EXCERPT FROM BETRAYED - A romantic suspense novel | Page 10

MORGAN ST. JAMES

For some reason disjointed memories of a horrible fight
Mama and I had the past November flitted through my baffled
mind. I could hear Mama’s nasty shouts as clearly as if she
stood by my side. “I will never sign the contract. The only way
you will go to New York is over my dead body!” New York City
Ballet wanted me. No. No. Can’t go.
After that day, every emotion I might have had faded away
until there was nothing left but an empty shell. Oh, I still
walked to the bus stop on Clark Street after school every day,
and I took the bus to the Karakova Academy of Dance on
Howard Street. Once there, I sat on a chair and watched the
other dancers. My existence was that of a body without a soul
because in my heart I knew I’d never dance again.
~~~~

The first time I saw Sherry’s boyfriend Tommy I was at the
Academy sitting on my chair in the corner watching the others
as I did every day. He winked and said, “Hey, gorgeous, how
about a smile for the new piano player?”
I looked at him without smiling, more like a robot than a
person. Nothing unusual about that. Since the fight with Mama,
I was like that most days. You see, the robot-me could shut off
feelings and that was much better