The DemiGod & the Dancer

Part 7: Coming Back to Earth

It was nice waking up next to Tatiana again. She had snuggled up next to me during the night, and I didn't mind at all. She always caught a chill so easily, and I remember many a night when she wore one of my sweatshirts to bed for added warmth. She was still asleep, and I didn't want to wake her.

My cell rang, and I reached out quickly to get it from the nightstand. It was Eli. I wasn't looking forward to this. I slid out of bed, and pulled the sheets around her. I clicked on as I walked out of the bedroom.

"What the hell is this, Nik?!"

I didn't even get to say anything! I took a deep breath. "I am a husband and father now, Eli," I said to my friend on the phone, though he was definitely playing his role as my mentor and boss at the moment. "I don't see a problem with that."

"You gotta be kidding me!" Eli yelled. "You train every day. What have you been up to for the last few days?"

"I've been getting texts from my trainer in Florida," I told him. "I have gotten it in, usually early in the morning."

"And today?"

"I returned your call."

"You do realize I have been calling since yesterday afternoon?"

"Honestly, Eli, I haven't been checking my phone." Now that was the truth. I turned the damned thing off when he texted me about wanting to figure out damage control. "I finally decided to take my designated days off, and I'll be there in time to work--"

"This is why you canceled your appearances, isn't it?"

"Well, they were on my off days. I can make them up another time if you want me to." I frowned for a second. "You approved them."

"I thought you were going to Vegas for a little fun, R and R, not getting married!"

"Well, I am here for R & R, just a different kind."

"Yeah, what's this about a daughter?"

"Yes, I have a daughter." I could feel the silent tension over the phone. "The mother is--"

"Yeah, that lead dancer you messed around with--"

"First, we were in a relationship, Eli--"

"Uh-huh, that's why you married Nina a year after she left."

I tensed. A year after Tatiana left, Reina was just a baby. I swallowed hard, once again feeling the regret of what I had missed, and then feeling renewed anger at Tatiana. Then I was back again, feeling for her, feeling for me, what we missed. The reason still gnawed at my insides like some mysterious sickness.

"Nik?"

"Well, I am now making up for lost time, Tatiana and I are back together, and that is that, Eli."

"You do realize that Nina was in talks to return to the show?"

Uh-oh, I didn't know that. "Okay."

"She signed yesterday."

I kept my tone neutral. "Good for her."

"She thinks that you two being back together would work again."

I gave a small chuckle. "I think not."

"Hmmm."

"No 'hmm.'" I sat up straight in my chair. "No finagling, Eli, I mean it."

"Not even a tease for the fans?"

"Not even that." I told him. "It's a new day, new life for me now, at least on a personal note."