Right in Time (12 page)

Caleb and Maggie had started working on their dance for the competition.  Maggie did so begrudgingly, but softened a bit more when she heard that since she was dancing with Caleb, she wasn’t eligible for competition and they were just doing a show piece.  The knowledge that she wasn’t being judged, at least not for marks, put her at ease some more.  The dance was to be an untraditional waltz set to “Crash in to Me” by the Dave Matthews Band.  They were only two rehearsals in, but it was coming along beautifully.  Maggie always saw the waltz as being stuffy, but with the modern music and the fluidity of it and the feelings coming through their movements, she could see that the final product would be breathtaking.

Just before their third rehearsal, Maggie got a call from Caleb letting her know that he would be late.  It was Friday night and Bryan was back in town and their band had a show afterwards and they were busy setting up the venue.  Maggie took her time getting to the studio, but when she checked her watch and saw that it was thirty minutes past when his newly stated arrival time, she began to worry.  When another thirty minutes passed, she began to panic. 

She grabbed her iPhone out of her purse and dialled his number, but no one answered.  Not knowing what to do and not having any of the other band members’ numbers, she called the next person she could think of.

“Hello?” Taylor answered on the second ring.

“Hey, look, do you know the number for The Blue Room?” Maggie asked quickly.

“
Sure, of course I have the phone number for a random venue.” She replied with so much sarcasm and a little laugh.  “Where’s the fire, Mag?”

“Seriously, do you have it or not?”

“Wow, okay, uh, yeah.  One sec, I can look it up.” Taylor answered, unsure of what the problem was, but also in surprise at hearing Maggie like this.  As Maggie heard the rustling of papers in the background she grew more and more impatient.

“I could have called 411 faster than this!”
Maggie practically yelled.

“Okay, seriously?  What the hell is the problem?” Taylor quipped back.

“Jake’s played there so I figured you’d have the number.”

“Yeah, but what’s with the rushing and yelling?”

“Caleb’s playing there tonight and he was setting up all day.  He said he was running late, but he also said he’d be here over an hour ago.  And he’s not answering his phone...”

“Okay,
Maggie, calm down.  I’m sure he just lost track of time.  You know how you can get sometimes.  Worrying, overthinking…” Taylor tried to reason with her friend.

“No.” was all
Maggie could muster in reply as she felt herself start to cry.  Sensing this, Taylor was quick on the draw.

“No, no tears. 
Maggie, I’m a few blocks away from The Blue Room, I’ll go there right now, okay?”

With that, Taylor headed
to the venue to try and find an answer that would help calm Maggie’s nerves.  However, what she found out only made it worse.  When Taylor showed up at the studio where Maggie had practically worn a hole through the floor with all her pacing, she knew something was wrong.  Twenty minutes later, the two girls were at the emergency room where a nurse directed them to a numbered curtain where they saw Caleb lying in bed with his left leg up in the air on a sling, in a bright white plaster cast.

“You’re a worrier, you know that?”
Caleb joked when he saw Maggie and Taylor enter after pushing back the curtain.

“And it looks like I had good reason!  What happened?” she questioned.

“I dropped an amp on his foot.” Bryan answered, entering from behind them.

“Yeah, his fault!”
Caleb emphasized, pointing his finger at his band mate and friend.

Taylor looked from
Maggie to Caleb and then to Bryan.  Noting his cup of coffee, she saw an excuse to give the couple a moment.

“
Bryan, mind showing me where the coffee is at?” Taylor asked, and with that, Maggie and Caleb were left alone.  Caleb patted the spot on the bed next to him and Maggie went over and sat on the edge of it.

“I was worried.”
Maggie replied quietly.

“I know.  I heard from
Bryan.  I guess someone at the venue called him after Taylor showed up.  I’m sorry I didn’t call you.”

“No, you were...busy.  I just, I knew something was wrong and then when you didn’t pick up your phone, I
panicked.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” He said, kissing her hand. 
Maggie relaxed a bit.

“Does it hurt?” she questioned quietly, looking up at his cast.

“Nah, they’ve got me on plenty of pain meds right now.” Caleb answered with a laugh, bringing a smile to Maggie’s face.

“So I guess you’re gig tonight is off then.”

“Are you kidding?  They’re gonna get me a stool and I’m gonna rock it out!”

“
Caleb! You just broke your foot! You need to get some rest.”

“I’m fine. Really!”
Caleb reasoned.

“I think that’s just the pain medicine talking.”

“Maggie?” he said, taking her face in his hands.  “I promise you, I am fine.” He said, planting a sweet kiss on her lips.  “I can play the show and if at any point I feel like I can’t, then I’ll call it, okay?”

“Okay.”

“But one thing I can’t do?  Dance.”

“Oh, man!  I didn’t even think of that.  I guess we can’t perform at the competition anymore.”

“No...wait!  Just because I can’t dance, doesn’t mean
you
can’t!” he replied, excitedly as an idea popped in to his head.

“What? No, you got me in to this thing, I’m not doing it without you!”

“My friend Danny is in town from New York next week.  He’s an amazing dancer.  I’m sure he’ll be willing to do it.  He’s performing a solo show piece at the competition already.  Perfect.”

“No, not perfect!”
Maggie replied, jumping off of the bed.

“Excuse me, but could you two please keep it down?  There are other patients here.”
Bryan said in a fake voice to feign authority as he and Taylor came back.

