#Chapter 199: One Last Dance

Abby   I can’t stay here any longer.   Watching Karl and Shana dance together is more than I can bear. The music, the laughter, and the way they move together on the dance floor—it’s like someone just thrust an invisible dagger into my heart.   So, I slip away from the crowd, pushing through the side door and making my way to the dimly lit alley behind the restaurant. No one sees me go, or at least I hope they don’t.   I can just imagine Emily and her friends now, sneering at me. I can imagine what she’s saying now: that despite my proud attitude, my ex-husband is still dancing with another woman, and I’m standing on the sidelines like a wallflower at a middle school dance.   And suddenly, my little speech earlier seems hollow and pointless.   When I get outside, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.   The ground is dirty, and the sounds of the music are drowned out by the sounds of the city. Somewhere nearby, a car alarm is going off. Somewhere else, I can h