His Enchanted Swan

Everyone in the ballet company was in total disbelief. How could it have happened? Why would Alexander kill himself? Everyone especially Yvette, was horrified by the news.

“Why?” Cried Yvette. “I don’t understand! I just talked to him a couple of days ago! Everything seemed fine! He was my best friend, and my mentor, and he had always considered playing Von Rothbart the role of a lifetime!”

She continued to cry as she laid her head against Fredrick’s, her fiancé’s shoulder. Fredrick placed his arms around her, and held her tight. All she could do was continue to cry. Alexander was more than her best friend, and mentor. He was also the brother she never had.

“I’m going to miss him.” She said, as she continued to weep. “Why didn’t he tell me that he was depressed. I just don’t understand.” Slowly she pulled away from Fredrick, as she looked up at him.

“I don’t know.” He replied, as he had a look of concern in his eyes. “Sometimes when people feel that way, they don’t know how to express their pain. Unfortunately a lot of guys like Alexander can’t handle being who they are.”

“You mean gay?” She asked, as she couldn’t believe what he had just said. “Alex was never ashamed of being gay. Not only that, his parents loved him enough to accept him. He was one of the lucky ones. Plus he had just gotten engaged to Paul, he was so happy. None of this makes any sense.”

“Sweetie, I didn’t mean anything by that.” He told her. “Both Alex, and Paul are friends of mine as well. Maybe their parents accepted it, but a lot of time society doesn’t. In a lot of cases of suicide, friends and family never seem to notice the warning signs. The victim usually is so good at putting on a façade, that even those closest to them can never tell until it’s too late. I know you may not want to hear this, but since Alex didn’t leave a note. We may never find out what actually happened.”

Yvette just shook her head, and sighed. “How could he do that to Paul?”

“I have no idea.” He replied. “They loved each other so much. Surely he would have realized the pain that this would cause Paul.”

“Oh believe me, I know.” She answered. “After Alex’s parents called me to tell me about Alex, they asked me to be the one to tell Paul. I was taken back by it. But I think they did it, because they just couldn’t handle telling him themselves. They had a hard enough time telling me. But I decided to tell him in person. I figured it was better than over the phone. I can still see the devastated look on his face. I had never seen a man so destroyed before.”

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” Fredrick asked. “It might have been easier on you, if I had gone with you. Plus I would have liked to have offered my sympathy.”

“I know.” She replied. “But I couldn’t get a hold of you, and I didn’t want to put it off for too long. I had to do it as soon as possible.”

“I just wish I could have been there for support.” He told her. She then smiled at him.

“I love you, Fred.” She said to him. “Just promise me one thing.”

“What?” He asked.

“Please don’t ever leave me.” She began to cry, again. “Especially that way. Please if you ever feel so low like that, please just come to me! I don’t think I could—“

She couldn’t even finish the sentence, as the awful experience of telling Paul was still fresh in her mind. As Fredrick continued to hold her, all she could think about was how Paul had been in total shock. He had told her, that night before Alex had killed himself, that Alex had started a pen pal type friendship with his idol.

Alex had always loved the ballet, Swan Lake being his favorite. In fact it was his dream to have the role of Von Rothbart. So he was thrilled to get a correspondence letter back from Bartholomew Rothman. He was a German ballet dancer who was world renowned for his take on the roll. In fact, Alex had gotten a letter stating that he was actually flying all the way to Boston to see the performance.

“I promise Yvette.” Fredrick whispered, as he continued to hold her. “I love you so much, I would never hurt you. And if I do, than I am truly not worthy of your love.” She pulled away, as he looked at her and smiled. He then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I’m going to hold you to that vow.” She whispered back. “If it weren’t for Alex, I wouldn’t have gotten to try out for the role of Odette. Alex is the one who convinced the ballet director to let me try out in the first place. I don’t know if I can go ahead, and perform with out him. I would almost feel as though it wouldn’t be right. After all, he’s the one who got me the role .”

“Look.” Said Fredrick. “I will support whatever you do. But if you truly want to honor Alex’s memory, then I think you need to do this ballet. There are not a lot of dancers who get to be the Prima Ballerina, and I know he would want you to dance the lead in Swan Lake. I also think he would remind you that he may have gotten you the audition, but your dancing is what got you the part. The greatest tribute, that you could pay to Alex, would be for you to dance as Odette.”

Yvette looked back at him, and smiled. “You always know the right thing to say.”

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The funeral had been a couple of days later, and everyone from the corps was there. It was a combination of laughter, and crying as everyone remembered Alex. Through the sorrow of missing him, and the joy of remembering him, there was one thing that remained constant about everyone’s feelings. There was much love for their sorely missed friend.

The day was almost a complete blur to Yvette, however. While talking to people she hardly knew, as well as her dearest friends, it was almost as if time itself was moving along without her. It felt as though her mind, and her body were on two completely different planes of existence. She was cordial to everyone, and offered comfort to a grieving Paul, as well as Alex’s grieving parents. But she had a strange feeling that she was being watched.

The day after the funeral the ballet director Ariana, had called an emergency meeting. The entire corps was there, and everyone knew why they had been called for the meeting. It was about Alex’s suicide.

They had all met in the auditorium, and the entire theater was abuzz. The roles had just been cast right before Alex’s death, and Ariana hadn’t chosen a understudy for Alex. Was the show going to be cancelled? Or was she going to reopen tryouts for Von Rothbart.

“All right everyone!” Ariana exclaimed as she walked into the auditorium. She was clapping her hands together, apparently trying to quiet everyone. Yvette almost felt like she was back in grade school. Eventually Ariana had gotten everyone to bend to her will. She was a good director, but as Alex had put it, “She could be a real bitch.”

“As you know!” She continued to state aloud. We had the tragic passing of Alexander Johnson! As much as we are all saddened by his passing, there is an old saying in the art world, ‘The show must go on!’ Now normally, since I hadn’t chosen the understudies yet, I would reopen the tryout for the role of Barron Von Rothbart. However a bit of amazing luck had fallen into my lap!” Ariana paused, as a slight grin appeared upon her face.

“Some of you may have already been aware that Alex had been in a correspondence friendship with the great Bartholomew Rothman!” She added. “Well, I was not one of them!” The members of the ballet corps began to laugh. Yep, that definitely sounded like Alex.

“However I found out that Alex had invited him to view our production of Swan lake!” She continued, as she had a smirk upon her face. “Again, I was not aware of this! So I guess you could say that I was rather shocked when Mr. Rothman showed up at my office today, and explained his little invitation from Alex! Unfortunately I was the one who had the sad task of breaking the news to him!”

Everyone was aghast at what she just said. Did this mean Bartholomew Rothman was actually here?

“Well, needless to say.” She told everyone. “Mr Rothman was devastated. And asked me a favor, that completely blew me away. He has offered, and is even refusing any sort of pay, to take over the role of Barron Von Rothbart in our little production of Swan Lake!”

All of a sudden the back door of the auditorium opened, and there entered the man himself. The famous German Dancer was standing right there. Yvette couldn’t believe her eyes, he was even better looking in person!

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