Rose (Shooting Stars 3)

"You have a lot of natural rhythm," she told me almost immediately. "Have you had some formal dance instruction?"

"No," I said, almost laughing at the idea.

"I did." she said. "For a long time, I thought I was actually going to be a professional dancer. I was even in some shows. but I didn't have the

temperament for that sort of life. I guess. What do you want to be?" she asked. No one else had, not even the headmistress.

"I don't know. I thought about modeling," I said. It was funny. I didn't know her at all, but just her way, her sincerity, put me at

ease enough to tell her what I hadn't told anyone else: my fantasy.

"You could do that," she said without the least bit of discouragement.

"I've always wanted to do a unit in interpretive dance. but I've been afraid to try. I've helped the drama teacher sometimes when he needed some dancing in his musicals and I do our spring variety show. I still keep my finger in the dream," she added. "If you want, stop by after school one day and we'll try some things," she said.

I nodded even though I didn't know what she meant or what I would do.

It was a good finish to my first day,however. All day long I vowed to burst into the house when Ames drove me back, and start screaming at Charlotte and even Mommy. How dare they put me in a parochial school without telling me? My meeting with Miss Anderson had a calming effect. I wasn't as furious when I entered the house.

Mommy and Charlotte were on the patio drinking from what looked like martini glasses. I heard Mommy's laughter first.

"Hi, Rose. How was your first day at the new school?" she asked immediately. I saw from the blush in her cheeks that she had already drunk more than one of whatever it was in that glass.

"It's a parochial school," I replied, finding myself angrier about her drinking than the deception.

"So? You'll get a better education," Charlotte said.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She shook her head.

"I didn't see why that was important. You don't have to become a nun, just listen to what they say and your teachers tell you," she said. "Most of the substantial people I know around here want their children in Heart of the Angel, if they're not already in."

"Did you know about this. Mommy?" I asked. "I mean. Monica?" I could see from the expression on her face that she had.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to have any preconceived bad feelings," she recited.

I glanced at Charlotte, sensing those were her words she had planted on Mommy's tongue.

"We never kept secrets from each other before," I said.

"It wasn't a secret. really," Charlotte said.

"I was talking to Monica," I said. I looked at Mammy. Her eyes shifted away guiltily.

Charlotte's slow smile lit up her dark eyes with a sinister glow.

"If you don't want to go there, we'll enroll you in the public school, but you'll be in crowded classes and you'll get an inferior education. My goodness, you don't have all that much longer to go before you graduate, Rose." she continued. "Any other girl would be grateful,"

"I'm not worried. I know I'll survive," I said, "but my mother and I don't keep things from each other, or hadn't before now."

"I'm sorry. Rose," Mommy said.

Charlotte started to speak. but I quickly snapped. "I'm sorry, too." Then I turned and walked back into the house.

Moments later. I heard their laughter again and the clink of glasses.