9This story popped in to my head whilst I was swimming in the pool. I talked it over with a friend, and then decided to give it a go. It is based on the TIWF challenge 'A Fish out of Water'. The challenge ended ages ago, but the topic is still alive and kicking!
Enjoy!
Pas de deux
Present day - 2065 - Tracy Island
"Gordon dear, will you help unpack these boxes for me," Grandma Tracy asked her second youngest grandson. He had been avoiding helping out for as long as he could. They had just had another delivery of things from the storage locker back in Kansas. Things that had been put away for safe keeping, and Grandma Tracy decided it was time to go through all the stuff and either put the things somewhere useful, give them to charity, or throw them away.
The other boys were out on yet another rescue. Jeff was in the lounge keeping an eye on how things were going.
So that left Gordon on his own to help Grandma Tracy . Not that he minded really, helping that is. But he was bothered that once again he had been left behind from all the action of the rescue.
"Sure Grandma, do you want me to move the boxes somewhere else?" he answered.
"I'm just not sure, dear. Lets open them up and see what we've got first shall we?"
Gordon nodded, pulled out his penknife and slit open the first box.
A huge smile appeared on the old woman's face as she saw the contents of the box. "Oh my! Its all Scott's photographs. I did a box for each of you before we left. I'd forgotten all about them. The pictures will need sorting out and displaying."
Gordon pulled out a handful of pictures and started shifting through them. A small smile played on his face as he realised that none of these pictures were in any particular order. There were some of Scott as a baby, then as a chubby toddler. His high school photo was the same as the one his father kept in his office at Tracy Corp headquarters.
The intercom sounded, and Tin-tin's disappointed voice came through the speaker. "Excuse me Ms Tracy, but I need a little help in the kitchen. Could you come up to see what I've done wrong, please?"
Grandma smiled knowingly. "Of course my dear, I'll come right now." She turned to Gordon explaining,"She's trying to make a meringue for Alan as a surprise. I'd best help her out. Will you be alright going through these for me, dear?"
Gordon could barely hold in the grin as an idea formed in his mind. "No problems, Grandma. I'll be fine." He gave her a quick kiss on her cheek as she passed by him. She smiled and carried on walking towards the door, "You're such a good boy."
Gordon waited until she had shut the door before he continued to rifle through Scott's photographs. He knew he would find something worth blackmailing his older brothers with. He would start with Scott.
There were no 'public' pictures of any of them. Jeff had made sure that the family was free from the public eye so they could operate International Rescue without the fear of being recognised.
Gordon himself had no idea that his Grandmother had kept pictures of them. As he shifted through the box, he wondered what his own pictures would be like.
Just as he neared the bottom of the box, Gordon found an envelope. It had Scott's name and their old Kansas address written on the front. It didn't even look as if it had been opened.
Curious, he held it out of the box and turned it over to see if anything had been written on the back.
He saw the words written neatly by hand. 'From Alice J Kent'.
Why had Scott not opened the letter? Gordon wondered if his brother even knew about it. Perhaps his Grandmother had put it into this box by accident years ago.
"Well, I might as well open it for you, Scotty boy." Gordon's curiosity got the better of him. Tearing it open he pulled out a letter and a photograph.
He stared at the picture with his mouth hanging open.
He could not believe it. There was his older brother, though a lot younger in the photograph, posing with a very pretty, petit blond haired girl. Not that posing with a pretty girl was the problem. It wasn't.
It was the pose Gordon couldn't get over.
He could not understand how the boy in the picture even could be his brother, but it was. He knew Scott would do almost anything for a girl, but this, he shook his head and looked down at the picture again. He never thought his brother would stoop so low.
He was going to use this photograph. His older brother would be his slave and scapegoat for his pranks for years to come. As a wicked smile crossed Gordon's face, he knew he'd hit the jackpot. Scott would want to keep this a secret at all costs.
TBTBTB
Date - 2051 - Kansas Junior High School
The bell rang for recess.
Chairs scraped back on the floor as the children stood up and gathered their bags before heading to the door.
