Eventually, the music stops

After what seemed liked forever, the music swelled, Bernard dropping you into another dip, his face inches from yours. You were bent back into a perilous position, not quite able to stand up, but if Bernard let go, you were going down.

He spun you up, again the heels making you feel on the edge of teetering, and the music reached a crescendo. With a climax, the music stopped, Bernard bent way over in a deep bow, his arm raised above his back, holding your arm up in the air.

He stood, clapping, and hugged you. You just wanted to run.

“Oh!” Bernard said, excitedly, “Raymond outdid himself with you! You’re my new favorite!”

That couldn’t be good. “Um, favorite?” You asked him.

Smiling broadly, he nodded. “I’m going to ask for you always!” A frown crossed his face. “You’ll bed to dance better, though.” He brightened again, “But still very nice for a beginner!”

He walked back over to his desk and sat down behind it. You minced over to the chair in front of the desk and slid into it. The tightness of the gown and the heels only allowed you to perch on the edge of it with your knees bent and off to the side. “Mr Woodrow... Raymond sent me over here to deliver these documents...”

Bernard waved a hand. “Tell Raymond not to worry. And that I expect to see much more of you. I’ll dash him off an email right now, telling him to sign you up for ballroom dance lessons, too!”

“Mr. Woodrow, that’s/ hardly...”

“I know, my dear. You don’t have to thank me.” He tapped off a quick email. “There. And I expect to see you here again....” he consulted an appointment book, “...next Wednesday, 1 PM sharp.

“I’ll have my lawyers look at the papers you brought, but I’m sure we’ll have these back to you in just a few days.”

Bernard picked up his phone and pushed a button on it. “Yes, Dorothy. She’s ready.”

Turning back to you, he said, “Thank you! See you next Wednesday!”

Dorothy then entered, and you stood and minced over to her. After leaving the office and closing the door behind her, she whispered, “How did it go?”

“OK?” You answered, uncertainly.

Dorothy winked at you. “He likes you. I can tell.”

“He wants me to come back.”

“Wonderful, dear! You must have made a good impression!”

She led you back to the unused office. You entered and looked around for your clothes you left there. Panicking, you asked Dorothy, “Where’d my clothes go?”