Judging a Book / You Dance Divinely / Another Dance

Judging a Book

Month 10 Day 31

2023 Hours

Capt Jane Burke

Drat. Smitty’s back was to the door and he didn’t see MacDowell when she came in. Would have loved to see how he reacted. Would he have forgotten to breathe, like most every man in this room? If he had, at least nobody would have noticed. Except me. If he sees her now and has that strong a reaction, everybody will notice. Jane caught a glimpse of Adams and Evans conferring in another corner. And some of them won’t believe his reaction would be just because she looks fabulous tonight.

Of course, he has seen her in that dress before. She broke into whatever he was saying with a quiet question. “Do you remember the first night of our last shore leave?”

He gave her a confused look. “What about it?”

“I ran into one of your people on the hotel restaurant’s dining patio.” Smitty didn’t answer, but his face turned red. “I swear she’s wearing the same dress tonight.” And now he’s pale. Hopefully not too many people will notice in this dim lighting. Or they’ll attribute his coloring to something I said, which is true, but they won’t know what I said. In any case, he’s forewarned and hopefully won’t react too strongly when he does see her.

“At least I won’t confuse her for... someone else,” he finally choked out.

Yes, there is that.

  

You Dance Divinely

Month 10 Day 31

2026 Hours

Dr Drake MacGregor

Drake was surprised at how well Mac followed his lead across the dance floor. She did give him a questioning look a time or two, and seemed to want to pull him closer, but he firmly resisted her pull.

“Mac,” she finally started, “I hear it’s customary for partners to converse while dancing.”

“I thought - with your upbringing - that you might not know how to dance and would need to concentrate.”

“Bugs taught me,” she answered. “This beat isn’t that difficult.”

“Did he teach you any other dances?”

“One or 2, but this is the easiest one.”

“This will be played the most,” he assured her. “I mean, the music will change, but most of them will be waltzes.”

“Those will be the ones I dance to, then,” she decided, and then added, “If I dance anymore.” They continued quietly for another minute.

“Mac, is there a reason why you keep trying to pull me forward?” he finally asked.

She tilted her head to one side. “Whenever Bugs and I practiced, dancing eventually became hugging while shuffling our feet. I thought that was the way of the dance.”

No, he isn’t immune to her. “That is not the way of the dance,” he told her. “This dance continues exactly as we’ve been doing, especially at a formal party like this one. The captain expects the dancers to keep 6 inches between them from start to finish.” Immediately, the pressure he’d been resisting disappeared, and she was a chaste young girl in his arms. “The only thing we might do in addition is at the end, it’s acceptable for me to twirl you.”

“Uh oh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Bugs didn’t teach me about twirling.”

“Then we won’t do it,” he told her.

After another moment, she said, “I do know how to pirouette. It’s been a long time, but I remember how it’s done.”

“It’s not the same,” he told her. “You really should practice before you try it in public. I wouldn’t want to do anything that makes you any less relaxed than you are right now.”

She smiled. “I am relaxed. Now that I know this dance isn’t intended to end in a shuffling hug.” She considered that. “I may dance more than I thought I would.”

“You don’t have to do anything that would make you uncomfortable.”

She gave him a full smile. “Thanks, MacG. You make a good uncle.”

“MacG? I was almost getting used to being called ‘Mac’. Even though that’s your name.”

“Only because ma stopped having babies. If she’s had another, that one would have been ‘Little Mac’, and I would have become Colleen. Or more likely ‘Collie’.”

“That would be a dreadful moniker for you.”

“That’s why I stuck with ‘Mac’.”

The music stopped, and they came to a quiet stop. Drake offered his arm to escort her back to Bugalu. “Do you know if Yellow Dog was planning to attend tonight’s dance?” he asked as they walked.

“Yes,” Mac answered. “Yes, I do know; yes, she was, and yes, she just arrived. I’m not surprised you didn’t see her. She does tend to blend in with all the other white dress uniforms.”

They reached Bugalu and Tall Bear. “Thank you for a delightful dance, Ms MacDowell,” Drake stated formally. “I hope you enjoy your evening.”