As the throng of nearly teenage children pushed through the doorway and into the bustling corridor, a voice called out to one of the boys trying to get away.
"Scott. A moment of your time, please," the teacher called back the eldest of Jeff Tracy's boys.
He held in a groan. What was it with this new teacher? Why did she always have to call him back at the end of the lesson? What had he done wrong now? He had almost made his escape this time too.
"Yes, Ms Fletcher." He caught looks of sympathy and mirth, as he turned and shouldered his way back in to the classroom to stand in front of his waiting English teacher.
"Now Scott, do I have to remind you of your grades? You should be concentrating in class, not drawing rockets in the margins," Scott started to protest, but the teacher continued, "Needless to say, I won't be informing your father," there was a pause as the teacher waited for the last pupils to leave the room. Scott felt himself start to relax when she added "Just yet."
He went still, and looked sharply into the teachers eyes. Instincts telling him something was amiss.
"You play a lot of sport don't you, Scott?" Scott nodded.
"Yes Ms Fletcher. I'm on the baseball team and the basketball team," he confirmed wondering why she asked. "Is there something I can help you with?"
Ms Fletcher looked mildly surprised, and a small smile appeared on her lips. "There is something you can do to help me. It will also help you get the best grade you can attcheive in my class. It will take time and hard work, but I think it can be done." The teacher paused, looking to the closed classroom door. "Scott ..."
TBTBTB
Date - 2051 - Kansas - Tracy Residence - Two weeks later
Scott slammed his bedroom door closed.
He couldn't believe the nerve of his teacher. He dropped his bag into the corner and flopped down face first on to his bed.
A soft knocking from his door lifted his spirit a little. "Come in Virgil." He muffled from his bed.
The door opened and in came the chestnut haired little brother. "I heard you were back. How come you're late this time?" The innocent question shook him harder that he would like to think. He didn't want to snap at his younger brother, but he'd had a hell of a day.
Again.
"Virg, look kiddo, I just had some extra things to do at school, okay?" he raised himself up off the bed to face his brother. "I want to get top grades in all my classes this year. I've got to do these extra... classes." He said to reassure his brother as well as himself. "So, Virg, how was your day?" changing the subject quickly.
Virgil took that as permission to come over and sit on the bed to chat to his oldest brother. The 9 year old hopped lightly into the room and started telling Scott about how his music teacher loved his newest composition, the one he had written for the school concert.
Scott was overjoyed of course, but his thoughts kept going back to this 'task', Ms Fletcher had requested of him. He didn't like it. Heaven forbid if anyone ever found out.
TBTBTB
Present Day - 2065 - Tracy Island
Gordon had been hiding since the other Tracy boys arrived back from their most recent rescue operation.
Virgil and Scott finally headed off to the showers, after being debriefed by their father about the incident of the nearly non-rescue. Alan had been caught by Tin-tin and dragged towards the kitchen, much to the amusement of the older Tracys.
"Have you seen Gordon since we got back?" Scott asked Virgil before they parted directions.
"No. He's probably up to something. I would watch my back if I were you, big brother. He's going to get you back for what he thought you did to his 'baby'."
Scott grinned, the smile reflected in Virgil's face. "Nah, he deserved it. Little prankster can only hide for so long. You wait 'til he gets hungry!"
Laughing, remembering at the look of horror on Gordon's face when he saw his 'baby' in his bowl of soup, was a memory that Scott thought he'd never forget.
Still chuckling, they both went to their bedrooms to change.
Gordon slipped out of his bedroom and made his way down to Scott's private office which overlooked Thunderbird One's silo.
Since finding the photograph of Scott's 'secret', Gordon had been busy. He decided the best thing to do was to jolt Scott's memory first making him uneasy, before showing Scott the hardcore evidence.
Gordon placed the printed sheet of paper on top of Scott's tidy desk. Smirking to himself and wondering if Scott had found the first clue yet, he left the room and went to the swimming pool to get some laps in before dinner. He was getting his appetite back.
TBTBTB
Present time - 2065 - Tracy Island - two hours later
Everyone was seated around the big dinning table. Everyone except Scott that is.
