"A party at the mansion?" I asked, shaking my head as Mariana and her 'little sister' Isabella danced around the room. Practice was over, and I wiped the sweat from my forehead as I watched the two play. "You know, every time someone has a birthday party here, strange stuff happens."

"Oh come on Carmencita, you only turn thirty once," Adriana said as she watched her niece and my daughter play. She was ferrying Mariana while Luisa was busy working. "You know, I kinda feel bad that Johnny lost interest in this."

"He's like his father," I said with a laugh. "That boy fell in love with martial arts from the first time he got on the mat. It's okay though. I'm still holding out hope for Bobby."

"I'm amazed you bounced back from having another baby so quickly," Adriana said. "I mean, it's been what, two months since you had him? And yet you're already back to dancing again. How do you do it?"

"The same way you did,” I replied. "You're looking pretty slim for two months postpartum yourself. I guess having husbands that rev our motors into overdrive constantly helps."

"Why does Uncle Dante rev your car into overdrive?" Mariana asked, stopping and tilting her head. "Your car is old. It's going to break."

Adriana and I exchanged barely swallowed laughs and a choked comment. Mariana had very good ears. "Never mind, Mari. You ready to go see Mommy and Daddy?"

"Can we go too, Mommy?" Isabella asked. "I wanna swim in the pool!"

"I think we can arrange that, Bella," I said. "You two go get changed, though, I’m not taking you to see Carlo in dance tights. Now hurry, before you find out I'm still a mean dance teacher!"

The girls disappeared into the back, toward the new changing room, running past the picture that hung on the wall. It was of the Dreamstyle Dance children's team, doing a show at a Mariners game during the seventh-inning stretch. Mariana was near the middle, a huge grin on her face as the camera caught her in perfect mid-jump, her feet curled behind her until they nearly touched her head. She wouldn't be a competitive dancer much longer. She was growing like a weed and would be tall like her mother, but she loved to dance, regardless of whether she was built for a career in ballet or not. In some ways, a lot like her teacher.

"So are you going to defend your title?" Adriana asked quietly as the girls left. "You know, being three-time AADP champions would pretty much engrave your legacy in stone around there."

I shook my head, smiling. "Nah. It's time to turn the competition work over to the kids, and helping the others reach their dreams. Besides, I'm not going to be eligible anyway, and Dante’s so busy with Daniel at the security company."

"That they are," Adriana admitted, chuckling. "Admit it, you were geeking out as much as I was when our husbands worked security for Leo DiCaprio."

"A bit," I admitted, “And he's why I'm not going to be eligible for the AADP anymore though."

"Oh? Come on, spill the beans. If not, I'm going to bug you the entire party until you do, or until Luisa throws me in the pool."

"Not with that belly of hers. She looks like she's got a basketball under that shirt nowadays. Two for her and Tommy now too. But you asked, so I'll tell. He's got a project coming up, one of his period pieces, and there's a scene where he has to dance with Margot Robbie. So guess who got hired to be not only their coach, but also the dance choreographer?"

Adriana thumped the table and laughed. "That's amazing! When is it?"

"Three months from now. I got the contracts in the mail yesterday. With that, I was thinking of maybe relocating Dreamstyle. Still in Seattle, but a bigger building, better locker rooms, a place that actually has a shower."

Adriana shook her head. "Are you crazy? This little spot has heart and history. How'd we be able to recreate all that in a new place?"

"Well, Dante and I could have sex on the dance floor in the new place too. It's worked twice for kids."

Adriana laughed and shook her head. "Yeah, well if you do that, we're all going to be in trouble. There’s enough little ones running around here already. So you'll be there Friday for the party?"

I chuckled, and nodded. "Okay, I'll be there. Just tell Luisa her brother isn't invited. But yeah, I'll be there."

Adriana smiled and left, and I called to the back. "Ready to go girls? You hurry, maybe we can talk Grandma Margaret into some ice cream."

The cheer from the back was unanimous, and I heard a rustle of bags. Before they burst out, I turned and looked at the two nearly identical trophies that backed my front desk. Two-time national champions, ballroom division. The only differences were the years, and the names on the trophies, with the first one saying "Carmen Esperanza and Dante Degrassi," while the second said, "Carmen & Dante Degrassi."

A small difference, but all the difference in the world.

Read on for a preview of my next series.