The Ballerina and the Welder part 5
#5 of Ballerina
After lunch they continued wandering the mall, Chris got a chuckle out of Joe ducking into a game store to pick up a new rule book. This was fun, it was so nice to be out with someone and doing things with. Sure he sucked at mini golf, but so did Joe and they both had a lot of fun. Joe really was so much fun to be with, it didn't really feel like a date. More like just out with a good friend.
Jo chuckled as Christina had to duck into another store to pick up something personal. She managed to push aside her more sensual thoughts, as she was having a good time. Hell being lousy at mini golf was a whole lot of fun. Also helping to cool her libido, was a text from some other friends letting her know they could actually game tomorrow afternoon.
"Sooo, what was that text about?" Chris asked, and chuckled at Joe's reaction.
"My gamer friends have some free time, sooo, we are going to game tomorrow. Finally get a chance to defeat the overlord of the green skin horde." Jo tucked her phone back in a shirt pocket.
Chris laughed. "Wow, you really are a nerd."
"No, I am an eleventh level Elvin rouge, a master of disguise and swordplay." Jo countered.
"I have no idea what you are talking about, but it's cute." Chris teased.
They hopped on the escalator to head up a floor, Jo wasn't sure who was actually leading at the moment. "It's a good way to pass a couple hours, creatively and socially. You basically do the same thing when you dance... Maybe a bit overly simplistic, but when you are performing, you are acting as someone else. You just don't roll dice."
"True, it is a bit of acting, and it is fun to be someone else. I am not as interesting as the people I portray. I want to see if a record is out." Chris sighed as they headed to the music store. The act of cross-dressing wasn't that interesting, at least to him. It made him a little more nervous about the farce, as he was really falling for Joe hard. He blushed as Joe put his arm around him.
"Nonsense, I think you are quite interesting. After all, you are the most famous person I have ever dated. While pops doesn't follow the arts all that much, he knew who you are. I will always agree to music." Jo gave the little wolf a squeeze before they entered the crowded music store.
The record Chris wanted didn't come out till next Saturday. Though Joe did find a release from Wednesday and Winston's band Chris didn't have a hard copy of. Chris found Joe reading the back of a disc. "Electro swing?"
"It is a thing, some of it is pretty awesome. I like all kinds of music." Jo blew a raspberry and smiled.
Chris giggled. "Trust me, it's nice to know someone outside of the dance troupe who enjoys music. I don't think I have heard anything like this though."
"I have a disc in the truck, I think. We'll look when we get back out to it. This only has a single track I am interested in, not going to get it." Jo placed the disc back and they did a little more looking before calling it a day. By the time she got Christina back to her apartment it was almost dinner time. "I don't think I mentioned it, but you do look beautiful today."
Chris blushed. "Thanks, you always look handsome. I am so glad you suck at mini golf as much as I do."
"We are pretty terrible. I know I had a great time today." Jo put her hand on Christina's. "While it is early in, I really enjoy spending time with you. I know my schedule is hell, but give me a ring anytime you want to do something or just hang out."
"The feeling is mutual, it's been a long time since I have been this relaxed. And thank you for the dress." Chris leaned over and kissed Joe, a little longer than he had before.
They both wanted a little more, but they called it a night. While they both would have liked the day to go a little longer, they were really happy with the way it went. Ronda and another dancer invited Chris out for a late lunch Sunday and they talked at length about his date with the cute jackalope. Chris' parents also asked if the following Sunday would work for Joe meeting them.
It was the first time he wasn't nervous about bringing a date to meet them. Chris wasn't even sure why he wasn't nervous about it. Once back home, he pulled the dress out of the closet and held it up to himself to admire it in the bedroom mirror. He felt bad because it was expensive, but it occurred to him that other dates had not paid attention to his likes. Joe saw how much he liked it, and bought it because it made him happy.
Chris hung the dress up and went to the kitchen to fix a small dinner. Usual dates were dinner and a movie or things the guy thought Chris would like. Joe actually did stuff Chris liked doing, they wasted nearly two hours in the music store. They had spent nearly five hours together and he was never bored. The only thing they didn't talk about was religion, politics or sex. Though he was sure the latter was on Joe's mind a couple times. The kiss had certainly made it prominent in his own mind.
