THE NEXT STEP (A Work of Fiction)
The Next Step
by Lara Mia Veronica
Author's note: I dedicate this to the little girl I hurt in ballet classes in 1977(I really am super sorry), and to all those women(and men) who feel they can deliberately be great stumbling blocks to people who want to follow God's perfect plan for them.
Somewhere in this planet three siblings, two girls and a boy, were playing hopscotch near a tree house. When it was the boy's turn, he played for a while then abruptly stopped, then he went up the tree house. The two girls looked at each other wondering why, then they followed him.
Inside the tree house, the seven-year-old boy, whose name is Ethan, was moping. Cleo, who by the way was five, put her hand on his shoulder.
"What's the matter, Ethan?"
"I don't wanna play with you anymore," he said with rancor.
"They are teasing me in school." He was angry and was fighting his tears. "They say I'm a tutti-frutti because I dance ballet and play with girls!"
"Well, my twin brother, are you?" asked Louise, obviously, the other sibling.
"Of course not! How could you ask me something like that?"
"Then I don't know what's bothering you, Ethan," commented Cleo. "You know yourself. It doesn't matter what they say. Besides, dancing the ballet is hard work. If you don't love it, you might even die. Dancing the ballet involves passion, dedication, determination, and so much more. They don't know what they are talking about."
The twins look at their younger sister then at each other.
"I know I'm younger than you both, but listen to me. If you know in your heart you're not doing anything wrong, why mind what other people think? I know you love dancing. It's been your life."
"That's where you're wrong, child wonder," he said sternly. "I hate dancing!"
Ethan went down. The girls were left baffled about Ethan's disclosure.
At the ballet school, the three siblings, Ethan halfheartedly, led the other children. Their parents watched them approvingly.
After a while, Magnus, their father, had an important overseas call. Rosanna, their mother, told them to take five. Louise was so thirsty that she went to the water fountain just outside the studio. While she was drinking, a little girl with funny looking leotards (at least during that time it was funny, but now it's what you call hip) approached her with her mother.
When Louise was through she was shocked to see the tandem so near her. She stared at the mother, then at the little girl. The little girl was in tears, she observed. Later, she found out that the little girl was afraid. She assured the little girl that it was okay. The mother looked thankful and relieved. Louise took the little girl's hand then went inside.
All the children started to laugh. It was the first time they saw someone wearing flashy printed leotards. This made Louise uneasy. It was Louise's turn to teach soubresauts and attitudes. The children were to form two lines then one by one do the dance, imitating Louise. The little girl did not want to leave Louise's side. Louise, being edgy, put the little girl at the back. She came back to Louise because she was scared. Then Louise placed her at the back again. It happened two more times. After the last time, she accidentally pushed the little girl, making her cry. This made the little one run to her mother. The mother scorned at her then took her baby away. Louise froze and vowed to never dance again.
A month later, Louise still was not dancing. Ethan finally gathered his guts to tell his parents what was in his mind. His parents were appalled at first, but then told Ethan that he was free to do or not to whatever he wanted as long as it was not anything that would damage his morals.
Little Cleo went to Louise's room to tell her the news.
"Good for Ethan."
Cleo stared at her older sister then said, "Come on Louise....dance again."
"I'm not fit to dance again. I'm evil."
"You're not evil. You're a child. Children make mistakes...believe it or not, even adults make mistakes. Besides, you're just suffering the Ethan syndrome."
"I'm not. His case is different."
"I beg to differ. He hates dancing because people tease him thinking he's gay. He knows in his heart that he isn't. You liked to help the little girl, but when everybody started to laugh, you suddenly forgot your principles. Get a grip of yourself. Nobody's perfect."
"But can the little girl and her mother ever forgive me?"
"How can they if you don't forgive yourself first?"
Louise embraced Cleo while sobbing.
"There, there."
Louise released her young sister then asked, "Where do you get all your answers? Sometimes you even say words that neither mom nor dad fully understands."
"I dunno....from reading I guess."
Both girls chuckled, Louise, not knowing why. After a while Cleo told Louise that she observed that Louise was going to be a great dancer one day, but Ethan and her would be better off on different paths. After three hours, Louise was finally convinced to dance again.
Magnus and Rosanna were so proud of little Cleo. She was every parent's dream for a daughter, but would this wisdom last forever?
Twelve and a half years later, Cleo became an airhead. Ethan just could not stand her. They were both juniors in the same university and Cleo always reminded him the she was better than he was.
Cleo grew up to be conceited. She felt that the whole world was admiring her. For her she was the queen of the universe.
"Louise is the prima ballerina, and yet Cleo has the star complex," complained Ethan to his best friend Danny.
Cleo heard his remark, but just shrugged her shoulders in a devil-may-care attitude.