Gordon thought he was the only one who seemed to notice the absence of the eldest sibling, and he ate heartily. Virgil had noticed too, but kept it quiet. He also observed that Gordon seemed immensely pleased with himself. Not wanting to draw any attention, Virgil thought he'd let things play out by themselves. Gordon would never do anything to hurt Scott, so Virgil would just have to be patient and find Scott after the meal was over. Virgil racked his brain for what could possibly be wrong, causing Scott to miss the family meal.
Virgil finished eating quickly and thanked Kyrano for the meal, before making his excuses and leaving before pudding was served.
Gordon tucked in, oblivious to anything amiss. Alan bickered with Tin-tin, whilst Jeff and his mother talked about the latest delivery of boxes. Kyrano busied himself with the clearing of the plates from the large table.
Virgil made his exit, going off in search of his older brother. He went to Scott's bedroom first. He knocked on the door, and pressed the com-link button, but there was no answer. Checking that no-one had followed him, Virgil typed in the security code to gain access to Scott's room.
It was empty.
There was also no sign of a prank.
Virgil frowned. Why would Scott miss dinner? He turned and went out of the room, thinking about where Scott could be. He decided just to call Scott on his wrist watch communicator instead.
"Scott, where are you?" Virgil spoke into the small microphone.
Silence.
"Damn it, Scott. Will you answer me already! Where are you?" Virgil was starting to get worried. What if Scott had been injured on the rescue, and once again not told anyone about it.
Scott's voice brought him out of his musing, "Sorry Virg, I was miles away. What did you say?" He sounded healthy enough, but he seemed distracted.
"Where are you Scott? You do realise you've just missed dinner?" Virgil asked and informed him at once.
"Yeah, well, I wasn't as hungry as I thought I was." came Scott's reply.
Virgil frowned. This was not the happy brother he had left not more than an hour ago. "Where are you, Scott?" he asked once again. Not demanding, but asking.
He heard Scott sigh. "I'm in my office. I'll meet you down on the beach in 10 minutes, okay?" that was all Virgil would get out of him, so he agreed and made his way down to the sandy shore of Tracy Island.
Virgil got to the beach first.
He stared out to the horizon, letting the noise of the waves gently lapping on the sand, calm him from the stresses of the day. The warm water felt good on his tired feet. He felt someone approaching and knew straight away it was Scott.
He turned to watch his dark haired brother walk across the golden sand to meet him. Scott looked tired too. He walked with an air of burden. One which Virgil usually got him to release.
As Scott got closer, Virgil noticed Scott was holding a few screwed up sheets of paper in a tight fist. He frowned at the tension he saw in his older brother's shoulders and face.
Scott walked past his brother and moved further out into the sea. It came up to his thighs before he stopped. Virgil waded in and stood next to him.
"Scott. What's wrong?"
Scott didn't answer at first, then he let out a sigh, his face relaxing and loosing the tightness. "Nothing really. Its just, some old memories resurfaced. I needed some time to sort myself out," his answer confused Virgil. It told him nothing about what had brought this sudden change in his brother.
"Do you mean...from when you were in the air-force?" Virgil asked hesitantly.
Scott actually laughed. "No." He looked back the Villa in the distance. "Its about Kansas, when we were kids."
Virgil looked puzzled. "Oh." was all he could come up with. "Want to..um, talk about it?"
Again Scott laughed, it was an odd laugh. "Not really." Virgil was frowning now, why was Scott laughing like that? What was bothering him? Maybe Gordon had planted a twin in Scott's place.
"Who are you, and what have you done to my brother?" Virgil couldn't help but ask.
Scott laughed out louder this time, a more natural laugh. "Virg, nothing's wrong. Not really. Do you remember when we were kids? I was in seventh grade and I started to get home late Tuesdays and Thursdays?"
Virgil did remember. He remembered how angry Scott had been that first time he had to stay late. His brother had been that way for a couple of weeks. Then after a while he stopped being angry and just came home tired. Scott would put on a fake smile for his younger brothers, the ones that were still awake, before heading to his own bedroom and shutting himself away.
