After ten minutes of yoga I was ready for soup and salad, television and bed. I had to be at the office before nine to open the mail and schedule appointments. I was already in bed when the phone rang and some man’s voice came thick and raspy and nervous over the wire like he was calling long distance. “Jesse,” he said and waited for me to say something. Sure I remembered him. But how’d he get my number? He didn’t say anything and I wasn’t going to push because he sounded scared. Terrified. Something horrible had happened right in his neighborhood. His friend Metro, stabbed to death. Who wouldn’t want to be with someone? I let him come right over. Why not? I had plenty of room. Two rooms. I didn’t ask right away about all that had happened. When he came in he said he had no other safe place to go. I let him spend the night. I gave him my bed and didn’t get in it until he was fast asleep. I saw how really handsome he is; so good-looking it’s more than delicious, it’s dangerous.

He slept like a dead man and never moved. In the morning I found him curled up like a sausage. He had Phillip’s nose all right, and the same complexion. I dared myself to check it out. I went into my trunk, hidden under a flower-print cloth. I dug out Phillip’s high school photograph and simply stared at it. And then his voice came back to me as calm as ever.

“Come on, Lil’ Sis, the water’s nice and warm.”

“Naw.”

“It won’t hurt. You’ll feel good and won’t itch anymore.”

“Naw.”

Then Mama said I could have ice cream later.

“Naw,” I said. The basin of water looked treacherous. But what did I know, a five-year-old in pain? I stomped and stomped, pumping my legs like pistons in an angry engine.

“Here, take my hand,” said Phillip. “Take it.”

I looked into his eyes, as round and clear as the basin of salves. His eyes were harmless so the water had to be, too. I took his hand. Phillip guided me like a partner in a waltz, back step, side step, one-two-three, one-two-three.

“Bend your knees,” he said. “Nice. Nice. Good girl.”

And with my eyes fixed on his and on Mama smiling behind him, I let Phillip ease me into the water and felt its cool caress on my fiery rash. My skin tightened, the itch subsided. The water was like silk covering me. I let out the air trapped in my chest.

Phillip was my first dance partner, until I learned to go solo, that is. Then Jesse held me in arabesque and eased me back to the ground.