“What’s up?” Taylor questioned, seeing
Maggie’s panicked face again.

“
Caleb here thinks that I should dance with some Denny guy at the competition now that he can’t be my partner.”

“
Danny.” Caleb corrected.

“Whatever.”
Maggie spat back at him.

“Oh,
Danny’s amazing!” Bryan answered.

“
Maggie?  Do you like the routine you guys are doing?” Taylor interjected as a voice of reason.

“Yes, it’s beautiful.” She replied honestly.

“Then you should do it.” Taylor answered matter-of-factly.

“Thanks for being on my side.”

“I am on your side.  But I don’t see why you can’t perform a routine that you love just because there’s a partner change.  And I also don’t see why we’re discussing this now, here, in a hospital.”

Dismissing the
last remark, Maggie answered “Because, it’s our dance.” quietly, referencing her and Caleb.

“And it still is, baby.  It still will be.  Dance it for me, okay?”
Caleb asked.

Maggie
looked around the room from Caleb’s face, to Taylor’s and then to Bryan’s.  All were staring back at her with a smile that said “yes, do it!”

“It is about me growing, right?” she said begrudgingly, with a hint of a smile. 
Caleb smiled at her.

“Good!  Now that that’s settled, let’s blow this pop stand.  I’ve got a show to p
lay!”

Chapter Twenty Five

Caleb was true to his word.  He sat on that stage in a chair and rocked out even though Maggie could see him fighting the urge to jump up and really get in to it.  He also stayed true to his word that if he wasn’t feeling up to it, he would say so.  Maggie had seen the band play enough that she had a rough idea of their regular set list and when she figured they had about five songs left, Caleb turned and gave a nod to their drummer who started the intro to the song they always closed with, meaning he had had enough. 

After the show, Maggie went with Caleb back to his place instead of hers which was more usual, but with his injury it was better for him to be home.  She helped him make it over to his bed as he was still getting used to the crutches.  Awkwardly, he swung his legs around to be fully on the bed and hoisted himself up so that his head was slightly elevated by leaning against his pillows.

“Comfy?” Maggie asked after he had stopped shifting.

“Yeah, I guess.  As comfortable as I can be.”

Maggie gave him a small smile of sympathy.  “Okay, well, I’m going to go see if you have any food in your kitchen because with all this,” she said, referring to his injuries, “I didn’t have time to eat.  Is that alright?”

“Of
course.” Caleb told her as if it was the most obvious response.  “But,” he said stopping her, “I know something that is better than food.”

Maggie
burst out laughing at what he was suggesting.  “Seriously, Gimpy?”

“Hey!  My foot may not work, but the rest of me does!” he defended.

“Oh, really.”

“Uh huh.” He replied with a sly grin.  He held his hand out at arm’s length and
Maggie took it and with that, he pulled her towards him.  “Besides, I can’t sleep in these clothes, so I kind of need your help undressing.”

Maggie
eyed him, with a twinkle behind her own eyes, knowing her boyfriend’s tactics.  “Well then, I guess tonight I’m playing nurse.”

Maggie got up on the bed and straddled Caleb, making sure to sink her hips down on to him soundly.  She made quick work of removing his white v-neck t-shirt and then started unbuttoning his shorts.  The doctor’s had to cut his jeans off in order to cast his foot and there was no way he was getting another pair over the plaster, so shorts or sweats appeared to be bottom of choice until it was removed.  Once his shorts were unfastened, Maggie began slowly inching down his body, taking his shorts and boxer briefs with her.  Careful not to hit his foot, she moved to the side and then to the foot of the bed as she finished her task.

“Well, there you go.”
Maggie said, satisfied with herself.  He said he needed help undressing and she accomplished that.  She slyly started moving towards his bedroom door when Caleb got a confused look on his face.

“Wait, wh
at...where do you think you’re going?”

“To get food.”
Maggie stated point blank and continued to the kitchen where she found a yogurt and a banana that looked good.  With everything that had been going on, she had forgotten to eat, but her hunger had hit a certain point where it was back to being dull again, so the yogurt and fruit were just the ticket. 

After throwing the trash out, she returned to Caleb’s bedroom to find him in the same position she left him, only now he was reading a magazine.  She stood at the doorway and cleared her throat, causing him to look up from what he was reading.

“Welcome back.” He said dry
ly, turning his attention back to the magazine in front of him.

Maggie
could only chuckle as she walked from the doorway to his bed, unzipping her dress as she went.  As she stood next to the side of where he lay, she let her dress fall to the floor and then as smoothly as she could, she removed her panties and climbed back to the position she had claimed earlier on his lap.  Instantly, she could feel Caleb start to get excited below her and let out a contented sigh and she leaned forward to kiss him sweetly.

“You smell like strawberry and banana.”
Caleb noted, causing her to smile.

“I needed to refuel, get some energy.”

“Oh yeah?  For what?” he asked cocking an eyebrow.

“
I think you know.” Maggie whispered in her most sultry tone. 

She lifted her hips ever so slightly
and gently went back down, allowing him to be guided right in to her.  Maggie moved her hips, rocking back and forth at a painfully slow speed that was both a blessing and a curse.  While it allowed the pleasure to be extended, the amazing sensations that were running through their bodies only caused them to crave that final eruption.  When they were both finally ready, Maggie picked up the pace until she was riding him wildly and no sooner did she reach her full speed did they both call out in ecstasy.