"Yeah," Virgil answered slowly, not quite sure where Scott was going with his explanation.
"Well, I.." he trailed off. How would Virgil take it? "I was doing a favour for my English teacher. To get a top grade, I agreed to 'help her out'." he swallowed. How was he going to admit what he'd done.
"You what! You cheated! You bribed a teacher...?" Virgil was amazed that Scott would be that desperate to get a good grade. He knew Scott hated English, but he was still good enough when he put his mind into it.
"No, I did not!" Scott huffed in a raised voice and looked shocked at his brothers train of thought. "How could you even consider that I'd cheat? God, Virg, I thought you knew me better than that!" he sighed and crunched the paper in his hand tighter. "I was the one who was bribed. I was 12 bloody years old, Virg. I had no-one to turn to for help." Scott looked away, and Virgil felt guilty for even thinking bad of his oldest brother. Then a new thought struck him.
"Oh my God! You didn't get..." his voice trailed off, he couldn't finish the sentence. No way had Scott been abused. It was unthinkable. "You're serious aren't you Scott?" Virgil placed his hand on his brothers arm, he needed the contact himself.
"Scott?"
Scott looked at Virgil's brown troubled brown eyes. He smiled again. "Yeah, Virg. I did get full marks. I hated what I was doing at first. But..." his eyes looked distant again, "...I got used to it. Never understood why anyone would ever want to do it. Even now it makes me feel funny just thinking about it." he looked down at the paper in his hand. "Today I found this left for me in my room, there was another in my office. Look."
Scott handed the screwed up sheets of paper to Virgil to look at.
Virgil opened them slowly with shaking hands, almost dreading what they contained.
He read the first, then the second piece of paper. He frowned, confused. "Scott?"
Scott turned to look at his brother. "What?"
Virgil looked down at the words on the paper again before returning his gaze to meet the blue eyes of his brother. "What the hell do the words 'cabriole' and 'adagio' have to do with this?"
Scott didn't look away. "They're French." he told his younger sibling.
Virgil looked cross now as well, "And what does music have to do with..." he waited impatiently, shaking the paper in his hand in front of Scott for him to explain.
"Music? They are ..." he cleared his throat, and his face blushed a little red. "Ballet terms." he continued quietly. "Someone knows what I did. Had to do. I thought no-one would ever find out about this, Virg. God, I'll never live this down."
Virgil was deeply confused. "Ballet terms?" he repeated. "Ballet terms? What the hell did your teacher get off on? Trying to make you into her own personal 'Billy Elliot'?"
Scott shook his head, no. "She also ran the local Ballet School. She needed a report written about the group from a male dancer, to encourage more boys to join. She told me the directors were going to shut the place down, if she didn't equal the numbers of boys and girls. The only problem was, she didn't have any boys in the company. That's where I came in. At first I just had to watch, for the assignment. Then one day she decided I should to participate." Scott closed his eyes to the memory, when he opened them again, Virgil could see he was mortified.
Scott had been forced to do ballet?
Virgil was so relieved he almost laughed out loud. But the look of horror on Scott's face was enough to hold his laughter inside.
TBTBTB
Date - 2051 - Kansas Ballet School
The piano being played was out of tune. Even Scott could hear that. The noise pierced his brain, giving him a headache. He was used to Virgil's much more pleasant rendition of the same number.
He tried to ignore the giggly little girls dressed in their skin tight ballet leotards, with floaty skirts that were much too short for girls so young, as far as Scott was concerned.
He was observing the 7 year old group. He hated this. He really hated this. He sighed and looked longingly out of the window. He should have been playing baseball, not learning about ballet.
The piano had stopped playing and Scott realised that everyone was looking at him.
"Scott. Are you paying attention?" Ms Fletcher asked him, a little gleam coming into her eyes.
Scott frowned and sat up straight from where he had slid down the chair as he started to day dream of other things. "No...I mean yes, Mam."
"Good," she beckoned him to come over to her and the group of smiling girls, all dressed in too much pink. "I want you to put feeling into the report. The only way you can do that is to experience the power of the dance."
