dancers are gay and Tiny got used to it. Still smiling, she grabbed her sweaty towel and went into the locker room. After a short shower, she felt much better and went through the studio, heading to the door. “Good night, sweetie” Damian called after her “Good night Damian – have you noticed that all the good men are gay?” – “ I know. Lucky me, hun, lucky me...” Head nodding, she left the studio and giggled. “Gee… all day and all night surrounded by gays. Someday I’ll need therapy...” Finally at home, she fell onto her big couch and reached for the remote control, heaving a sigh. At the same moment her telephone rang. “Dammit!!” First she tried really hard to reach the cordless, finally recognizing that she had to move her butt in order to get to her phone. “’Lo?” “Hey Tiny . .” “Oh, hey. How’s my big sister and her lil’ baby girl – besides, Scott always talked about having a son. What went wrong??” Deianeira laughed “ Oh - the girl/boy thing. You know what people say: To err is male. The baby is fine – Caitlin is screaming all day and all night, trying to drive Scott and me insane . .” “Good girl. That sounds like my lil’ niece!” “Oh my. When I think about it, I have to admit that she’s really a lot like you - always moving - can’t sit on her butt for 5 minutes.” Tiny smiled “I hope to see her soon.” “You will little sister.” “How’s that?” “Scott and the guys will tour New York – and Caitlin and I are going to join them.” “Thats great Dee!!! Woo-hoo.“ Tiny screamed into the phone. Deianeira laughed “Alright, alright, calm down again.” “So, when exactly Dee?” “Hold on for a sec –“ Tiny heard shuffling in the background. “I think we’ll be in Manhattan on the sixth.” “Oh shit Dee.” “Hey stop it, young lady. You sound exactly like Mom.” Tiny smiled. “Oh well… that’s all because of a thing called heredity.” “You haven’t changed much hun. So what’s so “bad” about this date?” “ Bad?!” Tiny started giggling “ Okay, bad. Let’s put it that way.” “You know what I mean, Tiny.“ “I have an performance that night. It’s the first performance.“ “Tiny!! Why didn’t you tell me earlier??” “You know...” Tiny wavered. “ I’m always so nervous when I know that my family is watching.” “ C’mon. Won’t you have your own sister near you when you blow the whole show?” “Well, thanx a lot for the motivation and no, I won’t!” “Oh please, Tiny!” “I said no Dee!!” “Would it be a problem to get tickets for everyone - Scott and Mark too . . .? “ Dee !!. .once again, No!” “ They don’t have a show that day...” “Hello? I said no . .” Dee cut her sister off and kept on talking “I don’t think Scott and Brett will be there, since they probably want to see their girls…” Tiny nearly collapsed “NO DEINEIRA!! What part of ‘No’ don’t you understand?” “Okay fine. We’ll be there – so please just leave the tickets at the ticket-office.“ Tiny rolled her eyes and sighed “ Okay, last try. Mom will go crazy, if she knew that you will be there - so please – “ “No problem, Tiny. I can call her.” Tiny fell from the couch in shock. “NOO! Don’t even think about doing that!” “So.” Deianeira spoke with an angel’s voice. ” You just want me to show up?” Tiny rolled her eyes. “Oh well . . .but just you three, okay?” “ Sure huny-bun – see ya there!! Love you!” Tiny grabbed her cordless and threw it against the wall. “DAMMIT!!!!!! I just can’t believe she always gets her way!” Sighing, she closed her eyes and threw the pillow against her face.“Morning Mark!” Deianeira hurried into the hotel lobby, holding the crying Caitlin on her arm. Mark raised his eyes - It still hurt Mark to watch her and Scott’s daughter, but he tried to push this feeling away - he loved Caitlin as much all the other band members. “Morning, Dee – So what’s up?” “Not much. Just a crying lil’ brat.” Mark took the crying Caitlin, who suddenly quieted down. “No she isn’t. Look how nice she’s being today.” Caitlin gave him a huge smile and Mark glanced at her with his typical rascal smile at Dee. She smirked. “Oh you little traitor!” Caitlin grinned at her Mom. “Now you get already weak by seeing a handsome guy?!” As if she understood every single word, she nestled her little head on Mark’s shoulder. Scott entered the room and headed to his girlfriend “Good Morning sweetie.” Smiling, he kissed her and turned to Mark, who was totally distracted by the little Caitlin. “How’s my princess today?” Caitlin recognized her father’s voice and stretched her arms out for him, giggling. With tears in her eyes, as always when Deianeira saw Scott with their daughter, she watched them. Dee’s and Mark’s eyes met and he saw all her love for Scott and Caitlin in her eyes, which, in a strange way, gave him peace and the feeling that he acted right. “Didn’t I tell you guys that I’ve got three tickets for a Broadway show tonight? I thought it would be nice.” Scott giggled. “You want us to see a Broadway show?” Scott and Mark looked both totally speechless at Dee, on the one hand amused, on the other honestly shocked. “Oh forgive me, almighty rulers of the male gender!” Dee bowed, feigned. Mark and Scott gave her a funny look. “Oh c’mon!! Not man enough to spend one evening with civilized people and a touch of culture? Besides, my sister Tiny plays the main part.” “Never knew that you had a sister Dee.” Mark looked at her, interested. “And I never knew that she works in the showbiz,” added Scott . “Oh well. She’s 4 years younger than me, and an artist through and through - She’s a dancer. So, gonna join me?” Dee looked at the guys, begging. Scott acted defeated “Geez...okay hun – but I hope this doesn’t become a habit.” Mark rolled his eyes . “Alright, alright . . . out of solidarity, because masculinity connects… so… okay.” Mark heaved a sigh. “I’ll do it.” Dee uttered a cry. “That’s wonderful! I knew you’d like it!” Scott and Mark exchanged an annoyed look and watched Dee walk out of the lobby with Caitlin. “I saw that guys,” she called back, without turning around. |