Watching Them Dance

The song is playing softly. You hear the guitar and then the familiar voices of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. The song is In My Life, one of your favourite Beatles’ songs and Jim is sharing it with her. You watch them dance. He is holding her to his chest, her head close to his heart and his hand rests gently on her back as they sway to the song. Her soft auburn hair catches the light as they turn. You watch as he lowers his head to whisper his love into her ear and then lay a gentle kiss on the top of her head. He looks at her with complete adoration, hope and above all else love. In that moment you wish it were you in his arms. Your eyes begin to tear and you are forced to look away. He will never know that you watched them dance.

The next time you watch them dance is at an office function. It has been a few years since the last time, but this time you are sitting in a chair facing the make shift dance floor that the conference room has become. The song is that same Beatles song and as the guitar begins they search each other out and start to sway. You watch as she kicks off her shoes and places her bare feet on top of his shoes. You know that she can’t be light, but he doesn’t seem to mind the extra weight, in fact he seems to be smiling more. Again you feel envious of the private moment they have together. You watch him lean down and say something to her. It must have been a joke because she throws her head back and laughs. The auburn curls piled on her head bounce from the action. Her laugh makes him chuckle as well. From you seat you can see how happy he is and that makes you smile.

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The third time you watch them dance you are at a wedding and your shoes are pinching at your feet, but that is not what makes you tear up. It’s the sight of him dancing with her to In My Life while her white silk wedding gown bellows around her petite frame. You think she looks glamorous, her make up done beautifully, her usually curly auburn hair blown out and her ring glistens in the light of the room. This time their dance is more reverent, but it is still so them. As they turn you can see the tears in his eyes. He still has that same look of love, but this time you can see the pain that is there because he has lost her.

The last notes of the song play. He pulls her into a hug that lasts longer than it should, but neither wants to pull away. When they do you watch him plant a kiss on her cheek and then lead her to a man with curly hair and dimples whose hand is out stretched. You watch Jim take the hand and shake it. He turns and starts walking over to you. You see his glassy eyes and take his hand in yours as he kisses the top of your head.

You hear yourself say, “I know. It’s hard.”
He replies, “Yeah. I just… I never thought I’d lose her.”
“You didn’t lose her; she’s always going to need you Jim”

He smiles at you because he knows you are right. Then Paul McCartney’s Maybe I’m Amazed starts playing and he turns to you with an extended hand.

“Want to dance Mrs. Beesly-Halpert?”

You lean up and kiss him, take his hand and follow him onto the dance floor. You look up at your husband and in his eyes is all the love in the world, the love that was there in the beginning and the love that would be there in years to come. You look over at your daughter and your son-in-law; they smile at you as they watch you and Jim dance.