“I’m tolerably sure I will,” she responded. “Thank you for explaining so much. And YD is approaching the punch bowl.”

“Excuse me,” he requested, and turned to seek out the NAmerind.

  

Another Dance

Month 10 Day 31

2033 Hours

Tall Bear

Tall Bear was amazed that the girl who was so nervous when she walked off to dance with MacGregor came back poised and relaxed. I used to think Bugs could make a woman comfortable, but he sure hasn’t done it this evening. I wonder what MacGregor said? I mean, their tension was obvious, and suddenly they both relaxed.

“Did you enjoy your dance?” Bugalu asked Mac, his eyes focused elsewhere.

“Yes. It was different from our practice dances,” she replied.

“What practice dances?” He turned her way. “We haven’t dance since... your first shore leave.”

“And before that was at the Academy.” She turned to face Tall Bear and with a sweet smile, she asked, “Won’t you ask me to dance, TB?”

“I would be delighted if you would dance with me, Mac,” Bear promptly said, and led her out onto the dance floor. When he took her in his arms - something he had thought about more than once - something about the actual experience felt... odd. “How did you get so tall?”

“Heels,” she answered.

“Your uniform boots have heels,” he pointed out.

“Not like these. I am virtually perched on my toes. And despite the heels, my legs are no longer than they ever are, so I would appreciate a slightly smaller step, please.”

He immediately adjusted his steps, gave her a moment to adjust to his new gait. “After this,” he stated, “I suspect many men will want to dance with you.”

“What a dreadful thought,” she murmured, her brow slightly furrowed.

“You don’t have to dance with anybody you don’t want to dance with,” he told her. “Simply say no. I don’t think anybody will persist if you start to get loud, not with the Captain here.”

“Good to know I won’t need to punch them to get the message across,” she stated with a smile.

“I hope that was a joke.”

“I hope so, too.”

“I also hope Bugsy’s behavior tonight hasn’t spooked you. But I think it’s indicative of how he sees you as a sister.”

“That perception doesn’t seem as iron tight as I once thought it was,” she muttered and then sighed. “Serves me right for testing it.”

“You... don’t want him to see you as a sister anymore?”

She considered that question. “There was a time when I wanted to know that I could... turn a man’s head. My experiment may have strained our relationship far more than I thought possible.”

“Maybe you should turn your attention to other men. Carefully, I think, because you don’t have to do anything special to turn a man’s head. The way you look tonight is enough to give a man whiplash.”

She gave a short laugh. “Since the subject has come up, perhaps we should discuss our relationship.”

“What relationship? As workout buddies?”

“You’ve said several times you want something more. Asked me to the movies, hung with me at lunch. So I’m wondering if you’d like to adopt me as a sister?”

“No,” Bear answered firmly.

“I can’t give you the kind of relationship you want.”

“So you’ve said. But I’m happy with what we’ve got.”

Her head tilted as she studied his face. “What have we got?”

“Friendship,” he offered with a small smile.

“But that mistletoe kiss-”

“Told me you had no romantic interest in me. And that means, A, that you haven’t been lying to me, and B, that I can relax around you.”

She smiled. “I never thought you were nervous around me.”

“Well, I have been. A bit. I think you have that effect on most men.”

“But no effect on the right one, apparently,” she muttered as the music ended.

She obviously isn’t talking about Bugalu. “Now that we’ve established that we’re friends, why not see a movie together?” She gave him a surprised look as they walked back toward Bugalu. “Friends do things together,” he asserted mildly. “I’ve always behaved, haven’t I?”

“Yes, you have,” she agreed. “Which makes me wonder why others don’t. Because it evidently isn’t impossible.”

“Don’t ask me to explain other men. The only one I can control is me.”

She gave Bear a warm smile as she took a position next to her adopted brother. “Very well, in light of your good behavior all this time, and the establishment of our relationship, I agree.”

“What relationship?” Bugalu asked. “What are you agreeing to?”

“I’ve agreed to go to a movie with Tall Bear,” she answered. “As a friend.”

Bugalu blinked a couple times and then grinned. “Great!”