Chapter 1.

Dominick DiBari exited the passenger seat of his mother's Camry. He opened the back door to fetch his suitcase. The suitcase wasn't a small overnight bag or even a medium-sized bag that could be used for a week's vacation. It was a large suitcase that contained enough clothing and other essentials for an entire month's stay. There was also another smaller bag for the items other than apparel that Dom needed.

“Mom, do I have to?” Dominick complained.

“You are spending the entire summer at your aunt's house. That's final.”

Dominick had gotten into trouble while at home. His mother believed that Dominick's friends were a bad influence on him. She determined that her son spend the summer away from these bad influences. Dominick knew what he had done. He had to agree to these arrangements. But that didn't mean he liked it.

Dominick would have loved to spend his summer at home with his friends and maybe get a summer job to earn a few dollars. But both of those options were closed to him now. There wasn't any way that anyone would employ him after what he had done. Plus, being with his friends who may have instigated Dominick's difficulties wasn't going to be allowed either. Instead, he would be spending the entire summer at his aunt's house.

Dominick closed the door of the car. He picked up his suitcases and trudged the 25 feet to his aunt's front door. The suitcases were heavy, but Dominick didn't have any problems with them. Dominick is seventeen years old and stands five feet eleven inches tall. He has sandy brown hair in a medium-side swept style. His eyes are hazel. His face is clean-shaven except for a little stubble. Dominick should be shaving every day, but he is a bit lazy and sometimes forgets for a day or two in a row. In his right ear, he has a diamond stud. Dominick thinks it looks cool and that it still is very masculine. He is well built for his age.

Dominick paused at the door. He looked back to see his mother's car drive off even before he entered the house. There wasn't anything to do now but to ring the bell and accept his fate that he would be spending the summer with his aunt and his little cousin.

Dominick rang the bell; it made the usual RING chime. The door was opened soon thereafter by Dominick's little cousin Connie. Connie was a vivacious seven-year-old. She wasn't even four feet tall yet. As soon as she saw him, Connie wrapped her arms around his stomach (as high as she could reach on Dominick) in a big hug. Dominick hugged Connie back. He liked his little cousin. What wasn't there to like? She had long brown hair, which was braided in pigtails at this time. She had large expressive brown eyes. She was cute as a button. She happened to be wearing light blue leotards and footless tights. She was barefoot.

“Dom, I'm going to be in a recital for my dance class. I got a wonderful part. Are you going to go?” Connie didn't say hello or ask him about himself. Her mind was consumed by the anticipation of her performance.

“Umm, when is it?”

“The beginning of August.”

It wasn't even July yet. Dominick didn't want to think that he would be here the entire summer, which of course, included August. He was hoping that he could convince his mother and his aunt to let him come home.

“Sure, I'll be there,” Dominick told Connie. He hoped that he wouldn't still be here. He did know that if he was at his aunt's house when the recital took place, he would see it. He loved his little cousin. Dominick also loved his aunt. It wasn't her fault that he was here.

A moment later, Dominick's aunt Laura entered the room.

“Good to see you, Dominick. I have your room ready for you.”

“Thank you.”

“Mommy, Cousin Dom said he will come to my recital,” Connie told her excitedly.

“Of course, he will. Everyone will be there to see you dance.”

“Wanna see me practice?” Connie asked Dominick.

Laura answered for him. “Cousin Dominick has to unpack first.”

“Yeah, maybe later,” Dominick confirmed.

“OK, I've been practicing really hard. I only have five weeks to get it right.”

“You'll do great, Honey.”

As Laura led Dominick to his room, Connie ran into the one room in the house that had hardwood floors. It was the best room for her to practice in. Laura had moved the furniture out of the way to make it easier for her. Before Dominick arrived at his temporary bedroom, music blasted from where Connie was. Connie had adjusted the music, so it was louder than before. She wanted everyone to know that she was practicing.

“She's so excited about her dance. She just loves it.”

“I can tell.”

On the way to Dominick's room, they passed Connie's room. The room was obviously inhabited by a little girl. The room's decor was off-white with mauve accents. The room was dominated by her two biggest interests: stuffed animals and dance. Stuffed animals were all over the room as well as dance-related items. There was a 'life-sized' sticker attached to the wall of a silhouette of a dancer. Bookending a shelf was a pair of dance shoe ceramic vases. There was more to Connie's room than that, but Dominick didn't linger to find out.

The room next to Connie's is the former guest room that belonged to Dominick during the summer. The room was painted and styled in neutral colors. The room looked 'fine' to Dominick.

“This is your room. I hope you like it.”

“It's fine.”

Laura left Dominick to unpack. Dominick was supposed to neatly transfer the contents of his suitcases to the drawers. Instead, Dominick opened the drawer as far as it would go and scooped out his apparel from the suitcase. He dumped the clothes in the top drawer. Not all his clothes would fit in just one drawer, so he closed the top drawer and opened the next drawer down to repeat the procedure. It took only a few seconds to unpack.

Dominick was only allowed to bring with him his apparel and personal items such as combs and deodorant. His computer and phone had to stay at home. His mother didn't want him to contact his friends while he was at his aunt's.

Chapter 2.

With nothing better to do, Dominick decided to look in on his niece. The sound of the music leads him to her location. When he saw Connie, she wasn't dancing. She was shaking her head back and forth forcing her braids to whip around her head. Dominick watched for a few seconds.

“I thought you were dancing?”

“I was. I guess I'm taking a break.”

“I see.”

“OK, I'll start from the beginning.”

Connie restarted the music. She took her place and started her dance moves. Her moves were crude. She had a lot to learn to get them right. She stopped to try the steps a second time over and over. Dominick didn't know if she was 'good for a seven-year-old.”

“Great,” he said despite his doubts.

“I can do better!” Connie insisted.

When Dominick got away, Laura told him, “She tries hard.”

“I see.”

“I tried to work with her, but I just haven't the time.”

“OK.”

“Would you like to help her?”

“What do I know about dance.”