Page 6 of For Your Eyes Only
“Maybe the caterpillar thinks his life is also good, but the universe knows better. The universe has bigger plans, spectacular plans!”
“This isn’t spectacular, it’s terrifying. I don’t know what to expect next. I’m like Alice in the Wonderland.”
Michele leans forward with a wink. “Then I’ll be the Cheshire cat.”
He flashes that dimpled grin all the girls love, and I lean back in my chair. “More like the queen of hearts.”
“Yes!” He laughs loudly, taking another sip of piña colada as he points. “I’ll be the queen.”
My fiancé, the queen. Maybe I am too dumb to be outside of Santa Croce. I was engaged for a year to a gay man, and if we hadn’t come here, I’d have married him.
“I’m the Dodo bird.”
Michele almost does a spit take before covering his mouth and at least trying to act sympathetic. “You’re still in the cocoon, Gia, but you’ll come out of it. You’re already showing signs of expression. You're a great beauty!”
“Don’t make fun of me.” Bending my knee, I slide my fingers across the butterfly tattoo on the top of my foot.
I always thought butterflies were good luck, but these days my life has turned decidedlyunlucky.
He reaches out to cup my cheek. “You’re not still angry with me, are you?”
My lips twist, and I haven’t decided. “You lied to me, Misha. You made me believe you were in love with me, and you wanted to marry me.”
“I am in love with you, and I did want to marry you.” He pats the table. “In Santa Croce.Now we’re in America, and we can live our truth.”
“I was living my truth.”
“Were you?” He narrows his eyes.
I thought I was.
When I met the dark-haired, dark-eyed boy with the dazzling grin who flew like Baryshnikov, I thought I’d found my fairytale prince. He was passionate and beautiful, and when he held me in his arms, new sensations simmered between my thighs.
I remember how I used to dream of our honeymoon night, when we’d finally sleep together for the first time. I dreamed of us being lifelong dance partners, then husband and wife. I dreamed of us having a beautiful life together making art, making love, having babies.
Then we were offered the chance in America, and I didn’t know how to dream any bigger.
Until we got here, and it all fell apart.
The company was a bust, and all of the dancers were unemployed. Most of them were American and could go back to where they started, but not us. It took every dime I could raise to get here.
As a student of the company and principal dancer, they were supposed to provide our room, board, everything we needed, and now I have nothing.
Then my fairytale prince turned out to be, well, a fairy.
“We can’t stay with a student visa if we’re not in school, and we can’t work to earn the money to go home without a work visa.” Michele leans back in his chair, extending his toned arms. “What choice do we have?”
“All that work and effort to get here only to turn and go right back.” I grumble, still bitter about my shattered pumpkin of a happily ever after.
“So we work here illegally.” Light sparkles in his eyes, and he’s like a kid on Christmas morning. “Get paid in cash and don’t get caught. Like a truebandito.”
He laughs, and Bianca’s voice cuts through my despair. “Somebody buy me a drink! I’ve got good news and bad news.”
Michele flags down the waiter and orders our friend a frozen strawberry margarita. I’m happy to hear there’s good news, but the mention of more bad news makes my head hurt. How much worse can my life possibly get?
“Start with the bad.” Michele stands, kissing her cheek. “Things can only get better.”
She takes the stool across from me. “We’re not working as mermaids anymore.”