Chapter 6 - There You Are
Later, during the first dance, Elias refused to let anyone guide them too much.
He knew the steps.
Clara had practiced with him barefoot in their kitchen for weeks, laughing every time he counted under his breath.
Now, under string lights, he took her hand.
“Trust me?”
Clara smiled through tears.
“With dancing?”
“With everything except directions.”
She laughed again.
The band began softly.
Elias led carefully.
Not perfectly.
Carefully.
His hand on her back.
Her fingers in his.
The blindfold still over his eyes.
Some guests cried during the dance.
Clara did not know whether she liked that.
Part of her resented tears that arrived only when someone else made her pain beautiful enough to witness.
But another part of her allowed the room to feel what it should have felt years ago.
Shame.
Tenderness.
Change.
Near the end of the dance, Elias leaned close.
“Do you want me to take it off?”
Clara knew what he meant.
The blindfold.
He had worn it because bright light caused him pain, but also because the doctors said brief periods without it would not harm him if the light was controlled.
He had saved the choice for her.
Clara’s heart pounded.
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.”
“Do you want to?”
“Yes.”
The band continued.
The guests watched.
Elias stopped dancing and reached up.
Clara placed her hand over his.
Together, they untied the white cloth.
He opened his eyes slowly.
They were dark, unfocused, clouded slightly by old injury.
He could not see the way others could.
Not details.
Not color clearly.
Not faces with certainty.
But he could sense light.
Shape.
Movement.
Clara stood close enough that he could see the outline of her.
Soft brown hair.
Ivory dress.
The darker curve on the left side of her face.
He lifted his hand and touched that side gently.
The entire tent went silent.
Elias whispered, only for her, but the front row heard.
“There you are.”
Clara broke then.
Not from shame.
From release.
The room blurred as she leaned into his hand.
May you like
For years, people had seen her face and made it smaller.
Elias saw almost nothing and made her whole.
