Tap Dance (Dance Series)

chapter Fifteen



There's a thing I read in a pamphlet about depression which was left with my mom right after my dad died. Something that really spoke to me then and still speaks to me now.

Especially now.

"The only way to overcome your losses, your fears, your pain is to work with others, giving of yourself to help them overcome their losses, their fears and their pain."

When I initially left my apartment, I was devastated, overcome seeing that needless, senseless destruction once again.

But when my girl Leila asked for help, I didn't hesitate for very long before turning right around and going back in.

Seeing the changes Leila had made and how she really was becoming the woman she wanted to be, having her ask for help in doing so took the some of the sting out of what I had seen.

Seeing her beauty enhanced with just a few cosmetics and hearing her fervent, "Will you, at some point, teach me how to do this?" helped even more.

Helping her, concentrating on her, helped me settle a little.

After I left Leila's house, I called Ram on his cell.

"Are you okay, Marianne?" were the first words out of his mouth. I never called him on his cell when I knew he was at work.

I realized there was a lot of caring in just those four words.

The deep caring that I was feeling from him, from my Ram, over the phone told my heart it was okay to lean on him.

"Not really, Ram. I went to the apartment with Cait after work…"

"I’m on my way home now. Come to me, Pyari."

"Yes, Ram."

He was waiting outside for me as I pulled into his deep driveway, his shirt untucked and boots off but he still came to my car door and opened it.

We walked together up the front walkway, his large hand holding mine.

As I kicked off my heels in the entry, my heart settled completely.