Into the Light

15. Tea for Two

It's hard not to whistle in a most undignified way as I'm walking down Poppy Hill Street from the City Hall towards the port. The air is so fresh again after the heat of the past few days, and especially after last night's thunderstorm that really brought it home to me once and for all why the Dirnai speak of storms in such a reverent tone.

Truly, I've never experienced anything even close to it. We stayed up half the night, me and Chaim and Kim, watching the fireworks above the sea and cringing at the thunder that was at times painfully loud, and frightening even at its best. So good that it apparently didn't start any fires in the city.

The tremendous downpour that accompanied the storm has washed all dust from the streets and walls and trees. The air tastes so good, and I'm positively bouncy. Rashim is working still a couple of hours more, I'm not going to hang around disturbing him, but I thought I'd go to meet him as soon as he's free. Tonight is not a rehearsal night, so we might go out together. To have dinner, or to dance, or most likely both.

I cross the street, then stop when something familiar-looking catches my eye. There, that mop of curly blondish hair... yes, it's her. Rith is walking a little ahead of me, wearing a light long skirt and a thin cardigan, a small bag hanging on her arm. The limp is there, she's clearly favoring her right leg, but it doesn't look like she'd be having any real trouble moving. Nor does she look like she'd be in a terrible hurry. She interests me, why deny it?

As she slows down to take a look at a shop window in passing, I catch up with her in a few quick steps. "Rith?"

"Oh, Toni!" She smiles to me. "Nice to see you! What're you up to?"

"Going to meet Rashim when he's off from work, around five. What about you?"

"Just visited the bank." She gives a wry little grin. "Time to pay this month's rent for the training premises. A day I don't like."

I nod. "How do you put together the money to do that? I imagine you must charge something for the lessons?"

"I do," she says. "But I can't charge them much, without a proper place or anything, and I really can't have loads of paying students either." She laughs dryly. "The City has been kind enough to support us a little. But the place, the place..."

"Sounds like something of a vicious circle," I observe and Rith shrugs.

"That's what it is. I'd need premises to get things properly started, but I can't afford good premises before I get things started. Anyway, I believe in Dirna. And I believe in the kids. It's for them that I'm here."

I glance at my clock - plenty of time still. "Listen, Rith, if you're not in a hurry, how about a cup of something, and maybe a sandwich? Over there, for instance?" I point at a little café in the next street corner, one of the probably hundreds here in Dirna. "My treat."

She accepts the invitation, we cross the next street and secure ourselves a small table just outside the door, under a large shade. The ordered ice teas and cookies arrive in a flash, Rith puts her bag on the empty third chair and raises her glass. "Thanks, Toni. This does taste good right now."

"You're welcome!" I hesitate a moment, then decide to venture. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but - what exactly is wrong with your leg? Does it give you pain?"

"Oh, not really." She crosses her legs. "It's the ankle. It's stiffer than it should be, and I can't completely straighten it at all, that's why I walk the way I do. But no, it seldom actually hurts."

Obviously the topic isn't too painful, or at least she's not showing it. No reason for me to particularly avoid it, then, and I'm curious. "What happened to you? Rashim told me you've been a professional dancer. You aren't even old. Was there an accident?"

"Yeah." She sighs and shakes her head. "A stupid, stupid accident. We were rehearsing a new piece that involved some stage constructions. I'll never know whether something was slippery, or not quite ready, or just not sturdy enough... but my partner fell just as he was lifting me. My ankle was rather properly mangled, and that was it then."

"Oh gods." I try to imagine it - her career, whole life, all the plans for the future, all crushed in a moment. "I'm so sorry. That must've been tough."

"Not exactly easy," Rith admits. "But I was lucky. Jann had it much worse - Derjannesh, my partner, that is. He hurt his hip really badly. I don't know if he'll ever be rid of the pain."

"Where is he now?" I hope I'm not being too nosy. "Were you partners outside dancing, too?"

"Oh no." Rith smiles. "Just friends and colleagues. He was talking about going somewhere north, the last I heard of him. Such a shame, he was a brilliant dancer." She stirs her tea and gives a small, bitter grimace. "Feels rather bad to say 'was' when talking of a guy who'll be thirty-three this year. Not that a dancer's active career would be very long anyway, but still."

I don't know what to say. Rith sips from her cup, then glances at me. "Don't look like that, Toni. What's past is past, shit happens, and that's it. No use letting it drag you down."

She leans back in her chair and looks at me appraisingly. "So, have you been training with Rashim like I've heard, or are you just having fun with him?"

"Training," I say emphatically. "And you don't need to worry, Rith. I bet I couldn't make him stray from his chosen routine even if I tried! I can only marvel at his self-control."

"I know that," Rith nods. "Rashim has a goal, and he's not going to let anything come between himself and that goal. But actually I wasn't talking only about that. What I want to know is, how serious are you about him? Do you really care, or are you just having a bit of holiday fun?"

