Creative Writing: Mini Nutcracker Ballet

After meeting his girlfriend at the ice center, Dr. Stephen Reynolds stopped by the hospital to catch up on some paperwork before the holiday. At his desk, he relocated a pile of charts and under them was a familiar golden envelope.

Dr. Reynolds picked up his annual invitation to the hospital charity event. With a heavy heart, he slipped the invite out of the envelope and reviewed the list of entertainers. His eyes froze on the listing... “Mini Nutcracker Ballet, performed by the Plymouth Ballet Academy.”

He set the invitation back down and removed his glasses. For almost eighteen years, he lived only to remember his beloved Cassandra. No matter how many times he replayed his aim, he couldn’t bring her back.

The doctor replaced his glasses and took another moment to study the card. His thoughts brought him back to the night of the hospital charity event twenty years ago. She was the featured performer that evening. The entire medical community was buzzing for weeks with the news Cassandra Davenport, world famous ballerina, was going to honor them with a dance. People began to talk, and sooner than he would have liked, they realized his Cassandra and the famous dancer were one and the same.

Her performance that night

It was set up in front of double-doors, which allowed the performers to come and go out of view of the audience. The velvet curtain remained open, restricting the sightline to the side stage area. Directly in front of the stage were the shiny black and white marble tiles which made up the striking dance floor. Bordering the tiles, three rows deep, were large round tables set elaborately with glowing candelabras. The sterling centerpieces reflected the light from the twinkling chandeliers above. Fine china, silver and sparkling crystal flutes completed the table, atop layered alabaster linens which billowed to the floor. As the dancers pranced toward the stage, Becca stood