J. CASTLE.

baby  thanked  the  driver,  hitting  the  corner  store  to  pick  up  dahlias.  suitcase  rolling  behind  her  as  she  hits  the  lobby.  she's  in  the  front  row  before  they  give  the  pre-show  speech.  and  she's  the  first  to  clap  and  stand  when  bows  occur.  she  puts  two  fingers  in  her  mouth  to  whistle,  cheering  on  the  dancers  as  they  exit.  when  she  finds  johnny,  baby  all  about  jumped  into  his  arms  to  hug  him.  "  that  was  incredible  !  "  she  gushed.  "  how  does  it  feel  ?  "

disappointment climbed up his throat when baby said she couldn't make it this time,    but johnny understood she had to focus on school.  her education was important    (  more important,  in his eyes,  than a dance recital  ),  but that didn't mean he couldn't feel crestfallen.  he hadn't let baby hear that in his voice,  telling her how much he loved her on the phone,  giving her a happy break a leg,  baby,  for her midterm before getting back to work on everything that needed to be finalized.  the day came,  and johnny was locked in.  his dancers were perfect,  not a hair out of place,  not a hint of lint on any of their costumes.  from the wings of the stage,  johnny took a double take as he saw someone familiar enter the first row,  flowers in hand.  smile grew before he could do anything to stop it,  the man wondering how he'd landed someone like baby houseman.

hair  slipped  from  behind  her  ear,  and  when  she  straightens,  it  falls  just  behind  her  shoulders.  "  everybody  says  i'm  just  like  him.  "  baby  admitted.  not  that  it  was  bad  to  be  like  her  breadwinning  doctor  father,  but  it  wasn't  like  her  work  was  as  important  as  his.  at  least  not  yet.  "  he's  a  fancy  doctor  which  is  how  my  mother  drags  us  here  every  summer.  "  glaze  flickered  over  to  him  for  just  a  moment  before  looking  back  at  her  hands.  "  not  that  here  is  bad  or  anything  but  it  can  be  sort  of  -  "  she  struggled  to  find  the  right  word,  and  when  she  doesn't  the  thought  continued,  "  -  it's  not  the  worst  thing  ever  i  guess.  "

had this been anyone else complaining about being at a five star resort,    sleeping in 100 count sheets and eating caviar,  johnny would have to hold him back from scoffing,  deeply rolling his eyes as he walked away from the conversation.  but getting to know baby meant that he knew she was different.  kind,  with a good heart,  and no real want for endless amounts of daddy's money.  when she first arrived,  sure,  he thought she was just like the rest of them.  he had to admit,  it was good to be wrong,  just this once.