When was there ever a time she didn't move forward through pain ? That night , Theodore didn't come home . Emma hadn't planned to wait for him anyway . She went about her evening with quiet efficiency , finishing her tasks before bed . Just as she was settling in for the night , her phone buzzed with a message from Ms. Brown , inviting her to see a show together the next evening . A few days ago , if someone had asked her to go out , she might have found it intrusive . But not anymore . She accepted at once , arranging to meet Ms : Brown for dinner first , then head to the ballet . Tomorrow was shaping up to be a day worth looking forward to . Tonight , she told herself , she'd get a good night's rest . But how could anyone sleep soundly when they were this excited ? She woke up countless times throughout the night , her restless anticipation carrying her all the way into the next afternoon . She knew her exam results wouldn't be released until after two , but she couldn't help herself - checking her email every few minutes , refreshing the website over and over . Finally , in the afternoon , the notification arrived . Her heart pounding , she logged into the site , hardly daring to believe her eyes when a score of seven flashed across the screen . She'd known she'd done well , but she'd tried not to hope . She'd kept telling herself , if she could just get a 6.5 , that would be enough . For the arts , a 6.5 was sufficient . Her last exam , six months ago , was only a six ... Clutching her phone , she collapsed onto the bed , tears spilling down her cheeks in an instant . This time , the tears weren't for Theodore , nor for her marriage , but for the giant step she'd taken toward her own dreams . After a restless night , and with her results finally in , a sense of calm washed over her . She took a much - needed nap , then got up in the evening , feeling refreshed and ready to go out and meet her teacher . 1/2 11:50 Chapter 24 As she left her room and stepped into the living room , she caught the stunned look in Fallon's eyes . Tonight , she was wearing a long dress and had even put on makeup . In the past five years , she'd rarely worn dresses , and makeup was almost unheard of . A damaged leg had kept her from walking properly , but it had also chained up her sense of beauty - something she'd convinced herself she no longer deserved . " You look beautiful , ma'am , " Fallon said , his amazement impossible to hide . " Are you going somewhere special ? " " I'm going to the theater with my teacher , " Emma answered , nerves fluttering in her stomach . The dress reached almost to her ankles , and she'd worn tights , so no one could see the scars on her leg . She politely refused Fallon's offer to accompany her , and stepped out the door, feeling like a shy fawn venturing out of the forest into the world - excited and anxious all at once . Dinner with her teacher was simple local fare , light and comforting - just what she liked . Afterward , they made their way to the theater . Tonight's performance was by the Cresthaven Performing Arts Troupe , a classic piece Emma had danced countless times back in her school days . As the music began , something deep inside her stirred - the dancer's spirit that had never truly left . Even though she sat in the audience , even though she might never set foot on stage again , her toes couldn't help but tap along to the rhythm , her body remembering every nuance . When the final curtain fell , and the thunderous applause rang out , she watched as audience members lined up to present flowers to the dancers . Once again , she found herself in tears . Not from sadness , not from pain , and certainly not from despair . But from the resonance between the art of dance and her own soul . It had once been her greatest love . And somehow , she had let herself forget it for five whole years . 2/2