The Last Dance

023

Mariah and her dance family found themselves in yet another club. To say the dancer didn't really want to be here, would be an understatement. Recently, she'd been wanting to be cooped up in her room all day unless they were practicing or performing. Still, it was a tradition that once they finished in a certain state, they clubbed. She held her cup of sprite and watched tonight, not feeling the mingling or dancing vibe. She just wanted her bed... and it would be amazing if her bed could have her girlfriend in it but she realized that was far from the reality.

"Riah!" Ashley came over with Kendra to where Mariah was sitting and yelled. "Come dance with us."

"I'm good Ash."

"Come on girl. I'm not even that drunk yet, dance with me while I can still feel my feet." Kendra tried next to convince the dancer.

Mariah chuckled softly. "Fine, but only one song."

"Two." Ash began to bargain.

"Alright. Fine. Two." The dancer allowed the duo to drag them back to where Cierra was, dancing to some twerk song. They all began to vibe to the music and Mariah slowly forgot that she didn't want to be here in the first place. Soon, more than two songs had passed but the group were having so much fun that none noticed.

"Alright, let's give the heels a break for a moment ladies. We're gonna slow it down for a while. Let's get the couples on the dance floor— or if you aren't a couple, an entanglement works as well." The DJ turned the mood from turnt to love as a slow jam began to play.

The group went to leave the dance floor but Mariah felt someone pull her arm. She turned to look into the eyes of someone from her past. He smiled. "Can I have this dance?"

She didn't even hesitate to decline. "No. I'm good."

"Come on Mariah, just one dance. We can catch up."

"There's no need to catch up. What're you doing in Colorado Springs?"

The man chuckled. "You dance with me and I'll tell you."

"Clarence.." Mariah finally called out the name of her ex boyfriend as she removed his hand from her wrist. "No thank you."

She walked away and went to go back to the bar with her friend but Clarence wasn't taking no for an answer. "I'll tell you."

Mariah stopped walking and turned to him. "Tell me what?"

"I'll tell you why it was her." He replied looking her in her eyes. "Just dance with me. One song. That's all I'm asking. Please?" Clarence held out his hand.

The dancer would be lying if she said she didn't deserve to know. Slowly, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to bring them back to the dance floor. Him having quite the height advantage on Mariah, caused her to have to place place her hands on his shoulders. His laying on top of her waist line. She didn't get close to the man but instead but distance between them. A lot of distance at that.

"Talk."

Clarence smiled. "You look beautiful."

"I know. Someone tells me that every morning. Now talk."

He chuckled. "Nothing's changed."

"Everything's changed. Including my patience with you. So either talk or I'm going back to the bar to hang out with my girls."

"Mama passed."

Mariah's heart sunk at what he said. She loved his mother. They communicated even after her and Clarence broke up. "What? When? What happened?"

"Breast cancer. Three months ago."

"What? Why didn't she call me? We always talked."

"She didn't want anyone to see her like that. She moved out here and spent her last days comfortable. I followed her so I could make sure she didn't want or need anything."

"Alright. I guess I should say this. She called me one day while you were at work. Told me that you had told her that I left you because of dance. Why didn't you tell her the truth?"

"And break her heart Mariah? I couldn't. That woman loved you like you were her own. If I brought you over to the house, she'd forget I even existed the moment she placed her eyes on the woman she knew was destined to be her daughter in law. I didn't know how to tell her I'd lost the biggest blessing in my life."

The dancer felt her resistance beginning to edge away and pulled away instantly from the man she once loved. "I have to go Clarence. Thanks for the dance and I'm sorry about your mom. I loved her too. It was good seeing you."

She walked away, not even giving herself a chance to mess up things with Janet. "Wait Ri."

He caught up with her and she shook her head. "Conversations over Clarence. Not only will my spouse kick my ass for dancing with you. They'd kill me if they knew I didn't stop this in its tracks now. Have a nice night."

"She had my baby!"

The yell made her footsteps cease completely for the second time tonight. Cierra, who was standing nearby heard him as well as a few other strangers in the club. Mariah whipped around and asked in pure anger that had came scrambling up easily. Almost too easily for her likings. "Nigga she what?!"

"I.. I fucked up but I can fix it."

"Fix what? You knocked my best friend up and she had your kid. I held you down from the moment we met and you betrayed me by laying in bed with the next bitch! Of all the damn bitches you chose that dirty stank ass hoe?! I was there. Me nigga! I was there. When your folks turned on you, I helped you up and guided you through. Now I'm not throwing shit in your face but damn, I deserved fucking better." She ranted as she got even more furious. Mariah hadn't truly dealt with what her ex did to her heart... and now she realized she was about to blow.

"I know you do. I knew that then."

"Nigga you can't know because if you knew you would have done better. You think throwing that out there was going to make me want you? If I'm going to play step mom, it's going to be for someone who loves and supports me. Not a man who doesn't know what he truly wants. You were a waste of my time then and you aren't about to waste my time now. I spent years pouring into you but never once asking the same. I wasn't your fucking option that you could choose whenever you felt like you wanted to."

Clarence paused before nodding. "I know that Ri."

The man knew what he was doing by being nonchalant with his ex. He knew how she hated that and instead wanted to have an actual conversation but unfortunately Clarence couldn't give her that option. It had been two years without the woman and he still just did not know how to properly communicate with her. Everything he'd practiced for the next time he'd see the woman always flew out the window the second they'd lock eyes. She intimidated him, but he could never tell her that.

"Stop calling me that! I'm not yo fucking girl no more. You lost that's right when you did your hoe ass shit." He reached for Mariah again and she pushed him back. "Move bruh!"

Cierra had seen enough and got in between them as she spoke to the unknown man. "Look sir, I think this conversation is over."

He shook his head. "We are just talking. Aren't we Mariah?"

Mariah sent him an ice cold look before asking Cierra. "You ready girl?"

Her best friend nodded as she side eyed the man who'd upset Mariah this badly. "Yeah I'm ready."