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Don was glad that they could wrap this case up so fast and for once without Charlie’s help. He couldn’t remember when this had happened the last time.
He walked through the dark and silent bull pen heading for his desk to fetch his jacket and his keys. It was already past 1 am and nobody was there on a Sunday morning. His team had finished their reports shortly after midnight and were already gone to catch a good nights sleep – or so he thought.
Colby was sitting at his desk, head in his hands, a perfect picture of misery.
“What’s up Colb,” Don asked unsure of what to make of his agent. He felt anxiety rise in him; a hundred different scenarios played before his inner eyes why Colby looked so defeated, one worse than the other.
“You look like somebody died.” He panicked. “Did somebody die?” Don added.
Colby lifted his head and groaned.
“No.”
But it sounded as if Colby wished that someone actually had died.
“Then what happened,” Don asked still anxious.
“Rebecca,” Colby started and paused. “My girlfriend,” he added and didn’t know why he was so hesitant about telling Don about her.
“She called earlier,” he continued. “Telling me she wants to go with me to the mayor’s ball.” Colby rubbed his face and run his hands through his hair before he continued; he didn’t see Don’s mouth drop, gawking at him.
“The problem is that there’s going to be a formal dance. And I can’t dance.”
Don shut his mouth aware that he was starring open mouthed at Colby.
“Becky is so excited about it that I couldn’t say no. In fact,” he said as he thought about his earlier conversation. “I wasn’t able to tell her anything at all, because she didn’t give me a chance to get a word in edgewise.” He sighed again.
As Colby looked up he saw a very perplexed Don; interpreting his reaction wrong he let out another big sigh and hung his head.
“Go ahead and laugh already so I can go back to being miserable.”
Don snapped out of his funk and snorted. “Sorry,” he said; he couldn’t stop the insane laughter that had bubbled up inside him, but it was also mixed with another feeling, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
“Sorry,” he said again still laughing unable to stop himself.
Colby rolled his eyes; he watched Don laugh himself silly and couldn’t help but smile, too. It was really a stupid situation and he was glad that Don was there to help him get out of his misery.
“What dance,” Don managed after wiping tears out of his eyes.
“Waltz,” Colby answered shortly, a haze of doom crept over his face.
“Follow me,” Don said indicating Colby to follow him into one of the war rooms; still rubbing his stomach. He couldn’t remember when last he had laughed so hard.
Colby looked confused and suspicious at the same time, but followed Don without a question.
Don moved a few tables to the side to clear a larger space in the middle of the room, and then waved Colby over to stand in front of him. “Come here.”
Colby hesitated still suspicious about what Don was doing. He closed the distance between them with a few long strides and stood before Don, confusion clear in his eyes. He was a little shocked when he realized that he was way too close to Don, he could feel and smell him, it made him feel a little dizzy.
Before he was able to step back Don grabbed his right hand and put it on his left shoulder. Then he grabbed his left hand and put his own right on Colby’s back.
Colby stiffened, feeling Don’s warm hand on his back made him even more aware of their closeness.
“Relax,” Don said and smiled. Colby felt his knees go weak for a moment, he could lose himself in Don’s smile, but he would never admit it. He took a deep breath and willed himself to relax.
“Just follow my movements and you’ll do fine. My mother had me and Charlie learn how to dance. She thought it would make real gentlemen out of us.”
With that Don started to move forward and Colby followed him. The first few steps were awkward but soon they fell into an easy rhythm.
They danced to an inaudible music lost in the moment.