I almost snap at her, instinctively, then catch myself just in time. Even though it makes me grind my teeth, I must admit that the question is a valid one. Answering it means that I must, first of all, explain some things to myself - such as, why it made my blood boil with indignation.

"Why do you ask?" When unsure, buy time, and a counter-question is always a good way.

"Isn't it obvious?" I have a feeling that Rith's calm, blue-gray eyes see through me. "He's one of my kids, I'm concerned for him. Okay, he's not a baby, we all must live and learn, and you can call me a mother-hen for all you like - but I still wouldn't want to see him to get hurt too badly."

A thoroughly acceptable reason. "And you think he might get hurt by me because...?"

"Well, unless I'm very badly mistaken, you're the Toni who's one of the richest guys in this country, from a very old noble family, and a notorious playboy." Rith looks me coolly in the eye, but her gaze is not unsympathetic or hostile. "Rashim is admittedly gorgeous and, being a Dirnai, also pretty experienced for his age. But I also know that on top of that he's sweet, romantic and sensitive. I'd simply hate to see him get fucked over by anyone."

I'm definitely not used to anybody talking to me like this, especially not a woman. I try to steady my breath enough to say something, but all of a sudden Rith smiles to me across the table.

"I think you already answered me, though," she says. "You got mad at me for even suggesting anything like that. Sorry, Toni, but I had to ask."

"It's all right," I grind out. "I mean, you're entitled to feel concerned."

"I'm also concerned for your safety," Rith adds and grins. I stare at her.

"What're you talking about now?"

"Well, if you do fuck Rashim over, nothing will save you from Thesh's revenge." She chuckles. "Those two have been good friends for a long time, and Thesh is very protective of his friends. Especially Rashim, and especially in matters of the heart, because Rashim is head over heels in love half the time. And I still remember last summer, when he had this boyfriend who then left him - Thesh was practically spitting fire all over for weeks."

"Are you sure he's not in love with Rashim?" I ask, amused and intrigued by the revelations.

"Positive," Rith says decisively. "Thesh is straight as a rod. His only problem is that he's so damn little and cute. Girls usually want to cuddle him, not with him."

I can't help laughing, and decide not to ask her whether or not she's aware of Thesh's obvious - at least in my eyes - crush with herself. I have a feeling that she does know but chooses not to.

I want to know, however, how she knows about me. Fuck it, we're hundreds of miles from Uman! It's just not possible that tales of my questionable activities of some time back could've traveled all the way here. Or is it?

"Oh, you're forgetting!" Rith shakes her head. "For one thing, I haven't been here all my life. I studied in Shelinet, worked for a while in Reál... besides, even though Dirna isn't such a cutthroat place as I've understood Uman to be, there still are papers appearing here."

"Papers?"

"Yes." Rith nods, looks at me quizzically over the rim of her glass. "The people here have a wonderful ability to let visiting celebrities and other famous people enjoy their holidays in peace, but the papers do report when People Who Are Somebody are in town."

"What - what did they say about me?" Goddamnit, that means... what exactly?

"Oh, just the basics. Your illustrious and moneyed ancestry. Plus a very tactful and delicate reference to your perhaps somewhat reckless life in the capitol." She laughs. "Now, now, don't look like I'd just sentenced you to hang! Maybe I'd better add that I have a former colleague who's been living in Uman for a few years and every now and then supplies me with the juiciest gossip, just to shock my provincial ears. But most of the kids probably haven't read even the 'visitor column' of the local papers, so you're safe."

I swallow and try to understand why I still feel like someone had kicked me hard in the gut. Rith pats my arm.

"Damn, I wouldn't have said anything if I'd realized it will make you feel like that," she says. "Me and my big mouth - sorry. Can't deny that I was slightly worried when I overheard the entire troupe pumping Rashim for information on his new boyfriend, and caught the words 'Toni' and 'Uman' in the conversation. But I usually try my best to judge people only after I've at least met them, and now that I have, I can say that I like you."

"Thanks." I have to swallow before I manage to say it. "I'm not quite the same guy that I was back in Uman. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly this is all about, but..."

"Well, since it obviously means that you're developing an interest in free dance, my opinion is that you've changed tremendously for the better!" Rith laughs contagiously. "And I'd say this anyway, regardless of what you've done or been before. Like any missionary, I consider every new convert a person reformed."

I have to laugh with her. She's an easy person to be with, because there's no need to pretend anything. Or rather, there's no use pretending; she'd catch me anyway.

We talk until I have to rush to catch Rashim before he leaves. Rith leaves at the same time, thanks me for a nice chat, and we part ways at the next street corner. I turn to go, but can't help glancing after her as she walks away, a small slim woman with the graceful carriage of a dancer and a clear limp.