One day at a video store, Frank Bray, a thirty something year old businessman, was paying for his purchases. When he was about to leave, Cleo entered with Karen, her best friend.
Frank decided to linger then eavesdropped a little.
"You've got to help me, Karen. Ethan really has a crush on you."
"I can't believe you're helping Ethan, Cleo."
"Even if I know he's a ninny, he's still my older brother....besides, he needs to owe me."
"Sometimes I don't understand why I'm still friends with you....you're too much!"
The two blabbered and blabbered in the aisles. Frank was not even sure if they were to purchase anything. He just smiled to himself and whispered Cleo's name several times.
When the two finally did buy something, he approached them on their way out. He introduced himself, but Cleo just gave him the cold treatment. Karen apologized on her behalf. Frank assured her it was okay.
Frank did not give up hope. He was everywhere. She tried giving him a temporary restraining order, but he was very powerful, and she was lucky he never forced her to do anything she didn't want to do.
Knowing that she was his weakness, Cleo was so annoyed with him. She wanted to irk him. She thought hard on what to do.
She decided to flirt with Father Nathan, her choir master. Frank was not Catholic and was firm in his beliefs(according to Magazines and broad sheets) so he could not invent a reason for being inside a Catholic Church. This rid Cleo of him for good. Well, at least, that was what Cleo was hoping for.
While evading Frank, Cleo enjoyed her coquetry with Father Nathan. She would let herself linger in church more than the others to hear his childhood blunders.
Cleo admired Father Nathan, but since she studied in a Catholic private school since kindergarten, she knew that she was not supposed to flirt with him. It was just a ploy to get rid of Frank for good.
Father Nathan was just nonchalant about the whole deal. He didn't mind the gossip every member of the choir was spreading, and just went on being a good servant of God.
Now this peeved Cleo and made her more challenged with the priest. She promised herself that she would make the priest break his vows.
Months later, while Cleo was flirting with Father Nathan, she saw Frank's face. She shook her head. Still she saw Frank's face.
She had sleepless nights after that. All she could think of was Frank Bray. This bothered her so. What was she supposed to do?
"What are you doing here, Cleo?" asked Father Nathan who was shocked to see Cleo inside his bedroom. "How were you able to get in?"
"Father, don't be afraid, I just wanna talk to you."
"Not here, my child...just what would the people think if they find out you've been here in my room....Why don't you go to the patio? I'll just change into more appropriate clothes then soon follow."
Even if Father Nathan did not mind the rumors, it would be a totally different story if they were caught together in his room.
Cleo obeyed the priest. After a few moments, he was there sitting beside her.
Cleo told him the whole story.
"So tell me father, is it possible to fall in love with someone who pisses you all the time?"
"Why ask me? I'm a priest."
"Well, you're also a human being...I know you enjoyed the attention I was giving you."
The priest gulped then said, "Child, you said a while ago that I should think of this as your first spiritual direction. People who often come to spiritual direction actually suffer the same ordeal, if you may call it that. It's perfectly normal. I'll just advice you to keep your thoughts about him pure....who is this lucky guy? Is he someone I know?"
"I don't know if you heard of him, but he's a young successful businessman called Frank Bray."
The priest chuckled mildly.
"Now, I truly believe that you never really had a crush on me."
"I was challenged, okay...I was just full of myself." There, she finally admitted it to herself and that made her feel lighter.
The priest was slightly offended by her tone, but decided to forgive her in silence.
"By the way, what made you laugh? Is there anything funny about his name....and why were you convinced that I am not really interested in you?"
"Frank Bray is my brother...as you said, you were so full of yourself that you didn't even know that I was born a Bray. Everybody in church knows he's my brother."
"But he's not even Catholic."
"Your family is Lutheran and yet you're Cath'lic."
"Well....I don't really know what I am, yet."
"It doesn't matter. At least now God is opening your eyes, child. One day, you'll know in your heart what path you are going to take...and from what I heard, your earthly wisdom started while your were young."
"And my heavenly wisdom is just starting to blossom."
"Well said, my child."
Father Nathan told Cleo about his baby brother and each word convinced Cleo she was in love with him.
Frank was giving up on hope. Cleo was really getting into his nerves too. What was wrong with him? He was handsome...he was kind...he was rich...What else could she ask for?
He was still lost in thoughts when the door bell rang. This made him step out of oblivion.
The security in his building was tight so he did not have to worry about a thing. He opened the door without checking the monitor and his heart beat faster when he saw who his visitor was.
"May I come in?"
Without any word he let her in. While closing the door he said a silent prayer of gratitude. This was the start of something really, really good, and he knew it in his heart. The next step was up to him.
---- The End ----
© Lara Mia Veronica M. Garcia
August 11, 1994
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