As Chris heated up food, he had a lot on his mind. His relationship with Joe and the upcoming performance. Opening night was Thursday, Ronda had the female lead and she was deserving of the part. He would be on stage for a good portion of the production and that did make him happy. His parents could not make opening night, but they had tickets for the Friday night show.
Jo's friends insisted she tell them about her ballerina love interest before they started playing Sunday. Of course four of the six friends were married and they were thrilled she found someone. She was thankful for their offerings of advice, and took a little of it. Sadly she did not land the killing blow on the green skinned bastard, she did pocket a pretty valuable gem without the others noticing.
Jo did snag tickets to the opening show and was looking forward to it, it wasn't one of her favorite ballets. She actually wasn't a big fan of Christmas themed stuff, especially after her mother passed away three days before Christmas. Her father tried his damnedest to make each one better than the last, and she did appreciate it even knowing how hard it was for him that time of year. Thankfully the two of them accepted it was silly to keep it up and they both just got the other a single gift and spend the day together.
Work for Jo was long hours and freezing steel. She and the rest of the crew didn't have that much more support iron to get hung in place, but equipment problems and snow made progress slow. With the wind howling one day they spent most of it cramped in a office trailer hoping the wind would die down. By noon her father and the lead crane boss decided it was safer to lower the cranes and send everyone home.
"Jo, hang tight a minute." Her father said over the grumble of other workers missing out on pay.
"Sure thing." Jo refilled her coffee and waited for the others to clear out. The door was opened long enough to drop the temp inside the trailer.
"I'm getting to old for this cold weather shit." The crane boss grumbled as the last of the crew headed out for home.
"Makes two of us, my shoulders are killing me." Jo's father Mike, also grumbled.
"Have you been doing you physical therapy dad?" Jo lowered her ears and gave him her best scolding look. When there was a crowd, she usually called him by name. Everyone knew he was her dad, but they tried to keep it professional at work.
Mike frowned at her. "I have been trying to. Anyways, Joseph here needed to talk to you about some work. The weather is supposed to be shit all next week."
"One of my mechanics has been down with pneumonia for a week, he is my only welder and I got a jib I need to get patched up for another job. Since you are the only welder that is certified to do that kind of structural work, can I sweet talk you into coming to the shop Monday and Tuesday to finish it?" Joseph sipped his own coffee.
"This projects almost finished, so even if the weather is good. The other guys can cover your absence. You'd be doing us both a big favor." Mike leaned against his desk.
Jo didn't need to give it much thought. As welding in a nice warm shop and not a hundred feet in the air would be a welcomed break. "No sweet talk needed, cause I like working with your guys a lot more than you biggest competitor. I am assuming I just need my gloves and helmet. What time should I be down to your yard?"
"All the mechanics start at seven, there is parking right out in front of the maintenance shop. And I'm glad to hear you like my guys." Joseph turned to write down a couple numbers on a sheet of paper and handed it to Jo. "If you have any problems give me a ring. I will be out all day looking at upcoming jobs."
"Will do." Jo turned to her dad. "You gonna stick around or should we go get some lunch?"
"Lunch sounds good, been a little curious about that ballerina you are dating." Mike grabbed his coat before they headed out.
Jo filled her dad in about Christina and the couple dates so far. She told him she would meet Christina's parents Sunday night for dinner. Since tonight was opening night, she was a bit relieved to have gotten off early.
Opening night for Christina was pretty standard. Last minute details, and nervousness, the dance troupe's managers panicking about the slightest thing. He was actually relaxed since he wasn't the lead. Ronda looked quite natural as Clara, Chris was a Doll in the first act and a Russian dancer in the second.
Chris didn't try to spot Joe in the audience, just focusing on his parts and enjoying the feeling of being on stage. The first act was flawlessly executed, and he had plenty of time to change costumes before he needed to be back on stage. The second act did have two miscues, but unless you knew they were there, most people likely did not notice.
After the play the entire troupe met with some rather influential off world visitors. Jo would have liked to see Christina for a moment, but it was late and she had to get up early. Her little ballerina was adorable and danced perfectly. Jo sent her a text once she got home and started to get ready for bed.
Chris smiled once he read the text after getting home. It was really late, but he sent a reply anyways. Joe hadn't sent a long text, but it made his night almost a hundred times better. It really was the little things that made him love the jackalope even more.