"Huh?" was his reaction. She did not just say what he thought she'd said, had she? He swallowed, eyes widened as she ushered him forward to the bar in front of the mirrored wall. Clapping her hands she told the girls to each take a place along the bar too.
"Company, first position." The girls all instantly moved as one, Scott however, stood frozen to the spot.
"Scott, come on now. Hold on to the bar and put your feet just so." Ms Fletcher adjusted his position to first. Scott was speechless. It was bad enough he had to write about ballet, but now she wanted him to do it, and in front of a bunch of giggling 7 year old girls.
"Company, now I want you to perform an arabesque," the company of girls instantly changed to the new position. Ms Fletcher was still standing next to Scott. She moved his rigid body to mirror the young girls around him.
This was too much for the proud 12 year old to face.
He shook her hands off and turned, running across the room towards the door. Ignoring the calls from his teacher to come back, and with the laughter of the girls echoing in his ears, he ran to the bus stop. He felt like he could never go back in to his English class again.
What would his father say if he when found out? His father had always drummed into his sons, "Never give up, at any cost." Scott was going to fail now, both as a role model for his younger brothers, and as an eldest son. He was also going to fail to keep his promise to get top grades in all his classes this year. Scott also knew he could not go back on his promise to help his teacher, no matter how much he hated it.
He imagined the disapointment on his Dad's face. Scott couldn't bear the knowledge himself, knowing that as he could have done something to help stop the Ballet School from closing, but didn't, would make him feel even worse. Whether anyone found out or not, he would have to live with his failture for the rest of his life.
As Scott slumped down at the bus-stop, he knew he had to decide whether his own pride, or his father's and brother's trust was more important to him.
Sighing, he stood up, and slowly made his way back to the Ballet School.
TBTBTB
Date - 2065 - Tracy Island a week later
Gordon had been busy.
He pulled the occasional prank on Virgil. He even covered Alan with a bucketful of slimy green substance which he retreived from one of his old fish tanks. Gordon had to keep Scott's focus away from himself.
Gordon then put his plan into action.
Scott had started to relax over the week. No more odd notes appeared. Nobody was acting strangely towards him, so Scott figured he was safe. Maybe someone was trying to get a reaction out of him. Scott had taken Virgil's advice and kept himself as busy as normal.
It was on the return from another messy rescue, this time Alan had been left behind on Tracy Island, when Scott found the 'thing' in his closet.
He came out of the shower refreshed and ready to raid the kitchen for food, opening the door he came face to face with a bright pink Tutu. If his jaw could have hit the floor, it would have done. He took a step back from it. To Scott, this was his nightmare. The last time he'd seen a Tutu was ...
TBTBTB
Date - 2065 - Tracy Island 2 hours later
The room was all hustle and bustle as the members of International Rescue sat down to eat. All the members except Scott. Gordon grinned openly when his eldest brother failed to appear for the second time in a week.
Virgil was starving and heaped his plate with food. The discussion was loud, with Alan moaning about why it was unfair that he'd been left behind. They were all caught up in the teasing of the youngest Tracy that Scott was not missed.
TBTBTB
Date - 2051 - Kansas Ballet School
"Now Scott, you will partner up with Alice. She needs help with her pas de deux. You will stand just so," Ms Fletcher demonstrated for him, "while Alice performs her pirouette."
Scott had been moved to later class. The girls were 14 years old, and all knew that Scott was here to help them out, so they kept quiet about him even being there.
Alice smiled sweetly at him before moving into position against his chest. "Just relax, I don't bite you know," she whispered in his ear. "All you have to do is look confident and stand still while I spin around."
He looked her in the eye and straightened his body. "Sure, no problem," he answered. The sooner he got this over with the better.
The music started and Alice started her pirouette, Scott was amazed by her grace, and the lightness of her actions as she performed it perfectly.
"Scott, pas now. Alice, carry on with the coda." Ms Fletcher's voice rang out over the music at them. Alice and Scott finished the dance in time to the music.
