Chasing a Dream
Through the kitchen window, Ola Watson watched her little cousin Lily chasing butterflies in the backyard. The little girl's blonde curls were wind-blown, and her merry laughter tinkled lightly as she tripped after the brightly coloured insects, just as if she didn't have a care in the world. Ola sighed. Of course a five year old wouldn't be burdened with the cares of the world like a fourteen year-old. And a fourteen year-old wondering what the future held for her.
Ola Watson had reason to be wondering about her future. She was fourteen years old, and all alone in the world-or so it seemed. Both of her parents had died before she was five years old, and since then Ola had been living with her brother, Andrew, his wife, Cassie, and eventually their little daughter, Lily. But life was changing. Andrew had gone overseas on a peace keeping mission with the military and had been a victim in a recent bombing. Ola shuddered as she remembered when she and Cassie had received the news. Andrew had lost one of his legs, and after having been flown back was now in a nearby hospital, battling against a horrid infection in his weakened and broken body. Cassie spent every possible hour with him, and Ola, when she wasn't visiting Andrew with Cassie, was often babysitting Lily. In the rest of her time, Ola was following her dream.
Ola swiped some of her heavy, light-brown, chin-length curls out of her face and a tear off of her nose. Her grey eyes were welled up with tears, as she compared reaching her dreams-those glorious dreams!-with the likelihood of Lily catching some of the butterflies. For Ola wanted to be a dancer-and not just dance. She wanted to dance well. Perhaps even well enough to be a competitive dancer for her dance school-Herbra Highland Dance School. And Ola knew that she was a good dancer, and until Andrew's crisis there had been a good chance that Ola would make it to being on the school's competitive team. Andrew and Cassie had both been Highland dancers when they were younger, and both throughly supported her, taking her to lessons several times a week, encouraging her in practice, and lending help in every possible way. But now there was no way that Ola would make it on the team. Cassie-poor, tired Cassie-couldn't take her to lessons, and Ola was needed to take care of Lily. Andrew's life was in the balance here. Yet Ola couldn't help but feel sad about it sometimes. She practiced as much as she could, sneaking down to the basement before she went to bed so that no one would hear her thumping on the floors as she practiced the jigs, hornpipes, and flings. And next year the school would most likely choose the competitive team from girls who already had experience.
Yes, chasing this dream would be like trying to catch a butterfly. Actually, more like trying to catch a butterfly when its raining-when the butterflies are hiding away.
The phone rung, waking Ola from her dismal reflections.
"Hello, this is the Watson house." Ola peered out the window again. Lily was now playing in her sandbox.
"Ola, is that you?" Mrs. Lee, Ola's dance teacher, asked.
"Yes." Ola felt her throat tighten. She suddenly felt her longing to be back in the dance studio intensify. She wanted to hear to the bagpipe music and the squeak of the floor when a dozen dancers landed a jump at the same time, see the mesmerizing swirl of skirts, feel herself executing perfect steps.
"This is Mrs. Lee. I was just calling to see how every things going."
"Andrew is about the same." Ola prayed once more that soon she would be able to change that message.
"I'm sorry, dear. How are you?" Mrs. Lee's voice was full of true compassion.
"Fine. Just fine." Ola didn't dare to say too much, or she was sure that she would start crying. Already tears were stinging her eyes and making the room around her melt into a watery haze.
"Still dancing?"
"Yes." Of course.
"Will you be able to come to class tonight? You've missed the last three lessons."
Didn't she know it. "Cassie won't be able to take me. She'll be too tired." Will this phone call ever end? I'll be sobbing in a moment.
"I could pick you up, or ask someone else to. Would you like that?" When Ola didn't respond right away, Mrs. Lee continued gently, "I understand if you don't want to come, or can't."
Ola swallowed hard. "I would like that very much."
"Someone will pick you up at 5:30 then, alright?"
"Wonderful." Ola paused for a moment, then whispered, "Thank you, Mrs. Lee."
The teacher's voice was soft as she replied, "You're welcome, Ola. See you later."
After she hung up the phone, Ola looked at the clock. It was only 2:23. Three whole hours away, Ola groaned mentally. Then she began to stretch. She needed to practice before the lesson.
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"Thanks for the drive," Ola called to Mrs. Dendson, one of the other dancers' moms.
"I'm glad to have been able to help. Come again with us!" Mrs. Dendson said, waving cheerily at the girls as they closed their car doors.
"Bye, Mom!" Sandy Dendson said, before turning to Ola. "I'm so glad that you could come," the red-haired, hazel-eyed fourteen year old and fellow dancer said, squeezing Ola's hand. "I've been praying for you and your family."
"Thanks." Ola never knew what to say when people said that they were praying. How can you thank someone for something that you need more than anything else?
As the two girls entered the dance studio, Ola felt like she was coming home. The other dancers immediately came over and welcomed her back. Ola blushed and shyly put on her dance shoes. She was back into the sport she loved.
So that was all that I had. What do you think? Does it need more? Would one of you like to finish Ola's story? If so, send it to me and I'll try to post your finished stories soon!
God bless!
Indi Raine