Dancing Lessons

I laughed, surprised, which probably showed I still somewhat thought of her as a teacher, albeit one with whom I'd learned more than what got covered in the classroom,

I noted that hospitals are said to have a high number of deliveries nine months after a big snowstorm, though l'd never seen a source for it.

But then she stopped and looked me in the eye. "Let's us go, too."

"To the lake? Us? They'll know it's you."

She smiled at the thought. "It's not like I'm still their teacher."

And off we drove, Gretta in the middle of the seat, our horn honking like everybody's.

In times past, the cars always spread out along the lakeside. Tonight, however, we parked like at the drive-in, class reunions being about classmates all together.

"Sure you want to be here?" as I wanted to be sure.

"Half the girls were giving me little waves."

In the Ford on our right were Curtis, who'd moved to Minneapolis, and Darla, whose Phil was doing National Guard. Curtis worked on high-voltage lines; maybe I'd feature him in a piece about the electrical boom.

I could almost hear Darla telling her girlfriends that she couldn't believe her eyes when Curtis walked in, and then, there they were at the lake like they'd never broken up.

On our other side were Gary and Rosie. They'd probably scoped the gathering for someone unattached, and were now very much attached. I thought Gary said he was in the furniture business.

Greta and I, though, were different. Sure, maybe we, too, also had some history, but it wasn't that we had to get anywhere. Being together was plenty good enough, and I didn't want to walk away.

Being together was plenty good enough, but we could hardly ignore the fact of why everyone else was there, too.

The kissing was maybe catch-up, as we'd never actually dated.

Though I'd felt her breasts through her top when she'd given me dancing lessons and she'd probably always known when I'd shoot in my pants, other than our night in Norway, we didn't really know each other's bodies that well. It seemed right, edging my hand against the side of her breast, then over it, and undoing her buttons, one by one, all the way down. It seemed right, at last reaching around to unhook her brassiere. I didn't remove it, though, as while nobody was going to go around looking in car windows, probably a girl might still worry about it.

As I was hardly competent in dealing with her hose, she took care of that, and though I touched her panties, I wasn't about to start tugging. It was she who undid my belt and slid down my slacks, but like her panties, my undies stayed up.

As for how to get together, I'd the idea that the guy should be on top, but maybe that's more for when the gal can spread out. In a car, it's more about how best to sit, and for that, maybe the guy's best on the bottom. Probably all the other cars knew this.

As her panties had to come all the way off and she was on top, she was in the most danger of being seen, but when you're at the lake, maybe that's just how it is. As I didn't want anybody seeing her, though -- especially not my old classmates -- I did my best to keep her skirt pulled down over her bottom.

And then it was like our first time in Norway, which might have been like our first time having been after the prom if I'd not run off, which I suppose might have been like our first time having been while dancing, me lifting her onto me.

More quickly intense after that, though, maybe making up for so many lost years. Maybe others were looking at our car, even, though probably not, as they were likely just as busy. How I didn't immediately come, I don't know, but maybe because I wanted it to work for her, even more than me.

Which is, I realized as we together climaxed, why dancing lessons pay off.

***

Pleased with their secrets, off drove the others, headlights flashing goodnight and good luck.

And that's when up drove the very same Officer Rymer who'd been keeping the peace for years, surprised when his flashlight revealed our identity. "Andrew Compton! I heard you were in town. Did my time on board, too, Machinist, but I prefer law enforcement. More people-oriented."

And to Gretta, pretending not to notice her undone buttons. "And Miss Hanson, good to see you, too. That pie for the auction was delicious," pausing a moment before, "Come reunion time, 'most always one or two of you teachers out here,"

And then back to me, "The thing is, Andrew, we wouldn't want Miss Hanson to have to miss some of next year."

"No, sir."

"Nothing law's not prepared for, though. I just might just have something here in my glove compartment to loan you. Courtesy of County Health. Us sailors watch out for each other."

Gretta saved me from having to respond. "Appreciate it, Officer, just in case."

Officer Rymer looked me over. "Registration up to date?"

"I'd think so."

"Better stay in town a few days while I run it by Motor Vehicles."

I thought that hardly necessary, but in jumped Gretta. "He can maybe do a story on our fire hall."

"Excellent idea, Miss Hanson. The lake's right pretty this time of night, but as you two need time, moving on to your place might be better," and then remembering his profession. "No violation of any law, the way I see it. I'll set some cones down the road apiece," he offered. "Don't want them hot-rodders tooling in. Drop them off at the station."

I gave the officer a salute and off he cruised to elsewhere preserve public order.

"He knows who comes here," she noted. "Not just high schoolers."

I thought about the two of us. "Like you said in class, it's a big old world, but not too big for not getting back.'"

"I did say that. They sent me to Norway, but I never really got away."

"I sort of did, and here I am," I admitted.

She thought some more. "The night of your prom, and then Norway, and here we are."

***

Officer Rymer may have kept quiet, but the town wasn't that big.

"That Compton boy's probably not sleeping on rhat teacher's sofa," the ladies were probably saying over coffee. "Got together at his reunion. Tenth, I think. Went to the lake. Let's hope it works out. My kids say she's a good teacher."

Atlee at the barbershop was all for extending my stay. "She's not that much older than you, right?" as if he didn't know how much. "Best teacher we got. Pretty as a picture, too, if you don't mind my saying."

"No sir. Don't mind one bit."

"Want you looking cock-of-the-walk," he ruled, holding the mirror. "Got some roses along the side fence. Roberta'll help you arrange them."

***

Gretta didn't send me the paper's newborn tally nine months down the road because

1) I saw it on my desk, and

2) We were on it.

That we were in another war softened how the town saw things. "Given the situation, our boys getting called back, and all, Miss Hanson and that Compton boy were smart to get a jump on starting their family," "Mrs. Compton" not yet quite on their tongue. "They say he's a reporter, even," The school board promised her job back when she's done having little ones, as they'll always need good teachers.

Rymer chided me for not accepting his lakeside offer, but agreed that sailors prefer going without, and Gretta baked him a pie for outstanding civil servitude.

Atlee still insists I pick a few roses and Roberta makes sure they're properly arranged.

As for my dancing, I've got "Sweet Caroline" and "Someday We'll Be Together" down pat. I even wrote a piece about it, there rarely being much actual news where we live. If there is, Rymer can point me to who to ask what, as he's not supposed to tell.