Clapping rang out throughout the room. A flash of light caught him unaware and he blinked.
Alice did a small curtsy and Scott looked dumbfounded. Someone just took a picture of him. Someone had taken a picture of him in a leotard. A picture of him performing ballet, with a girl wearing a pink Tutu.
He groaned and covered his face with his hands.
TBTBTB
Date - 2065 - Tracy Island two days later
Scott hadn't even bother to show Virgil the offending object in his closet. He had shut the doors and not gone near the closet again. He didn't want to even touch it.
He would figure it out later. What he needed to do was find out who knew. He ruled out Tin-tin, Brains, John, his Father and Grandma. That left Virgil, who he was pretty sure had nothing to do with it, Gordon and Alan.
He racked his brains for a clue to how anyone would find out. All the girls in the company had sworn to keep the secret. They were all so grateful that his report had worked. Boys were encouraged by Scott's work and had started to come to ballet, not just to dance and meet girls, but to improve their body strength and discipline.
Scott's mind wondered back to Alice. The photograph had been taken during his last time in the class. He had been so relieved it was all over, that he'd forgotten to thank Alice for her help with the essay. She had promised him that the photograph her mother took of them would never leave her home, and that she would send him a copy...
He suddenly sat up tall. Realisation hit him.
Someone must have found the photograph of him and Alice.
He never saw the picture, but knew it had arrived. He received it about a week before they left Kansas. Everything was being packed in boxes to go into storage.
He had never even opened the envelope, he had put it to one side.
Who could have found it, after all this time? Why had this come back to haunt him?
Just then he heard Grandma Tracy calling out for Gordon. "Gordon, my dear. Where did you put your brothers' boxes of pictures? I think Alan wants to show Tin-tin some of you all as babies."
Gordon. It had to be Gordon.
Scott stood up with a determined look upon his face and went in search of his ginger haired brother. He had a score to settle.
Gordon was lounging by the pool when he saw Scott approaching him. He watched from behind his dark sunglasses, feigning sleep. The look on Scott's face told him that Scott had figured out who had been toying with him.
"We need to talk." Scott's voice was low and even. "Now, Gordon. Your room." Scott stood back and waited for Gordon to get up slowly.
Giving a dramatic yawn, Gordon asked "Hey Scotty, what's wrong?"
Scott's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Inside. Now."
Gordon shrugged his shoulders and got up slowly, stretching his muscles and popping them one by one, just to annoy Scott further. "Gordon," came the deep voice, threatening him now.
Gordon suppressed a grin. He would soon have Scott eating out of his hand, he just knew it. "Okay, okay, keep your tutu on!" he answered and strolled off to his bedroom with Scott a step behind him, who was scowling and glaring deep holes into the back of Gordon's head.
Gordon punched in the code, allowing his brother to enter his bedroom first before following him in. When he heard the door close, Scott swung around to his younger brother and pushed him against the door.
Gordon hadn't been expecting that, and as he looked in Scott's eyes, he noticed that the shone with a certain amount of danger. Gordon swallowed, "Scott! Hey buddy, what's with the manhandling?"
Scott released Gordon and turned away, "Why the hell did you open that letter? Where is it? I want it back. Now." His words were not shouted, but the effect was the same.
Gordon smiled at his angry sibling and walked over to a draw. "I have the letter, and the picture right here Scott. Is this a fetish? I never knew you would be so ..." he never got to finish his sentence. Scott snatched the envelope away and opened it, taking out the photograph.
There it was. Alice performing an arabesque at the end of her piruoette, while he, Scott reached out to catch her leg to hold her in position, his own leg echoing holding the same movement. It was a snapshot, and it took him right back to the moment the camera had flashed.
Alice was right. It did look good.
Scott couldn't breathe.
Gordon watched gleefully as Scott took the photograph out of the envelope. He had already printed off copies, and even stored the photograph on his computer. Gordon's sweet sense of victory vanished when Scott's face paled and his breath seemed to be taken away.
Gordon's face creased into a frown as Scott's eyes became distant and Gordon tried to get him to talk. "Hey Scott, I thought it was just a school girl crush or something. Talk to me, Scott."
