After Scott attended the ballet recital the first night, he didn't say it was a drag to sit through two hours of other kids' dances (maybe because our kids and Esmae were in nine of the dances!). He just acted like he loved every minute of it, even sending me a text the minute it ended, "That was great!" The next day, I was at staging when I got another text: "I want to see the girls dance again. I want to see the Seagull dance. When can I?" We decided he could see the recital again Saturday. In the meantime, as I watched and worked with my dancers all week, I received numerous pictures of the kids at home with dad, who were out and about, having fun, eating ice cream, going to festivals and restaurants and posing for Daddy's pictures.
He also sent this series of text, as well as pictures of Tizzy after she lost control of her toy car on a hill and crashed into a tree, scraping her face. So it wasn't all champagne and roses. But this week wasn't unusual, either, in terms if the time Scott spends with his kids. Even if I hadn't been busy all week, Scott would have had the kids at Dylan's for half-price shakes after 8. He wouldn't have let them miss the Arts and Music festival in the park. He still would have taken them to movies and shopping, he still would have taken the time to make them clean up the house and yard and finish the chores Mom gave them.
Saturday night came and Coco offered to watch the babies while Scott slipped backstage to see what I get to see. He loved it. He got to watch Ari and Freestone chaperone their little "Boots" dancers onto and off of the stage. He got to see me interact with my students. And most importantly, he go to see Golda and Ruby prepare for Seagulls, stand with their friends in the wings at the ready, go on and pour their hearts out, and come off to see their dad there with tears in his eyes.
Scott is always in the wings metaphorically, doing all the work to make sure his children shine. This time, he really got to be in the wings, seeing the full measure of what he makes possible. Someday he'll be standing in the wings as his children prepare for graduations, weddings, baby blesssings. Thank heavens it's just a ballet recital for now. I don't think Scott is ready to let any of his babies go off into the world quite yet.
