If Ever(44)

"Oh, great. Now I'm going to worry about you every time you step out your door. Why do you live there?"

"It was a cheap sublet. It's not so bad. There are bars on the windows. No worries though. I'm unlocking the door now. See, I'm safe inside."

"Good."

And that's how the days pass. We talk whenever we can and I focus on rehearsals.





Come show night, our team is in a panic because we haven't been able to rehearse together since Tuesday night. I thought working as a team would bring me closer to the other contestants, but Brady was in New Orleans promoting his new cookbook, and Eva had a location shoot for her soap.

"This is a mess," I whisper to Dominic, when Brady misses his cue again as we run the number in the back lot area where the guys usually shoot pre-show hoops.

He pulls me aside. "Put your blinders on. Either he pulls it together or he doesn't. As long as you shine, that's all that matters."

But I know we need the bonus points a team win would give us. I hate being in the bottom every week and this could help.

Worrying about the team dance helps take my mind off our jive. We sail through it, and during every commercial break, even though Dominic said it didn't matter, I mark through steps with Brady. The other team performs a futuristic dance that's more robotic than graceful with them wearing sleek silver bodysuits. It's a cool number with precision movement.

Our team huddles together and Dominic gives us a last pep talk. If we're judged by appearance alone, we'd win easily. Our dance is a Bollywood meets ballroom fusion with bright costumes and great music. We're introduced and take our places. The pros have choreographed a creative crowd pleaser with the ladies skirts swirling in unison to the upbeat party song. By some miracle Brady hits his marks and the number is a blast.

Out of breath and relieved that we did so well, we face the judges to glowing comments and scores.

When I talk to Tom later, he gushes about our performances. "Could you stop getting better? I'll never see you at this rate."

And he's right when we learn we're safe the next night. It’s Molly, the reality-dating chick, who goes home. Dominic is bummed because she was partnered with his best friend Pavel, but it also means we made the semifinals and no one is more surprised than me.





"Come on, Chelsea. You'll look great," Dominic says the next day, trying to convince me to agree to a skimpy costume the wardrobe designer has sketched out.

"No freakin' way! It's basically a string bikini with a bustle of ruffles on the rear end."

"Cassie wears stuff like this all the time and she looks amazing."

"She also has a dancer's body and a lot more body confidence than I do."

"Look in the mirror. You have a dancer's body now too. We could use the extra votes a costume like this will bring in."

Dominic is good at pushing, but I'm equally stubborn. "I have to get a job in the real world when this ends, and having perspective employers see me in outfits like that will insure I don't." I cringe at how difficult I've already made it for myself. Who's going to take me seriously after this show?

"You'll get jobs with that outfit, just not the kind you were hoping for."

I picture myself stuck as a cocktail waitress for the rest of my life. "No!"

Later when we’re back in the rehearsal room, Dominic barks, "Again!" But he's not mad, he's just intense because he wants to make it to the finals and so do I. We work through the intricate steps of the paso doble and he whips me from one move to another. My muscles ache from holding the rigid frame all day. Tom and I talk on the phone as often as possible, but between the time difference and our busy schedules, I'm always left desperate for more of him.

Dominic has us in the rehearsal hall until eight o'clock each night, but the work pays off. Our dance is beautiful and I love the graceful elegance. My stunning form-fitting dress that we compromised on doesn't hurt any either. Now between the late nights with Tom, and Dominic doubling up our rehearsal time, I'm exhausted.

We run the number repeatedly until each move is perfection. I want to score tens again, and Dominic thinks we can do it, but I'm ready to drop.

"Please, can we take five," I beg, my arms quivering with fatigue. We've been rehearsing since 8 a.m. with few breaks, and it's now past dinnertime.

Dominic nods. "Good job."

I collapse against the wall.

"But remember it's all about the emotion of the dance now. We’re almost out of time. I need you to act the part and show it on your face. That's where Eva has you beat."

"But she's also an Emmy winning actress."

"And you need to act like one too. Remember, this number is all about aggression. I want to see fury in your eyes."

"Too bad they didn't give us this dance early on. I wouldn't have to fake hating you."

He grabs his heart. "How can you say that?

But I can't hate anyone. Not when there's so much joy in my heart, and if we can stay in the competition this week, we make the finals. Either way I have a guaranteed trip to New York and to Tom, then a few weeks later there’s Anna's bachelorette party, and after that I haven't figured anything else out yet. Everything good is happening in my life