by Conny Manero

Created on: February 05, 2008   Last Updated: October 22, 2008

Chapter 1

The audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation as Danielle Hamilton gracefully dropped to the floor, ending a three-hour show. Panting with exhaustion she listened to the crowd, the sound of hands clapping and voices cheering. The show was a success, no doubt about that, and for a moment she enjoyed the satisfaction of it. As the lights went to black and the stage was covered in near darkness she got up, ready to take her bow when the spotlights were turned on again. Noticing the chorus in the wings of the stage, seeing they were applauding her too, she signaled for them to join her on stage for yet another bow, and another and another. Danielle looked at the audience, hundreds of faces, glowing with enthusiasm and admiration. In the heat of the spotlights she felt beats of perspiration rolling down her face and neck. She didn't mind, this was what made it all worthwhile. The getting up early in the morning, the grueling practice sessions, the endless rehearsals, the pain and frustration, this heat they all had to endure. Yes, this made it more than worth it.

Looking up into her partner's eyes she saw him smiling down on her, slowly nodding, his face beaming with pride.

In the side wings Steve Savage looked at Danielle equally proud and listened to the applause. The audience loved the show, they loved Danielle, but then they always had. Ever since her first show Broadway had fallen in love with this little lady, and ever since her first performance, every performance resulted in something like this. A standing ovation, applause that went on and on, whistles, voices cheering, and masses of flowers for Danielle. His Danielle. He was the one who found her, who took her under his wing, gave her the chance to do what she so desperately wanted to dance on Broadway. He had to wonder though if he had done the right thing by giving her this chance. If it wasn't for him she probably would have left New York, gone back to her family in Los Angeles and gone to work in her father's firm. Because of him she got the chance to make her dream come true, but looking back, Danielle's life had been like a nightmare.

Ten years ago Steve Savage had been to the theatre and did not feel like going home after the performance. Home was just a luxury house with a lot of expensive furniture, but where nobody waited for him. Once, when he was considered the top manager of everybody who was anybody on Broadway, he had a beautiful wife and lots of friends. But ever since the

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