Chapter 16
She’d danced since childhood, enduring countless injuries and shedding much sweat. Pain was an old friend to her.
After the car accident, every step she’d taken to stand again had felt like walking on thorns.
She’d never been free from ache.
Cedrick didn’t come home that night.
Lucille hadn’t planned to wait for him anyway. She went about her own tasks methodically. Before bed, she got a message from Meredith, who invited her to a show the next night.
A few days ago, an invitation like that might have felt like a bother. Now, it didn’t. She agreed at once, making plans to meet Meredith for dinner before the dance drama.
Tomorrow was something to look forward to. She had to sleep well tonight!
But how could anyone sleep soundly when excitement hummed in their veins?
Lucille woke up repeatedly throughout the night, her heart alternating between anticipation and jitters, until the next afternoon.
She knew her Porilinese Test results wouldn’t be out until 2 PM, but she couldn’t help checking her email every few minutes, peeking at the official website too.
The anxiety lingered until the afternoon, when a notification finally popped up. She logged into the website immediately. And when the total score of 7 flashed on the screen, she could hardly believe her eyes.
She’d known she’d done well on the exam, but she’d dared not hope for more. She’d kept telling herself, “6.5. Just 6.5, and I’ll be satisfied.” 6.5 was enough for the art program. The last time she’d taken the test, half a year ago, she’d only scored a 6…
Clutching her phone, she fell back onto the bed. Tears spilled down her cheeks in an instant.
The tears were not for Cedrick or this marriage, but for herself: for taking one huge step closer to her dream.
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Chapter 16
11
It had been five years.
Five years of poring over Porilinese DaisyNovel, listening to Porilinese programs, watching Porilinese movies, and working through endless question banks. All of it felt like it was glowing in this moment.
Lucille hadn’t slept well the night before, but now that the results were out and the uncertainty was gone, she finally relaxed. She caught up on sleep, then got ready to go out and meet Meredith that evening.
When she walked out of her room and into the living room, she saw Mylee’s eyes widen in
shock.
Today, Lucille was wearing a long dress and makeup.
She’d barely done that in the past five years.
Her leg, scarred beyond use, didn’t just limit her movements. It also held back her longing for the beauty that should have been hers. She feared she didn’t deserve it…
“You look beautiful, Mrs. Maynard,” Mylee said, her awe obvious. “Where are you off to?”
“I’m going to a performance with my teacher,” Lucille replied with a faint nervousness. Her dress fell nearly to her ankles, and she’d even put on stockings to hide the scars on her legs.
She turned down Mylee’s offer to go with her once again. When she stepped outside, her heart fluttered. She was excited and uneasy, like a deer that had lived in the mountains for years, finally stepping into the world.
The local dishes she had with Meredith for dinner were light, fresh, and subtly sweet, exactly to her taste.
Afterward, they headed to the theater together.
Tonight’s performance was by the Seaston Song & Dance Troupe, staging a classic production Lucille had danced countless times back in her school days.
As soon as the music started, the dance soul deep in her heart stirred awake.
Even though she sat offstage and might never step onto a performance stage again, her toes tapped softly against the floor in time with the melody. That was a muscle memory etched into her very bones.
When the play ended, she remained seated in the audience, listening to the thunderous
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Chapter 16
applause and watching as audience members filed forward one by one to present flowers to the dancers. Tears spilled down her cheeks again.
It was not from sorrow, pain, or despair, but from the sheer power of the dance itself, and the soul–deep resonance it sparked in her.
This was her passion and love.
Yet, she had forgotten it for five long years.
After the performance, the dancers stepped down to present flowers to the children in the audience.
Watching the kids light up as they took the bouquets, Lucille was so touched. It was like the quiet power of inheritance.
Lucille was seated in the first row. When the male lead walked over, he smiled and held out a bouquet for her.
Lucille was surprised, frozen for a moment. It wasn’t until Meredith nudged her gently that she hurried to take it, murmuring. “Thank you.”
“Thank you for coming to my performance,” the male lead said, bowing slightly before returning to the stage.
On the way home, Meredith asked if she recognized the male lead.
Lucille shook her head. She had no memory of him at all.
“He graduated from our college, two years below you. Now he’s the principal dancer of the Seaston Song & Dance Troupe,” Meredith said, smiling.
So he was her junior.