out of STEP

O‘Oh, Amy, no!’ I closed my eyes, hoping that when I opened them, the last 30 seconds hadn’t happened – that my best friend hadn’t announced she’d no longer be salsa-dancing with me.

We were in Café Henri, our favourite haunt, where we escaped several times a week for the most delicious pastries in town.

‘I won’t take any nonsense’

I’d felt the moment Amy sat down that she was going to give me bad news. She couldn’t meet my gaze and only picked at her slice of apple tart.

‘I’m so sorry, Helen. I’ve enjoyed salsa so much, but now I bought France, he wants to spend more time there.’

My ex-husband had called Amy a ‘people pleaser’, but I called her a kind-hearted woman. ‘Don’t worry, love.’ I reached out and patted her hand. ‘I’d do the same in your position. Dancing won’t be as much fun, but I will continue.’

‘Oh, you should!’ Amy brightened and sat up, clearly relieved I’d taken her news so well. But I felt a weight of disappointment settle inside me. Most people who went to class came in pairs, although there were a few singletons that were partnered together each week according to how well our instructor Maria thought they might be matched.

‘There’s always a spare bod in class, so you’ll definitely have someone to dance with...’ She suddenly stopped with her fork in mid-air and looked straight at me. I knew at once what was going through her mind because the same terrible thought had struck me. In unison, we said… ‘Richard!’

A few moments of silence followed as I contemplated my fate.

Richard had joined our class a few months ago. He’d seemed charming at first. In fact, some of the ladies had been quite taken with him.

But as he settled in, he began to ruffle a few feathers.

‘He’s so rude!’ Claire had remarked. ‘He said I look like I’ve been dragged got two left feet!’