The soft hum of the city faded as Gem led her niece down a narrow alley, past a small café and a forgotten bookstore. They arrived at a modest building that, on the outside, appeared almost abandoned, save for the soft glow of light coming from within. The sign above the door, faded with age, simply read: Studio of Encore .
Gem paused before the door, her hand resting on the old handle. "This is it," she said, a nostalgic smile tugging at her lips.
Her niece tilted her head, looking up at the building with a sense of curiosity. "What is this place?"
Gem's expression softened as she opened the door, revealing a small, but beautiful dance studio. The floor was made of smooth, worn wood, and the large mirrored wall stretched across one side of the room. Soft sunlight filtered through the high windows, casting long, gentle shadows across the space. The faint sound of a piano could be heard, echoing through the empty room.
"This is where I spent most of my life," Gem said, her voice quiet but filled with emotion. "Seems it still holds up even after everyone has gone."
The niece stepped inside, taking in the beauty of the room. The walls were lined with trophies, old dance shoes, and photographs of past performances, each frame dusty and cracked and some newly cleaned. She glanced at Gem, who was already stepping onto the floor, her posture elegant and poised.
Gem extended a hand toward her niece with a teasing grin. "Come on, we're here now. Let's make it count."
For a moment, the niece hesitated. But then, with a confident grin, she took Gem's hand, and together they moved into the center of the studio.
Gem's body was fluid, her movements graceful as she began to dance, her steps perfectly synchronized with an invisible rhythm. It was as if she had never left the stage, each turn and leap as natural as breathing. The niece watched in awe, the elegance of her aunt's ballet moves enchanting and hypnotic. The grace with which Gem moved seemed to transcend time, drawing the attention of a few passersby who had stopped outside to peer in through the windows.
"I didn't know you were this good," the niece muttered, her eyes wide.
Gem chuckled softly, executing a flawless pirouette. "You're just getting started, kid. Watch closely."
The niece took a deep breath, then let go of any hesitation, deciding to add her flair to the performance. While Gem's movements were fluid and elegant, the niece, coming from a different era, had a completely different rhythm in mind. Her moves were more energetic, less refined but filled with the spirit of her time. She took a few confident steps, then broke into an impromptu routine of her own—fusing her high school dance moves with the beat of an invisible track.
The dance grew more carefree, the contrast between Gem's classical style and the niece's more contemporary moves creating a beautiful clash of eras. A small crowd began to gather outside the windows, watching in fascination as the two danced—one from the past and one from the more recent past—intertwining in ways neither could have predicted.
As the niece twirled into a smooth move, she caught sight of an old jukebox tucked in the corner, its colorful lights still flickering despite the years it had probably sat dormant. Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Hold up," she said, rushing over to the jukebox, and pressing a few buttons. "I've got the perfect song for this."
The first few notes of a familiar 80s hit filled the room, and her feet began to move to the beat. Gem raised an eyebrow, watching her niece dance with a grin. "What is this?"
The niece laughed, clearly enjoying herself. "Oh, just something I used to listen to in high school. You wouldn't get it, but it's a classic."
Gem crossed her arms, watching as her niece pulled off a few more funky moves to the music. Despite herself, Gem couldn't help but tap her foot to the beat, though she still kept a small distance between herself and the music of the living world. "It's definitely... energetic," Gem remarked, looking at her niece's smooth pop-and-lock moves. "But I'll admit, it has a good rhythm."
As the song played on, the energy in the room was palpable. The crowd outside seemed to grow, with more curious eyes peeking into the studio. The niece, realizing they had gathered quite an audience, stopped dancing for a second and turned to Gem.
"You were right. This is fun." She smiled, clearly warmed by the whole experience. "This is better than anything I ever thought Hell could give me."
Gem winked at her, a proud glint in her eye. "And we haven't even gotten to the best part."
The two of them continued to dance until the song finished, Gem showing off a few more delicate moves before the niece took over again, drawing from her memories of high school dances and freestyle moves. They were lost in the joy of the moment, unaware of the admiring looks they were drawing from the small crowd outside.
Finally, as the song wound down, they both stopped to catch their breath, leaning against the mirrored wall.
The niece wiped her forehead, still grinning. "Okay, that was amazing. But I'm starving. Let's grab something to drink."
Gem nodded in agreement. "I can use one as well."
The two made their way to a nearby bar that had appeared to be a local hangout spot from its vintage vibe and its quirky collection of drinks shown on their menus. They found a cozy corner near the window, away from the crowd but still in earshot of the bar's retro tunes.
The niece, taking a seat at the bar, ordered a Long Island Iced Tea, while Gem opted for something more familiar—a Shirley Temple with exactly three cherries.
Gem stirred the grenadine in her drink thoughtfully as her niece sipped on her own. The two of them sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the world pass by outside the window, and just enjoying the rare calm after all the excitement.
The niece looked up from her drink, her eyes sparkling with curiosity at her aunt's drink. "Hey, Aunty... did you ever meet Shirley Temple? You know, the actual Shirley Temple?"
Gem hummed softly, setting her glass down. "No, I never met her in person. But I knew who she was. She was an inspiration for so many young dancers, including myself. Her movies, her songs... She was my idol. I remember watching her on TV when I was younger, thinking, 'Maybe I can do that,' Sadly I grew too fast."
Her voice softened as she looked out the window, lost in thought for a moment. "Even though tap dancing never really suited me, I knew I liked dancing given my mother used to be a dance instructor for Hollywood once. The ballet was something that I came across in a magazine my mother had left on the table one morning."
The niece nodded, sipping her drink thoughtfully. "I always wanted to be an Olympian. I mean, I didn't get the chance to, but I used to think that if I could, I'd use the prize money to buy all the music I ever wanted. Like, all the CDs and records maybe go to a few concerts even."
Gem smiled at that, her eyes softening. "That sounds like something you would have done. Music has always been a big part of your life, hasn't it?"
The niece shrugged, a little bashful. "I guess so. Music was like a way out sometimes. But you know, your time had such a different feel to it. Those songs, that jazz... there was a lot of soul in it. It's different now, but it still makes me feel something."
Gem gave her a gentle smile. "You're right. Newer music piques my interest now and then. But my ears will always tune to the music of my time."
The niece looked around the bar, letting the music wash over her as the two of them sat there in the quiet camaraderie of shared stories and the passing of time. The night was young, and the world was full of memories waiting to be made.
"I'm glad we're here," the niece said after a long pause.
Gem nodded, her gaze was soft but steady. "Me too."
And for a moment, just a brief moment, it was as though the past and present had intertwined perfectly. Both were ghosts in the living world, but for now, they were simply two souls enjoying family time—togethe