Scott was unresponsive. His thoughts still back in the Ballet School in Kansas.
Gordon began to panic. Scott had yet to take a breath. "Scott, snap out of it man. Come on, bro, you're scaring me." Gordon reached out a hand and shook Scott's arm. Scott gasped out loud as he inhaled and shook his head to clear it.
"What the hell was that about, Scott?"
Scott frowned at Gordon. "You open my mail, you try, I presume, to blackmail me, and now you want to know what's wrong?" Scott was still pale, but he looked furious. "I'll tell you what's wrong! Its YOU. I did this," he waved the photo his brother's face, "for you, and the rest of this damn family! No-one was ever supposed to find out. I felt like I was drowning every time I went to those classes. But I had to." He went quiet, all the fight going out of him as he opened and began to read the letter.
Gordon looked down, feeling guilty.
After a moments silence, Scott looked up his eyes back on the picture. "I guess you read the letter as well?" Scott asked, without looking at Gordon.
Gordon shook his head, "No, I didn't. The picture was enough for me. Why?"
Scott finished reading the letter and handed it to his younger brother. "Because if you'd read the letter, you would know why I did it. Give it back to me when you've finished reading it."
And with that, Scott left the room.
Gordon was shocked. He had never expected Scott to let him off the hook. Curiosity got the better of him, and he started to read the letter that Alice Kent had written to Scott all those years ago.
Dear Scott,
Thank you so much for saving our company. I know you were forced in to doing it, and that in itself was wrong. I also realise how much you hated coming to the classes and having to partisipate as well.
To me, you will always be remembered as a 'fish out of water'. I'm glad you escaped 'back in to the sea', it's where you belong. I came to watch you play baseball the other day. I can see it's your natural habitat!
I'm sorry my mother took that photograph of us dancing, but I think you will agree that it IS very impressive. I promise you, it won't be seen by anyone, just my mother, you, and me. Your copy is enclosed, you can do whatever you want with it.
It was great to meet you Scott, and even though you hate my hobby, I am very glad you had a go. If ever your family find out what you did, they should be proud of you. What you did took guts and determination.
Thanks again.
Alice x
Gordon blinked. Then he read through the letter again. "Holy cow."
TBTBTB
Date - 2065 - Tracy Island 10 minutes later - CODA...
There was a gentle knocking at Scott's bedroom door.
"Come in," he called.
Gordon entered the room sheepishly. "Hey Scott. Here's your, um, letter."
Scott looked up from his desk. "Thanks."
Gordon chewed his bottom lip, feeling awkward. "I just wanted to say that, I, I.." Gordon wanted to say sorry, but he couldn't say it. "I'll get the tutu out of your closet if you like."
Scott smiled. "Thanks." Scott looked over at his brother as Gordon removed the offending object. "What are you going to do with that now?" Scott asked curiously.
Gordon smiled, "I think this should fit Alan. How do you think Tin-tin would like him to go over to the mainland for a free treat with her? Joining in with the local ballet class?"
Scott burst out laughing, and Gordon winked, before leaving Scott to finish his letter.
A letter to Alice Kent.
TBTBTB
My thanks go to Sam1 for reading it through and for encouraging me, and to Quiller for beta reading. Boy, are they patient!
All reviews welcomed!
Terminology used - in alphabetical order
Adagio - Slow and sustained movements. Also the section of a 'pas de deux' in which the ballerina and her 'danseur' partner, display her mastery of lyrical movement.
Arabesque - Position in which the dancer stands on one leg with the other leg extended in a straight line behind the body. The positions of the arms may vary.
Cabriole - Usually a male's movement. One leg kicks high to either the front or back and is held in this position until the supporting leg swiftly leaves the floor and meets the raised leg in a beat, or a multiple of beats.
Coda - The last section of a 'pas de deux' or a full ballet.
Pas - A step
Pas de deux - A duet.
Pirouette - A turn of the body done while standing on one leg.
Tutu - The fluffly skirt worn by female dancers.