The Joy of Dancing

Yvonne grew up in the Southern regions of France, moving from village to village, avoiding the local enforcement, and looking for odd jobs and charitable donations that allowed her to survive. When she was younger, her parents had packed up and left the city while she was at school, for unknown reasons, leaving her alone and with the scraps left behind at their home. Without anywhere to go she continued to go to school and continued to live in her parents old home. That couldn't last for long though and eventually her classmates began to notice the weight she was losing and word got to local enforcement that she was living alone in her parents old home. One of her best friends Marie learned about what was happening and knew that if her friend was caught she would be sent to an orphanage, which was no place for a young girl to grow up. Marie arrived at Yvonne's place and told her about how enforcement would be coming soon to take her away. "Why don't you come live with my family," Marie said without her parents knowledge. Yvonne quickly packed her belongings and they made their way out of the house. However, as they left the house the local enforcement turned the corner just down the block. "Run!" Marie yelled as the officers began running towards the two kids. As Yvonne was running away she turned to see Marie trying her best to slow down the officers before she was apprehended.

Fourteen years had passed since then and now Yvonne was back in the village where she grew up. She was old enough now that she would not be taken in by local police and brave and strong enough to come back to her past. Though her passed had left her without a childhood and now she was quite stern, or so it appeared. As Yvonne sauntered through the town market looking for food for dinner, she walked up to a fresh bread stall. Without looking at the stall owner she picked up a loaf of warm steaming bread and went to pass it to the owner. "Yvonne?", the stall owner spat out. It was Maria. Both Yvonne and Maria were completely stunned in disbelief at this point. They hadn't seen each other since that day fourteen years ago. Without saying a word the two embraced each other, long lost friends with too much to say that could be expressed in words. "Please, come join my family for dinner and the town ball tonight, where are you staying?" Maria says, still overwhelmed with emotion. "I...I hadn't figured that out yet," Yvonne replies with tears beginning to roll down her face. After freezing for a moment Maria quickly tips up Yvonne's head with a smile on her face and replies "We can figure that out."

Maria began packing up her stall right away with the help of Yvonne as the two did their best to catch up with each others lives over fourteen years. Though both of them had developed in many different ways they both soon felt comfortable with each other as if those years hadn't passed. They went back to Maria's place where they began to prepare for the dinner and ball. Maria brought her friend upstairs to use some of her own clothes for the ball. She picked out a beautiful red arlesian dress and accessories, "I think this will be perfect." After a long hot bath and wash Yvonne put on the wonderful outfit. It was the nicest clothing she had probably ever worn, it made her feel alive and young which is something she hadn't felt in quite some time. The three of them then headed to the dinner and ball. They ate a wonderful dinner with more food than Yvonne was even able to finish. Maria couldn't help but notice Yvonne secretly sliding some of her leftovers into her bag when she thought no one was watching. She didn't mention a thing. Their dinner was partnered with a live classical band and while no one was dancing Yvonne had not felt so alive nor heard such beautiful music since she could remember. After finishing all of the dinner courses and storing away the leftovers Yvonne asked her friend if she would like to dance. Maria hesitated and Yvonne was quick to jump up and begin spinning and jumping around the table. She danced around their table before pausing with one hand on hip and the other high in the air, "come on it will be fun." "You are ridiculous and I love you," Maria bursted out before the two joined in joyous laughter, "of course I'll join you." The two danced late into the night before prancing back to Maria's place.

Yvonne decided to stay in the village for the foreseeable future and she began a bread delivery service for Maria's stall. Maria and Yvonne stayed close friends for the rest of their lives and they would often go to balls and dancer together just like that night. Yvonne could finally express herself and live a life full of love and joy.